Kalashnikov admits to German help on the AK

No big deal...the Russians took a piece of crap German rifle and cartridge and made I better.

Swedes did the same with the Mauser. :)
 
Isn't the VZ-58 also said to be based on the German StG 44?

The Czech SA Vz. 58 service rifle is now available from CZ-USA in 2 semi-automatic only versions, the VZ 58 Tactical Sporter, and the VZ 58 Military Sporter.

The Sa vz. 58 was developed by Ing. Jiri Cermak in 1956 and 1957, adopted by the Czechoslovakian army in 1958. and was produced by Ceska Zbrojovka in Uhersky Brod, Czechoslovakia until 1983. Approximately one million Sa vz. 58 rifles were produced during it’s 20 year production run. As of 2007, it is still the standard issue service rifle in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

The new Tactical and Military Sporter models are manufactured by combining original Sa vz. 58 components with a new semi-auto only milled receiver, a new trigger mechanism and new fire control parts.

While the appearance of the VZ 58 looks similar to the AK-47, it was inspired by the German StG 44 and initial development was actually based on the 7.92 x 33. Mechanically, the VZ 58 is completely different from the AK-47, and no parts including magazines are interchangeable.
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kwhunter said:
Well, the "Western allies" were interested in other german marvels, like rocket technology, jet engines and nukes.
However, with all the 'help' they could get from Wehrner von Brown, there were the soviets that had the first functional rocket engine and first spacecraft in orbit.
I'm really amazed how the 'west' looks at the russians much like the germans did not very long ago, e.g. a bunch of primitive mongolian type retards that 'have stolen' german technology and brains whereas the 'west' had the germans volunteerly hand over their plans and blueprints and took a government sponsored vacation in the sunny Florida.
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Shows you what waterboarding and a whip, versus a vacation in the west will get you.
 
When you take a closer look at Big 3s practices (for the sake of the example, almost everybody does the same) they strip down and evaluate every single competitor's car and get what they are interested.
I wonder Mr Garand what he looked at when designing his M1?

Lee Enfield said:
AK47 owes as much to the Garand (trigger mech) & Remington Model 8 (op system & safety) rifles as anything else
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considering most of the major gun designers at the begining of the 20th century either worked for, with or under each other, it's not surprising that one gun influenced another.
 
Not surprised either. The soviets were pretty much out to prove themselves, and having a german designer father their new great peoples weapon wouldn't have been all that inspiring.

Combine that with Schmeisser being "asked" to help, and any number of feelings of his own and you can see it.

I mean heck, the two guns are darn similar in so many ways it's a hard thing to deny.
 
Lets face it: Just about very gun is generally a copy of a original and successful design. Most bolt action hunting rifles (Remington 700, Winchester 70, Ruger 77, etc.) borrow heavily from the Mauser M98 rifles (Thank Paul Mauser for bringing the bolt action rifle to its technological pinnacle), the Uzi borrows from the Czech SA 24/25 series, the FAL, FN 49, AG 52 and MAS 49 borrow from the SVT 40 and the M60 borrows from the MG 42 to name a few.
 
H Wally said:
Not surprised either. The soviets were pretty much out to prove themselves, and having a german designer father their new great peoples weapon wouldn't have been all that inspiring.
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Methinks it was more about survival then proving themselves, also don't forget the Nazi-Soviet non-aggression pact of August 1939 with the Nazi - Soviet cooperation on development and production on with tanks, planes and guns... side stepping the Versailles treaty.
 
Calum said:
Methinks it was more about survival then proving themselves, also don't forget the Nazi-Soviet non-aggression pact of August 1939 with the Nazi - Soviet cooperation on development and production on with tanks, planes and guns... side stepping the Versailles treaty.
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Pre-war, very true. I probably should have put my point of reference (post war) in that they were now one of the world's two main super powers.

Somethign else I may have missed - Schmeisser worked with the soviets after 1945 right? From that I would think that he didn't necessarily have much choice in the matter. Also, when did plans for the STG 44 or its ancestors come into being?
 
Yes. Russians took the design of the front sight from Germans.... That's all. All other parts and the way of operation is different... HK33 has more parts in common with Sturmgewehr 44 than AK and Sturmgewehr 44 has far more Russian solutions from SVT40...

PS. Quoting junk sites from Internet is just stupid too.... Especially blogs!!! Yellow press newspaper is like New York Times to those blogs.

PPS. From technological point, AK has more in common with Garand M1 rifle.... ;) and that was officially recognized even back in Cold War time...
 
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Name one postwar rifle that did not borrow concepts and even whole designs. Nothing new here. We already know Kalashnikov borrowed the trigger and bolt locking from Garand, the dafety from a Remington design, and the long stroke piston from the Stg44. The French had a direct gas impingement system long before Stoner came along etc etc etc.

Doesn't alter the fact that the AK was exactly what the Soviets needed, and that it is ideal for third world guerrillas and soldiers and is the second most produced rifle after the Mauser. Kalashnikov is still a gun design genius.
 
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paulz said:
Name one postwar rifle that did not borrow concepts and even whole designs. Nothing new here. We already know Kalashnikov borrowed the trigger and bolt locking from Garand, the dafety from a Remington design, and the long stroke piston from the Stg44. The French had a direct gas impingement system long before Stoner came along etc etc etc.

Doesn't alter the fact that the AK was exactly what the Soviets needed, and that it is ideal for third world guerrillas and soldiers and is the second most produced rifle after the Mauser. Kalashnikov is still a gun design genuius.
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You said genuius! :p:p
 
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