With a mark of quality: Kalashnikov rifles are on the list of the best

The Kalashnikov carbine is a modern device, created in the traditions of the great designer. This sports equipment can be adapted to any sport that requires the use of weapons. Kalashnikov SR1 is produced at . The product will hit the market for the first time in 2022 and now any athlete or hunter can buy it.

The history of the creation of the Kalashnikov carbine

Few people know, but when they first started developing this carbine, it was called Saiga-107, but then they decided to name it after the founder of the plant, because the creation of this carbine did not involve additional modifications. When this project was first being developed, it was immediately decided that the gun would be equipped with 7.62x54R mm caliber ammunition. The basis was taken from the drawings of the AK-47, in principle, as in all Saiga variations.

The first weapon of this designer appeared in 1948. The details of this process are outlined in the book of Kalashnikov’s daughter, which is called “AK-47: a legendary weapon.” Half a century later, the followers who began working in the concern decided to use the unique design of the machine gun to develop a special sports carbine. This device will not be purchased for killing, but to hone shooting skills that are used in a sports environment.

It is worth saying that the Kalashnikov carbine tried to get life several times. The first time the committee rejected the designer’s request, because the organization was closely involved in the development of Simonov. The next time the project was rejected by experts, who convinced the developer of the need for improvement. An indirect role in the 50s was played by Stalin, who directed all his attention to the development of Simonov’s devices. In the future, the leader admits that his expectations were met, but not in everything. Simonov's products were very soon removed from mass production and the golden age of Kalashnikov began.

This designer was involved in the development of carbines in parallel, during the serial production of the Kalashnikov assault rifle, but then his idea was not brought to life. In the post-war period, the government did not think about devices of this configuration. The USSR authorities wanted to strengthen the country's position in terms of weapons. In addition, during that period, the equally famous weapons creator Simonov was actively involved in the creation of carbines.

They began to actively work on the Kalashnikov carbine only in 2012. This weapon was created specifically for a number of leading practical shooters in Russia. The priority was set to two tasks: to create a device that would be easy to use and with good shooting performance. Main goal: dynamic shooting at a distance of up to 300 meters with high accuracy. Not a single device was suitable for the basis, except for the AK-107 assault rifle with balanced automatics.

The first samples were presented to the world only in 2015. People saw a new copy at the Army exhibition. The experts identified some shortcomings, which took more than a year to eliminate. After the project underwent some changes and improvements, in 2022 the gun was given the official name Kalashnikov SR1, and six months later mass production began. Already in 2018, the carbine became available for free sale.

In fact, only the third attempt to create a carbine was successful. According to official data, the first test sample was created in 1952, and the second in 1959.

Performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov-Petrov carbine

The name this carbine bears already speaks for itself. Of course, every expert will be able to identify a number of shortcomings in this device, but in general, the weapon is considered to be of high quality, reliable, and convenient. Technical indicators are clear confirmation of this. Detailed description of each item:

The first and second prototypes were almost a kilogram heavier than the current design. The barrel was shortened by almost 100 mm.

Design and performance characteristics

As already mentioned, the Saiga carbine is based on the basic version of the Kalashnikov assault rifle. However, the design has undergone a number of changes. First of all, the fire safety switch and trigger were changed. Saiga carbines have lost the ability to fire automatically. As is quite expected, the barrel itself has also changed, although the changes mainly affected variants for hunting cartridges.

The characteristics of the 7.62x39 mm barrel have remained virtually unchanged. It is worth noting that some models, especially export versions, received a shutter delay, for which this was done, I’m afraid not a single hunter will be able to explain.

In variants equipped with a folding stock, the possibility of firing with the stock folded has been blocked.

In addition, the magazine latch and the magazines themselves were redesigned, since the Federal Law “On Weapons” has a limit on the magazine capacity of civilian and hunting weapons.

The receiver of the Saiga carbine is somewhat different from the receiver of combat assault rifles, this primarily concerns the marks. Location of pins and stampings. In addition, it should be noted that, unlike linear AKs, all carbines are initially equipped with dovetail rails for installing optical and night sights. This is true for both smooth-bore and rifled versions.

Performance characteristics

It is prohibited to use magazines from the combat version of the AK on the Saiga carbine. But, despite this, craftsmen and weapons tuning companies can work on using 30 local magazines in hunting weapons; it is worth noting that the magazine capacity in this case is limited by the installation of special pins. You can find articles and videos on this topic on the Internet.

Typically, Saiga-M and Saiga-410 undergo modifications, since they most accurately replicate the appearance of the AKS. For imitation, magazines from AK-74, less often from AKM, are used. Difficulties arise only with the .410 cartridge; to use it in non-standard magazines, tuning of the magazine itself is required, in addition to the presence of an adapter and cutting the cartridges to size.

The most recognizable parts of the body, the butt and forearm, have different shapes in different designs and are not interchangeable. Nevertheless, for designs that imitate the appearance of combat assault rifles, parts from military weapons are used, since they are quite suitable for mounting, in addition, a wide production of add-ons and accessories has now been launched specifically for this model of hunting weapon.

Due to tradition, multi-layer plywood, durable wood and glass-filled polyamide are used for the manufacture of decorative elements.

The operating principle of the automatic self-loading carbine completely repeats the mechanics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle, with the exception of the operation of the trigger, which is designed only for single shooting. The device itself almost completely replicates the AK device, but with dimensions increased to fit the cartridge used. The most impressive, for example, is the 12-gauge Saiga bolt.

After the shot, the powder gases push the bolt carrier piston back, the ejector pulls the spent cartridge case out of the chamber, and cocks the hammer, the return spring is compressed. After full compression, the spring begins to straighten, pushing the frame forward; in this movement, the bolt sends a cartridge from the magazine into the chamber, after which, turning around its axis, it locks the barrel. The carbine is ready to fire again.

As in the Kalashnikov assault rifle, all the mechanisms of the carbine are made with significant gaps, which made it possible to maintain the reliability of the hunting version of the weapon at the level of its combat counterpart.

The structure of the AK carbine

The basis for the Kalashnikov carbine was the redesigned design of the legendary machine gun. The developers wanted to reduce the mass of moving parts, guaranteeing the necessary energy supply for reliable operation of the machine even in the most difficult conditions. This was not possible immediately, because the impacts of the bolt group in the extreme forward and rear positions had a negative impact on the accuracy of fire. During operation, the carbine began to shake a little, which is why accuracy also began to suffer.

At that time, talking about the combination of “range-accuracy-accuracy” was out of the question. Therefore, the decision was made to make major changes. In the new weapon model, which was developed in 2012, the trigger mechanism has undergone changes: parts that ensure automatic firing have been removed from it. To make the device more stable, to reduce the impulses of the moving parts of the automation, a balancer-counterweight was invented and added.

This special counterweight forced the moving mechanisms to move in the opposite direction relative to the bolt group and synchronously with it. Despite the fact that it was necessary to seriously complicate the design of the carbine, the developers managed to increase the accuracy of fire. It was extremely difficult to do this, because the bolt group is in the extreme forward position, and the balancer is in the opposite position. Other design features:

1. Full equipment does not exceed 3.5 kilograms. The presence of different modifications allows a person to choose an option for himself: small or more impressive.
2. You can use a 5.6x39 mm hunting cartridge.
3. The most popular type with fixed and folding stocks, long and short barrels.
4. This device has no modifications, except for one, which can be called an experimental version. In it, the manufacturers slightly lengthened the barrel.
5. The bolt and bolt carrier move forward under the influence of the return spring. These actions allow you to transfer ammunition into the chamber to prepare the device for firing.
6. Function for feeding cartridges into the receiving window of the carbine and automatically ejecting an empty clip after using the last cartridge.
7. The two-position rear sight has fixed positions for firing at an impressive distance. Combat accuracy has been improved due to an enlarged aiming line.

To create the mechanism in the form in which it is presented in the 2022 models, the balancer and bolt frame were synchronized. To do this, two gears were added, which were combined by the carriage into a single unit. When testing the new device, the carriage with gears began to fall into a special groove in the receiver and remains motionless. This balance ensured a stable position and the absence of unnecessary dynamics of the entire barrel.

Due to the fact that the design was borrowed from the Kalashnikov assault rifle, but slightly modified, this carbine is purchased by fans of the AK-47, which is difficult to buy without special permission and qualifications. Technical characteristics confirm that the complexity of the mechanism is not always an inconvenience of disassembly, modernization or repair. The main indicator is a guarantee of high performance data and reliability.

The carbine is aimed at people who play sports professionally or want to improve their shooting performance.

Saiga rifled hunting carbines, how to understand the modifications

In order to better understand the models of Saiga rifled carbines, you should understand how to correctly read their markings. The first word in the name (“Saiga”) means belonging to a specific family. After the word, a letter marking of the version of the hunting rifle is written with a hyphen. If there is no index in the marking, this means that the carbine is made in its original version and has a barrel length of 520 mm for Saiga calibers 7.62x39, 5.56x45, 5.6x39. The Saiga 7.62x51 and 9x53 barrel has a length of 555 mm. All these models are equipped with a non-removable wooden stock.

If the name "Saiga" has the letter "M", this means that the following changes have been made to the design of the standard carbine:

• Barrel length 555 mm for calibers 7.62x39 and .223Rem;
• A bolt that has three lugs (in caliber 7.62x39);
• Reduced trigger force in the trigger mechanism;
• Ergonomic wooden buttstock equipped with a rubber butt plate.

Saiga-M comes in three modifications: M1, M2 and M3.

“Saiga MK” is the same modification of “M”, only with a barrel shortened to 336 or 415 mm. One of the most famous modifications in this category is the Saiga MK 7.62, which is equipped with a firing lock when the stock is folded, like all modifications of the Saiga MK.

Advantages and disadvantages of the model

The AK carbine has all the necessary certificates and licenses. This device has been put into mass production and is in demand on the market. This is a quality product that has undergone a lot of testing. To ensure the reliability of the device, it is worth analyzing the main pros and cons. Such an evaluation table will allow those who are planning to purchase this model to make a decision.

It is important to highlight shooting indicators. Experts assured that this device can hit the bull's eye from a distance of 200 meters. Such data exceeds the results of any other weapon of a similar format. Once upon a time, the development of this weapon lasted several months, but it was not done in vain. Now the range, accuracy and accuracy readings can be called impressive.

Advantages and disadvantages

The carbine meets the forensic requirements for civilian weapons

There is a blocker that will prevent an accidental shot. For example. Losing ammo during competition is unacceptable.

Externally, the carbine is very similar to a Kalashnikov assault rifle. Moreover, it is marked with two letters “AK”. Guaranteed shooting accuracy

You can use increased-capacity magazines for participation in sports competitions and training in practical and tactical shooting

The magazine can hold no more than 10 rounds, and carrying additional horns is inconvenient

Weight does not match dimensions. Upon visual inspection, it does not feel like this is a “serious” device

Due to the fact that the device involves the use of two types of cartridges, working with 5.45x39 gives more modest results

If you use stores of increased capacity, the weight of the structure increases significantly. This has a negative impact on training performance

The low weight of ammunition can be considered an advantage. If a person goes hunting, he will be able to take more cartridges with him. A reliable weapon because it was created on the basis of the Kalashnikov assault rifle. The main part of the mechanisms is taken from the AK-47. In addition, these two weapons are very similar.

If we compare this carbine with other similar designs, it is superior to them in many ways. Most people are only confused by the price. You can purchase a high-quality device of a similar configuration at a lower cost.

Prospects for modernization

The great demand for carbines of the Saiga series is not capable of overloading production, since the capacity is designed for the mass production of small arms for the needs of the army.

The company tries to fulfill all concluded contracts without delays. The export of Saiga forces designers to look for new solutions in modernizing the carbine in order to compete with well-known arms brands in the international small arms market for civilians.

Ammunition for the Kalashnikov-Petrov carbine

This carbine allows for the use of two types of ammunition. To understand how they differ from each other, except for size, you should analyze a brief description of each cartridge:

1. Ammunition of 7.62 x 54 mm R caliber is a unitary rifle cartridge with a case having a protruding rim. It is considered the oldest in the entire history of the arms market. Main technical characteristics: weight - 13.6 g, length - 30.8 mm. Fastening the cartridge case in the muzzle with three persistent recesses. There is an intermediate version of such ammunition - 7.62 x 41 mm and 7.62 x 39 mm.
2. The 5.62 x 54 mm R ammunition is used for sniper rifles, but can also be used for the Kalashnikov carbine. These cartridges are popular among hunters. Technical indicators: diameter - 5.6 mm, weight - 2.8 / 3.5 grams.

It is possible to purchase blank cartridges. You can buy ammunition at any gun store, as well as online. The average cost is from 20 rubles per piece. There is a homemade version of cartridges, which are 50% cheaper in price. Experts do not recommend buying such ammunition, because they do not guarantee the safety that is inherent in the factory product.

The second option is also intended for hunting small and medium game, but the power of this model is slightly lower.

Disassembling the carbine

First of all, you should think about safety. A lot of accidents have been recorded around the world that occurred during disassembly or cleaning of weapons. Disassembly is carried out in order to clean the tool after use. It is important to carry out this procedure every time.

Before you start disassembling the device, it is important to worry about safety and process optimization. To do this, you need to choose a room with good lighting and clear the table so that there is somewhere to lay out individual parts. This solution will make the reassembly process easier. It is better to disassemble while standing. Step-by-step process algorithm:

1. It is necessary to separate the optical sight. To do this, you will need to turn the optical sight bracket handle counterclockwise 180°.
2. Move backwards to separate the optical sight.
3. After this, you will need to separate the receiver cover and the return mechanism. In order for this event to take place correctly, you need to grab the back of the cover with your right hand, then push in the return mechanism. Only then can you pull the lid up so that the back part comes off.
4. The frame with the shutter is unfastened. To do this, you will need to pull the frame back all the way, and then sharply pull it up to release the frame along with the shutter. If you do not do this with a confident movement along the receiver guide, the structure will not give in.
5. The shutter is separated from the frame. For this process, it is necessary to securely hold the bolt with the frame in your left hand, and carry out the main actions with your right hand. First you need to turn the bolt by the head counterclockwise until the bolt diamond comes out of engagement with the figured groove of the frame. Only after this can the bolt be pulled out of the frame channel.
6. The main job is to remove the gas tube. To do this correctly, you need to press the pin of the gas tube and turn the pin up, then sharply separate the gas tube. Then the forend is detached if necessary.

When disassembly is completed, it is necessary to clean the main parts, and then lubricate the individual parts. The carbine is assembled in the reverse order.