The Kalashnikov assault rifle in the popular mind is entrenched as an extremely reliable, simple and very effective weapon. At the same time, the reputation of the assault rifle is such that the weapon itself has long actually turned into an infallible object of worship, which is almost a crime to speak badly about. However, do not forget that the AK, for all its reliability, remains a complex mechanism. And like any mechanism, the machine has its weaknesses, including disadvantages.
Most of all Soviet soldiers who passed Afghanistan were embarrassed about three things in the Kalashnikov Assault Rifle: a magazine, a trigger bracket and sights. In the store, Soviet soldiers were most embarrassed by its color. The fact is that most of the ammunition elements were made of technical plastic - Bakelite, which has a characteristic orange color. The soldiers were convinced that the brightly colored shops would unmask the shooter during the fighting. In addition, when exposed to the sun, the Bakelite magazines "fried" the cartridges very much, as a result of which the latter periodically fell into disrepair. It is curious that with metal stores and modern plastic stores, this problem is not observed.
Annoyed by the Soviet soldiers and the bracket around the trigger. True, it is worth noting that this claim from soldiers of different armies comes to the address of almost all assault rifles and machine guns when it comes to the operation of the latter in winter conditions. This is because a not too large bracket does not allow you to comfortably insert a finger in a glove. This degrades ergonomics and lowers the speed of weapon handling.
Finally, Soviet soldiers in Afghanistan constantly complained that older AK-74s lacked the tide option for standard optics. They were able to fix this problem only in the new AKM at that time. Only a new set of automatic sight was adopted for service after the war in Afghanistan in 1991. Therefore, the overwhelming majority of soldiers and officers who received optical sights at their disposal were forced to work with fairly old equipment.
>>>>Ideas for life | NOVATE.RU<<<
Continuing the topic, read about how Kalashnikov turned AK-12 into a new carbine for hunters.
A source: https://novate.ru/blogs/230121/57552/
IT IS INTERESTING:
1. DShK - the main heavy machine gun of the Soviet Union, which is still used today
2. 7 little-known Soviet off-road vehicles that effortlessly overcame mud and obstacles
3. What strange hats did the Afghan mujahideen wear on their heads?