AK Review???

[Mortblanc]

Good references but aimed at the gun familiar US population.

I will try to get across the information needed for safe handling by a person not familiar with semi-auts or full-auto weapons.

This is picture 1.

This is the safety selector switch. If you ever come across an AK pattern weapon and need to pick it up and move it or use it point the muzzle in a safe direction and turn the weapon to the right side and find this lever. Pull the lever up to the top position as shown in the photo.

The military AK will have three selector marks. (Mine has only two, safe and fire) The military model will have safe at the top, the center setting is semi-auto and the bottom setting is full auto. The markings will be in any of several languages; Bulgarian, Polish, Russian, Serb, Egyptian or Chinese. Ignore the language, top is safe, middle is semi, bottom is auto.



REMEMBER, THE FIRST THING YOU DO IS POINT THE MUZZLE IN A SAFE DIRECTION AND PULL THAT LEVER TO THE TOP POSITION!!!

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2. REMOVE THE MAGAZINE

KEEP YOUR FINGER AWAY FROM THE TRIGGER

Push the lever shown at the front of the trigger guard forward and swing the magazine out of the port.

Look into the top of the magazine.

A mag with bullets in it will look like this.

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An empty mag will look like this

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Now move the safety lever to one of the down positions.

!!!KEEP YOUR FINGER AWAY FROM THE TRIGGER!!!



Grasp the operating rod handle with the right hand and pull it to the rear with force. The spring has about 20 pounds tension so expect a little resistance.

If there was a cartridge in the chamber it should have popped out with that operation.

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With the bolt held back look into the action and inspect the chamber. The chamber is the part of the back of the barrel, the breech, where that empty round hole is showing. The chamber should be empty at this point.



If the chamber is empty allow the bolt to spring forward under its own power.

NOW PULL THE SAFETY SELECTOR LEVER BACK TO THE SAFE POSITION!

You have rendered the firearm SAFE.

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If you wish to operate the firearm the process is done in reverse.

1. Insert a loaded magazine into the port. Hook it at the front and swing the rear up until the catch clicks securely.

2. Move the selector to one of the fire positions. (The selector blocks the bolt when at safe position.)

3. Pull the operating rod handle completely to the rear and release it. This will chamber the top round.

4. Aim and fire the weapon in the normal manner OR place the selector back in safe position.

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This is one of the beauties of the AK weapons system, its simplicity.

One of my instructors once told me it took a week to teach a soldier how to operate, fire and maintain an M16. He could do the same thing with an AK in 30 minutes.

The AK also has the advantage of being built like a tank. Although the weight is only 6.5 pounds the parts are robust. The weapon also has the ability to function in total filth and misuse. If you find on in the mud just slosh some water over it and have a go.

If there are any questions I will answer as best I can.

Latter I will do close ups of the field stripping procedure and cleaning.