| Avtomat Kalashnikova Assault Rifles |
|
| Manufacturer | Izmash |
|---|---|
| Operator[s] | Yuktobania, Emmeria, various illegal organizations |
| Type | Assault Rifle, Carbine (AKS-74U) |
| Operation | Gas-Operated |
| Cartridge[s] | 7.62x39mm (AK-47/AKM/AK-63/AK-100 series), 5.45x39mm (AK-74/AK-100 series), 9x39mm Subsonic (AK-9) |
| Firing Mode[s] | Selective Fire (Automatic & Semi-Automatic) |
| Magazine | Varies |
| Maximum Effective Range | Varies |
| Rate of Fire | Varies |
| Variant[s] | AK-47, AKS, AKM, AKMS, AK-63, AK-74, AKS-74, AKS-74U, AK-101, AK-102, AK-103, AK-104, AK-105, AK-107, AK-108, AK-9, EK-15 |
| [Source] | |
The Avtomat Kalashnikova Assault Rifle series is a long running series of Yuktobanian firearms based on the Belkan StG44. They were designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov, and were produced by Izhmash from late 1947 to 2031. The rifles have been used by the Yuktobanian and Emmerian militaries, in addition to countless private armies and insurgent groups.
Models[]
AK-47[]
The first weapon in the series, the Avtomat Kalashnikova 47, or AK-47, was a rifle produced before its time. It was gas-operated like all AKs, and used a 7.62x39mm cartridge. The AK-47 entered service in the Yuktobanian armed forces in 1949, and quickly proved its effectiveness. Though it saw little combat in the Yuktobanian military, it became a beloved asset to their soldiers. Though it has long since been phased out of mainstream military service, the AK-47 continues to be a mainstay of private militaries and a favorite of gun enthusiasts everywhere, even into the reign of the Belkan Waldreich.
AKM[]
Though the AK-47 was a resounding success, it was not without flaws. The stamped metal components were difficult to manufacture, and the rifle was fairly inaccurate. So, a new Kalashnikova rifle was produced. The Avtomat Kalashnikova Modernizirovanniy or AKM began rolling off of Yuktobanian assembly lines in 1959. Like the AK-47, the AKM is a gas-operated, 7.62x39mm assault rifle, and to the untrained eye, it is identical to its predecessor. However, there are key differences. First, the stock of the AKM was longer and straighter than that of the AK-47, which made the rifle more stable. The stock was also more hollow to make it lighter. Second, the numerous stamped metal parts were altered and simplified, to make the rifle easier and cheaper to mass-produce. Thirdly, a slanted muzzle brake was added to prevent the barrel from “walking” upward during automatic fire. Other changes included a modified return spring mechanism, a “rate reducer”, a lighter bolt carrier, an integrated bayonet mount, and more. While the AKM was a far greater success than the AK-47 within the Yuktobanian military, it never achieved quite the same popularity that the AK-47 did on the international market.
AK-63[]
4 years later, in 1963, a new Kalashnikova rifle, the Avtomat Kalashnikova 63 or AK-63, came to be. Unlike the AK-47 and the AKM, the AK-63 failed to generate a significant profit, as the Yuktobanian Military had only begun to transfer from the AK-47 to the AKM, and no interest in commissioning a new assault rifle in any large quantities. Though the Yuktobanians were satisfied with the AKM, the AK-63 attracted a new customer: the Emmerian military, which was looking for a long-overdue replacement for their obsolete Mosin-Nagant rifles. Despite that the Emmerians were impressed by the Kalashnikova, they only commissioned a handful of the weapons, due to an economic depression.
The AK-63 was the first and last Kalashnikova rifle to fail on every market. As a result of its disappointing economic performance, the AK-63 was discontinued in 1966, after only 3 years of service.
AK-63 rifle, this rifle though slightly popular with Emmeria gained no significant sale. It formed the base for the Wielvakian NGM rifle.
AK-74[]
The next rifle in the series, the Avtomat Kalashnikova 74 or AK-74, took a revolutionary step forward in design. Possibly the largest change from the previous Kalashnikovs was that it instead of the old 7.62x39mm cartridge, the AK-74 used a smaller 5.45x39mm cartridge. Both the Yuktobanians and the Emmerians bought large numbers of the AK-74 to replace their previous weapons. The Emmerians were quite satisfied with their new rifle, after using the Mosin-Nagant for over 30 years. The AK-74 was the first Kalashnikova to be used in a major conflict: the Blood Wars. The AK-74 was also used alongside the newer AK-100 series weapons during the Belkan War and Circum-Pacific War. The AK-74 was the standard assault rifle of the Yuktobanian armed forces until early 2012, when it began to be replaced with the AK-200. The Emmerian military replaced it a few years earlier in 2007 with the AK-107.
AKS-74[]
A folding stock variant of the standard AK-74, the Avtomat Kalashnikova Skladnoy 74 or AKS-74, was produced. It was issued to airborne troops in Yuktobania, as the folding stock made it lighter and easier to carry.
AKS-74U[]
A carbine version of the AKS-74 was created as well. It was the AKS-74U (U for Ukorochenniy, meaning shortened), and was used primarily by the Yuktobanian Spetsnaz, and to a lesser extent by sentries and vehicle crews.
EK-15[]
During the Anean Continental War, the Estovakians recovered many AK-74s from the Emmerian capital of Gracemaria. The Eruseans found the rifle to be cheaper and more reliable than their Fatoan AUG rifles, and reverse engineered a near-identical copy of the rifle. The new weapon was dubbed the Estovakieyet Kalashnikova 2015, or EK-15 for short.
AK-100 series[]
From top to bottom: An AK-101 attached with a GP-30 grenade launcher, an AK-102, an AK-103, and an AK-104.
The Avtomat Kalashnikova 100 series, which is compised of the AK-101, AK-102, AK-103, AK-104, AK-105, AK-107, and AK-108, entered production production in the early 1990s. They have been present in more conflicts than any other Kalashnikova rifles, having been present in the Belkan War, Anean Continental War, Circum-Pacific War, and the Second Osean Continental War.
AK-9[]
The Avtomat Kalashnikova 9 entered production in 2004. The AK-9 is a Special Forces only model, used exclusively by the Spetsnaz (with the exclusion of one occasion in 2010, when Belkommando Spezialkrafte units stormed Apito International Airport, disguised as Spetsnaz commandos and armed with AK-9s). The AK-9 fires a specialized 9x39mm subsonic cartridge, which due to its low speed does not produce a sonic boom, meaning that the AK-9 is just as quiet as a conventional silenced weapon without requiring a silencer.
Trivia[]
- An AK rifle is known as a "Kalash" in Yuktobanian slang, while the Oseans refer to them as "AKs".
- During the Cold War, the importation of AK rifles to Osea (which exploded due to the massive surplus of AK-47s following the AKM's adoption) was made illegal. This law was never repealed.