Okay, once in a while I watch a video and my jaw drops. Larry Vickers visited Russia and got to shoot a new AK-107. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely we will ever get to see this amazing piece of engineering on this side of the pond thanks to politicians.
The AK-107 is a chambered in 5.45×39 and uses a novel balanced gas system and the AK designator does not mean Avtomat Kalashnikova as we are so used it. Instead, it means Alexandrov/Kalashnikov.
Larry dumped a 97 round magazine and I was stunned to see how little the rifle moved. That is some seriously controllable accurate firepower. The AK-107s rate of fire is rated at 850 rounds per minute and he dumped the drum!! Seriously – wow!!
Watch this video:
Just a parting comment – They also make an AK-108 in 5.56×45 NATO and a lesser known AK-109 in 7.62×39. I’m a huge fan of 7.62×39 and can only imagine what that round must be like coming from that mechanism – wow.
Here is the link to Larry’s book on AK rifles that he is selling directly and not through Amazon.
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I’m more knowledgeable about the Soviet AK-47 than I am the German Sturmgewehr 44 (StG 44). The main reason I even known about the StG 44 is from reading about it in books that cited it as being an inspiration to Mikhail Kalashnikov and his design team. But was it really – I’ve heard some heated debates about this.
I had some time and watched this brief video where Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons has a Chinese Type 56 sitting next to a StG 44 as he talks. They were both on loan from the James D. Julia auction company.
Ian gave a very interesting perspective that the AK-47 was essentially designed as a more powerful replacement for the Soviet’s PPS-43 that fired the 7.62×25 Tokarev pistol round.
In constrast, the Germans were wanting a controllable automatic fire weapon that would increase the firepower of soldiers especially during tactical withdrawals. They had the German 7.92×57 bolt action K98 and the famous MG42 belt fed machine gun also in 7.92×57 but they needed something different hence the StG 44.
Now, I have no doubt Kalashnikov and his design team got ideas from the StG 44. Any good engineer would take an existing design and learn from it. The Soviets needed to build up a hero so there is a lot of myth mixed in with history so I am not sure where to draw the line myself.
The video shows you the two rifles and actually shows live firing of the two so you can see how the StG 44 was actually more controllable. I thought this was really cool because the slow motion really shows the difference.
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In April 2018, Larry Vickers visited the Kalashnikov Concern factory in Izhvesk, Russia. Given that armory was established on the orders of Russian emperor Alexander I in June 1807 plus most Westerners having mental images of antiquated machines and dimly lit dirty facilities, one might make some very, very wrong assumptions about the modern JSC Kalashnikov Concern.
The very modern Kalashnikov Concern facility is brightly lit, clean and using world class machines. I thought it was interesting seeing all the quality boards and neatly arranged tooling.
Also worth noting was Larry’s observation that with many AK manufacturers trying unsuccessfully to product cast trunnions and bolts that Kalashikov still forges those parts and there is a reason for it – durability.
At any rate, it’s a cool but brief 6 minute video.
Here is the link to Larry’s book on AK rifles that he is selling directly and not through Amazon.
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Two guys I really respect, Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons and Larry Vickers discuss the history of the AK-47 and also show Larry’s new book on AK rifles. They cover a ton of information through questions submitted by Ian’s followers. For people into the history of the Kalashnikov rifle, this is well worth your time.
Here is the link to Larry’s book that he is selling direction and not through Amazon.
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It’s interesting that we hold the AK-47 in near mythic regard when it comes to reliability. It took almost 12 years from 1947 to the release of the AKM (Avtomát Kaláshnikova modernizírovanny or “Modernized Kalashnikov Automatic Rifle”) in 1959. The journey the design team made over the years is quite interesting.
I did a post on the Type 1 previously (click here to open it) and that first iteration had problems with the stamped sheet metal receiver that affected reliability. In response, Valeriy Kharkov lead a design team who created a milled receiver from a forging to address the reliability problems and it was ready by 1949.
The Soviets had plenty of labor, that wasn’t a problem so in a manually intensive manner, they machined a six pound block of steel that required 120 steps into a finished 1.4 pound receiver. That means they wasted almost 3.6 pounds of quality steel and used a ton of consumables and machine time. To be honest, it boggles my mind but they accomplished their mission – the QC problems with the receiver were addressed.
In the following video, Ian McCollum does a great job showing a type 2 and describing the differences between it, the type 1 and the following type 3. For example, he points out the rear receiver extension that is made from sheet metal that is an instant identifier of a Type 2 fixed stock rifle (sometimes referred to as the “2A”). Note, they made the type 2 with an underfolder stock also (the “2B”).
Another tell is that the lightening cuts are parallel to the top of the receiver in the type 2 and in the type 3 they are parallel to the bottom.
There are quite a few other changes such as the grip now being a single piece, the selector lever having an additional clearance added above the pins, gas vent holes moved to 10 and 2 o-clock and more.
By the way, one thing Ian does is refer to it as the AK-49 and I have never read anything that supports that nomenclature. If you Google AK-49, nothing turns up. I would recommend you refer to it as an AK-47 Type 2. Other than that, I think it is a great video and you can actually see the many details as Ian points them out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch">
If you want to read a book that does a great job detailing the Type 2 and its history, I would recommend The Grim Reaper by Frank Iannamico. Poyer’s book has details but not as much history.
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Ian McCollum does a great job showing an actual Soviet Type 1 sheet metal AK-47. I’ve read about the Type and seen a few photos but nothing as detailed as this. We so often focus on the AKM but Mikhail Kalashnikov and his design team at Izhevsk had to go through a lot of learning and evolution of the design.
For me this was absolutely fascinating as Ian talks about the Type 1’s history and QC problems this early design had and then actually opens the rifle up to show the many differences.
Grip plates vs a true grip
No center support to keep the receiver from getting crushed
A selector lever that was only on the operating side that did not go all the way through
Longer trunnion
Ejector was part of the trunnion
Different rivet pattern
Fluted gas piston
and more
If you like AK’s, be sure to watch this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch">
Also, consider donating to Ian. He puts a ton of time into his videos and the research required. Here’s a link to his Patreon page.
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We have a new grip model based on the Russian AK-12. Our grip has a very similar outward appearance and profile to the Russian grip but is cast solid and is made here in Michigan by us. As a result, it counts as a 922r compliance part also.
The rifle is my personal FM-AK47-21 that has the cool Molot RPK side folder, a Chaos rail, the superb Vortex Sparc II red dot optic, and a Chaos rail and a JMAC RRD-4C brake.
I wear XL-size gloves and the grip feels very good in my hand and puts the rifle into a very natural position. In looking at the top of the grip, I think it will fit any AKM rifle or a pistol with a typical grip nut and screw. I think it would take some fitting to go on a Yugo with its unique riveted grip strap.
This grip is available for ordering now if you are interested – click here.
6/29/23 – We still make these and needed to change the design slightly. The “ears” that cradled the receivers were cracking due to slight differences in receiver outer diameters, the shape of the bend and that our plastic doesn’t really like to bend. So, if you go to the product page in our store you will notice the current model has the ears sanded off. The grip sits on the receiver like other grips and no longer cradles/straddles the receiver/
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Note, the Crossfire CR-RD1 red dot optic replaced the Sparc II shown in the photo. I am using a Crossfire CF-RD1 on another rifle and really like it.
Molot published this walk through of their production facility in March 2017. It’s in Russian but with English subtitles. It’s only 5:31 long and worth your time. Yeah, I drooled when I saw the injection molding.
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