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AK47 assault rifle designer Kalashnikov dies at 94
- Thread starter terminator363
- 37 comments
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- 4,797
- Antarctica
- 26,628
- OREGON
- a6m5zero
Two interesting facts from the BBC article: 1) He made very little money for the design of the great AK-47. 2) His sadness for the criminal use of the AK-47.
Personally, I simply look at the man as one of the greatest firearm designers, and that's about it. Nothing more, but certainly nothing less. I have never attempted to tie the man to the misuse of the rifle at all. RIP.
Personally, I simply look at the man as one of the greatest firearm designers, and that's about it. Nothing more, but certainly nothing less. I have never attempted to tie the man to the misuse of the rifle at all. RIP.
- 4,797
- Antarctica
- 2,229
- Canada
- BaronBlitzRed
Quite possibly the one man who could make Sam Colt jealous. No matter which side of the fence you may sit on, you must give the man credit where it's due. A true game changer and shall be remembered long after his passing.
RIP
RIP
- 4,573
- Moscow
- Rage_Racer_VOLK
- RageRacer48
It was not money that he cared about.
Once, he lead a journalist to a stand in his room holding a congratulations letter from Brezhnev, and said: "This - is my biggest wealth! And I don't need any other!". Of course, it's not about Brezhnev, it's about recognition from the country.
When he was asked, does he regret that he hadn't become very rich, he said: "You can't measure everything in money. The most precious thing for me is when people come to me and say "Your weapon has saved my life!". Why do I need millions? I live great!".
When Izhmash (the firearm production company where Kalashnikov used to work and the main manufacturer of the AK, PK and the other of his creations) was branded as Kalashnikov Concern, Mikhail was offered some good money for his name as the company brand, but he declined it and gave his name for free.
Mikhail Kalashnikov had a great life. He left such a great legacy - the world's most popular assault rifle, that was his main pride, and such things as money did not matter for him. A genius happy with his progress.
The chiefs of his design bureau said:
His head works in a way other from normal people - in normal things, he sees something that the others don't. We all seem to be thinking on some part identically. But then, something comes to his mind that would never come to ours, because we weren't even thinking in this direction!
For example, when he was designing his rifle, he was solving a problem - how to avoid sand and dirt to come in? What did the other constructors do? Tried to fit the parts to leave no gaps. What did Kalashnikov do? He left some free space under the moving parts so the dirt fell out by itself! He managed the problem from another side.
Now, Kalashnikov is gone, but his work and his legacy will live very long.
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- 26,628
- OREGON
- a6m5zero
I wasn't trying to make a point in the matter either way, but I just thought that it was an interesting confirmation they made in the story. It is also interesting that he even passed up free money, and while we may not see eye-to-eye on that, I can certainly respect where he's coming from.
Dotini
(Banned)
- 15,742
- Seattle
- CR80_Shifty
I agree.
My thoughts are that Mikhail Kalashnikov revolutionized history and politics, much as did Sam Colt's "Equalizer", only more so.
- 9,884
- Carthage, TN
- race_emhard
While I prefer the AR-15 (less recoil and more accurate), I've always liken the AK to the Viper. It can be a little hard to wield if you're inexperienced, but it packs a helluva punch.
Покойся с миром Михаила Калашникова. Rest in peace Mikhail Kalashnikov.
Покойся с миром Михаила Калашникова. Rest in peace Mikhail Kalashnikov.
I prefer the M-16 or AR-15 myself. The AK-47 has a reputation for requiring minimum cleaning as well.
If there were any version of the AK I would use, I would use the Israeli Galil.
- 4,573
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- Rage_Racer_VOLK
- RageRacer48
"God created people, but Colonel Colt equalized them in rights. Staff Sergeant Kalashnikov went even further: he equalized whole countries."
Fixed. Online translators don't work good with Russian.
Some more interesting facts:
1. Mikhail had his first gun expeirence in his teens, when he field-stripped a Browning pistol by himself.
2. When Kalashnikov was conscripted to the Red Army in 1938, he became a tank driver (later - a tank commander), and his engineering skills were standing out back then. During the service, he designed a shot counter for tank cannon, a device for the TT pistol for shooting from tank's firing ports, and a tank odometer (which was recommended for mass production).
3. He lived in a small apartment on the third floor of an old house, and everyone in Izhevsk knew where he lives. When the news of his death was spread, people started coming to his home with flowers, but the police was redirecting them to his museum.
4. He was very pedantic and liked order in everything. His flat was modest, but very clean. "When I see a mote, I clean it up right away. If I see a fly inside, I won't feel calm untill I take it out." Even food was packed precisely: "Put cucumbers into a jar like you put bullets into a clip!".
5. When Kalashnikov was wrong at something, he used to say: "Sorry. I'm still young, I'll change!" - was heard on his 90th birthday as well.
6. In 1989, he vistited the US to meet Eugene Stoner (the AR-15 designer). Kalashnikov was greeted like a celebrity, although almost nobody in the world knew his face.
Why? The Galil is not kosher.
It's heavy and the sights can't be ranged precisely. Israeli army refused it and uses the M16 instead (which turned out even cheaper).
👍
- 26,628
- OREGON
- a6m5zero
I for one can see where you are coming from. However, almost everyone in the U.S., myself included, have very little to no nationalistic, or political bias against any firearms. At least not any guns I can think of off the top of my head. If the design & build quality is there, most shooters in this country would like to shoot one, or own one.
I would practice with an AK-47, and if the situation occurred in a war time battle situation where my preferred weapon, the M-16 would either run out of ammo, or unable to operate, or just plain lost, then I would pick up an AK-47 on the field and use it. But if I ran into another M-16, I would drop the AK when I no longer needed it.
There are guns that I prefer because of it's nationalistic origins, Guns like the Magnum Desert Eagle, a gun that was developed by Americans and Israelis, and one of the most powerful Hand Guns in the world!
As for the Galil, of course it's not Kosher, it is completely inedible. I would rather eat pork than eat a Galil.
- 4,573
- Moscow
- Rage_Racer_VOLK
- RageRacer48
AK was designed to be cheap, reliable and effective. Terrorists are not idiots (in terms of picking the equipment, at least) and they pick what they think is best for them. They choose AK because it's cheap, effective and easy to wield, not because "it's a terrorist weapon, and we should use it in our job, muahahaha!".
I said "Kosher" in the meaning of "good".
IDF admited it was unsuccessful, and replaced it with M16 in most units (except for mechanized and armored units, where its folding stock made it easier to store in vehicles).You know what I like about this? Politicians can struggle and keep the Cold War on, but engineers respect each other (and each other's work). Kalashnikov rated the M16 high, in terms of combat effectivety, functionality and quality. Stoner appreciated the AK, too, emphazing the margin of safety and ease of using. They also have fired each others' guns on a shooting range and gained about the same score.
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AK was designed to be cheap, reliable and effective. Terrorists are not idiots (in terms of picking the equipment, at least) and they pick what they think is best for them. They choose AK because it's cheap, effective and easy to wield, not because "it's a terrorist weapon, and we should use it in our job, muahahaha!".
I said "Kosher" in the meaning of "good".
Terrorists Love them though! Sadam Hussein loved AK-47's so much that he had one Gold Plated. When Palestinian Liberation Organization Yassar Arafat died, the extremist Palestinians unloaded thousands of rounds in the air from automatic fire of AK-47's, in a way honoring their deceased leader.
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- 4,573
- Moscow
- Rage_Racer_VOLK
- RageRacer48
Of course they love what they use. But do you really think it's weird to like what bad guys like, too?
Anders Breivik liked Call of Duty games, so I shouldn't? Ah, he also used a Ruger Mini-14 carbine and a Glock 34 pistol. So they are terrorist weapons from now on...
Anders Breivik liked Call of Duty games, so I shouldn't? Ah, he also used a Ruger Mini-14 carbine and a Glock 34 pistol. So they are terrorist weapons from now on...
- 8,191
- Southern Louisiana
- GTP_Kent
If you think terrorist use AKs because of the AK's great design you are a fool.
AK's are cheap due to over production and easily available for the same reason. It also doesn't hurt that many countries have built them and been hotspots for extremist activity.
There are many, MANY, factors to explain why so many people use AKs; being an incredible rifle is only one.
The only sad part of this news to me is the fact I know the man was under appreciated and under paid for his work due to the failure of a system he was a slave to, had he been American he might have designed the rifle for the west, they might have adopted the rifle, and he would have more than likely been a multi-millionaire for his efforts.
Btw, colt Jealous... Not so much in my eyes... Now who would make them both jealous? Browning, that's who.
Btw, rage racer has a point... Is it bad to like what the bad guys do too? I'm sure middle eastern extremist children and adults alike would like the internet and playstations if they had them, I'd even go so far as to say some of those men (over there) might even like seeing a woman's skin.
AK's are cheap due to over production and easily available for the same reason. It also doesn't hurt that many countries have built them and been hotspots for extremist activity.
There are many, MANY, factors to explain why so many people use AKs; being an incredible rifle is only one.
The only sad part of this news to me is the fact I know the man was under appreciated and under paid for his work due to the failure of a system he was a slave to, had he been American he might have designed the rifle for the west, they might have adopted the rifle, and he would have more than likely been a multi-millionaire for his efforts.
Btw, colt Jealous... Not so much in my eyes... Now who would make them both jealous? Browning, that's who.
Btw, rage racer has a point... Is it bad to like what the bad guys do too? I'm sure middle eastern extremist children and adults alike would like the internet and playstations if they had them, I'd even go so far as to say some of those men (over there) might even like seeing a woman's skin.
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Ice Cube, one of my favorite Rap Musicians said in his song...
Today was like one of those fly dreams
Didn't even see a berry flashin those high beams
No helicopter looking for a murder
Two in the mornin got the Fatburger
Even saw the lights of the Goodyear Blimp
And it read, "Ice Cube's a pimp" (yeah)
Drunk as hell but no throwin up
Half way home and my pager still blowin up
Today I didn't even have to use my A.K.
I got to say it was a good day
Today was like one of those fly dreams
Didn't even see a berry flashin those high beams
No helicopter looking for a murder
Two in the mornin got the Fatburger
Even saw the lights of the Goodyear Blimp
And it read, "Ice Cube's a pimp" (yeah)
Drunk as hell but no throwin up
Half way home and my pager still blowin up
Today I didn't even have to use my A.K.
I got to say it was a good day
- 3,475
- Vilnius
Dotini
(Banned)
- 15,742
- Seattle
- CR80_Shifty
Who is the origin of this quotation? Is it acceptable?
Are we to truly believe that 6-shooters helped equalize men in rights (the right to stay alive another day in the old west?), and that the AK-47 was instrumental in equalizing whole countries? At a certain level of reality, it might be true, but would this also be tantamount to agreeing that more and better guns equal more and better rights and freedoms?
In the medieval ages, the epitome of military might was the knight, extensively trained and expensively armored. That the mounted knight could be killed by a low-born armed with a wooden bow and bodkin arrow greatly irritated the knight. Eventually the face of warfare evolved to incorporate massed archers, and later musketeers and riflemen. War was democritized, and the knight soon lost his place. So is the AK-47 and its inventor to be enshrined in the pantheon of democracy, rights, freedoms and liberation from tyranny and elitism?
Is it accepted that the manufacturing cost of the AK-47 has amounted to only $14 each? How does that compare to the AR-15?
I don't even know what I was trying to prove. Just saying I prefer the M-16 over the AK-47. It's a terrorists, communists, and gangsters weapon, but I prefer the acuracy of the M-16.
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Rapper 50 Cent also knows about AK's, here is what he had to say...
Me I'm no mobsta, me I'm no gangsta
Me I'm no hitman, me I'm just me, me
Me I'm no wanksta, me I'm no acta
But it's me you see on your TV
Cause I hustle baby, this rap ---- is so easy
I'm gettin' what you get for a brick to talk greasy
By any means, partner, I got to eat on these streets
If you play me close, for sure I'm gonna pop my heat
------s saying they going murd' 50, how?
We riding 'round with guns the size of Lil Bow Wow
What you know about AK's and AR 15's?
Equipped with night vision, shell catchers and F-bangs, huh????
- 3,082
- Allen, Texas
- crispychicken49
- crispychicken49
And M16 are often used by drug cartels to conduct warfare in the streets against innocent people and federal workers. In fact they use about any gun the Mexican Military uses, which so happens to be supplied by the US. The AK-47 is not a terrorist, communist, or gangster weapon. It is a gun. Just because certain groups use it more than others means nothing. BTW I'm sure 50 Cent is the epitome of gun knowledge.
He seems like a very humble man, and a great engineer. The world has lost a good man. RIP.
