[CaptainGyro]

Mikhail Kalashnikov passed away today.

 

[IrishCop]

Saw that this morning. Had been in the hospital for quite a while. Wouldn't/couldn't/didn't release exact cause of death, but at that age...

One has to admit that the Avtomat Kalashnikov certainly secured it's place in firearms history.

 

[DavidE]

Mikhail Kalashnikov, designer of the AK-47, dies aged 94 | World news | theguardian.com

Definitely a day worth noting for gun historians.

 

[stand watie]

I once met him, when he came to WDC to speak to The Asia Society. - I found it interesting that he said that the SKS was his favorite military rifle.

yours, sw

 

[WaltGraham]

Tim had a pretty good story about him at Gunstock.

 

[IrishCop]

I once met him, when he came to WDC to speak to The Asia Society. - I found it interesting that he said that the SKS was his favorite military rifle.

yours, sw

Not my favorite, but I have one, and an old M-60 assault pack full of loaded stripper clips. I think in an honest to gosh survival situation, not having to worry about damaging or losing magazines is a plus.

 

[stand watie]

IrishCop,

"MK" said that he liked the SKS best because it was "nearly indestructible & more versatile than" any other combat rifle.
He also stated that he believed that, , "The Walther PP/PPK series of handguns was superior in every way, but cost, to the Makarov PM, Browning P-35 or Colt's 1911, as a personal sidearm".

MERRY CHRISTMAS, sw

 

[Kevin Gibson]

If you put an AK in the hands of someone who knows how to use it, it's a very fearsome weapon. I have very little complaints about the AK. It's not an American rifle, so it's not loved here; one shouldn't be surprised. The Russians absolutely love the thing, and they know how to make it work well in an infantry platoon, when combined with the other arms a platoon carries.

 

[WaltGraham]

I have very little complaints about the AK.

Me neither; I have one set up for social work that lives in my daily driver. It's kind of like carrying a shovel. You may need it, you can't really hurt it and if, by some misfortune it gets swiped I haven't lost a 2K$ AR.