The AKM rifle is an assault rifle that is an improved and modernized version of the AK-1950 rifle made by the Soviet Kalashnikov group in the late 47s. It was designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov and his team to solve some of the problems of the AK-47 and increase the efficiency and reliability of the rifle. The AKM rifle replaced the AK-47 as the standard rifle of the Soviet army and was widely used and spread during the Cold War.
The performance of the AKM rifle is better than that of the AK-47, which is mainly reflected in the fact that the AKM rifle uses a stamping receiver, which replaces the milling receiver of the AK-47, which saves a lot of metal materials and makes the weight of the rifle from 42 kg reduced to 31 kg. In addition, the magazine of the AKM rifle was also made of light alloy or plastic, which was common to the original steel magazine, but was lighter. The stock, handguard and grip are also made of resin synthetic materials to further reduce weight.
The AKM rifle has a higher accuracy of fire. The AKM rifle is equipped with a beveled notch-shaped muzzle brake on the muzzle, which can suppress the muzzle jump up and right deviation, and improve the dispersion accuracy when firing in bursts. The hammer of the AKM rifle is also equipped with a reducer, which can delay the release of the hammer and prevent the hammer from hitting the firing needle prematurely and causing a dumb fire or reducing the rate of fire. The sights of the AKM rifle were also improved, the scale firing range was increased, from 200-800 meters to 100-1000 meters. There is also a reversible fluorescent attachment on the sight for night aiming.
The reliability of the AKM rifle is also stronger. The surface of the bolt and bolt frame of the AKM rifle is phosphated, which increases corrosion resistance and abrasion resistance. The piston barrel of the AKM rifle has four semicircular notches at the front end, which, in conjunction with the notches of the gas hoop, prevents the piston barrel from overheating and deforming. The AKM rifle has a small magazine positioning slot on each side of the receiver, which can reduce the shaking of the magazine and improve the stability of the ammunition supply.
The history of the AKM rifle dates back to the birth of the AK-47 rifle. The AK-47 rifle was designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov during World War II to provide the Soviet army with an automatic rifle that could withstand harsh environments, was robust, simple to operate, and powerful in firepower. The AK-47 rifle was finalized in 1947, and in 1951 it began to equip the armies of the USSR and the Warsaw Pact countries. The AK-47 is also very simple, with only eight main parts, and it is easy to disassemble and assemble. The reliability of the AK-47 rifle is also very high, whether it is in cold, heat, desert, muddy, wet environments, it will work properly.
However, the AK-47 rifle also had some problems, mainly its large weight; The AK-47 rifle used the same type of bullet as other Soviet light **, such as the Degtyalev light machine gun and the Simonov semi-automatic rifle, but the structure and components were completely different and could not be interchanged, which increased the difficulty of supply.
In order to solve these problems, Kalashnikov's team began the development of a new rifle in 1953, with the goal of developing a new assault rifle with simple structure, reliable performance, strong survivability, easy mass production, and easy availability of raw materials. After several years of trials and refinements, the new rifle was finalized in 1959 as AKM, the improved version of the Kalashnikov automatic rifle. The AKM rifle has undergone a series of improvements on the basis of the AK-47 rifle, which has significantly improved the weight, shooting accuracy and reliability of the rifle. The AKM rifle has also achieved standardization with the RPK light machine gun, and the two ** use exactly the same bullets, components and mechanisms, which facilitates the use and replenishment of the troops.
The AKM rifle began to equip the Soviet army in 1959, replacing the AK-47 rifle as the standard rifle of the Soviet Union. AKM rifles were also exported in large quantities or licensed for production to allies and friendly countries of the USSR, such as the countries of Eastern Europe. The history of the AKM rifle did not end with the collapse of the Soviet Union, and it remains one of the most widely used rifles in the world, with an estimated number of more than 75 million. AKM rifles have also been continuously improved and modified, resulting in many variants and variants. The AKM rifle also influenced the rifle design of many other countries and regions, such as the Chinese Type 56 rifle, the Israeli Galil rifle, and the South African R4 rifle.
The meaning of the AKM rifle is not only a **, but also a cultural and political symbol. The AKM rifle represents an outstanding achievement of the Soviet military industry and demonstrates the military strength and influence of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The AKM rifle was also an instrument of national liberation and social revolution in many countries and regions, reflecting the support of the USSR for the Third World.