Kalashnikov is dead

[FISH4BUGS]

Regargless of how you feel politically, this man was the Russian John Browning. A legend has passed.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/inventor-ak-47-dies-article-1.1556419

[Outpost75]

I met Kalasnikov when he came to the US as a guest of the US State Dept. and the Smithsonian Institution. Gene Stoner also attended the dinner along with Ed Ezell, Curator of Military History for the Smithsonian. He was a brilliant mechanical engineer, though a modest, regular guy. I was glad to be there and have he and Ezell both sign my copy of Ezell's book, The AK47 Story.

[Garyshome]

Well everyone has to go sometime, I hope i make it that long.

[willie_pete]

Rip

wp

[Dale in Louisiana]

Hundred million (est) Kalashnikovs around the planet. He definitely made his mark.

RIP, Misha.

dale in Louisiana

[Houndog]

The man was an absolute genius, even if he was on the other side of the fence! RIP Mr. Kalashnikov.

[Thumbcocker]

I saw a documentary where he felt that he Stoner, and Uzi all had the common experience of seeing guns they designed for the defense of their respective nations being used for criminal purposes.

[jonp]

A strong arguement can be made that kalashnokov and browning had the most influence on warfare in the 20th century

[Riverpigusmc]

I had the dubious honor of being shot at by his invention. A talented man to be sure

[rattletrap1970]

I look at this like I look at the craftsman that make Swords for the Japanese. What will you make in your lifetime that will perform as intended hundreds of years after you're gone. I don't know personally... I'd like to think in my entire life of designing things that something I thought of will last. Have you ever asked yourself, "What will I design and/or make today that will be around and function as intended for hundreds of years after I'm gone." I'd like to be that guy.

[waynem34]

bump for a great gun.

[oldred]

Regargless of how you feel politically, this man was the Russian John Browning. A legend has passed.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/inventor-ak-47-dies-article-1.1556419

Kalasnikov is known for the AK that was a vague copy of the German Sturmgewehr, he basically modified an existing design and by most accounts improved upon it to the point that it was as successful as it was. Browning has MANY complex and ingenious designs to his credit that have been in existence little changed from their original designs for far longer than the AK, the legendary 45 auto and Browning .50 machine guns for example. These he designed from scratch with little to look to in the way of existing design yet look where these are today and how many examples of both are still in use, I would venture to say the .50 machine gun has had some effect on conflicts over the years wouldn't you think? Yep the AK designed after WW11 has been around that's for sure but it is a mere youngster compared to the 1911 and the awesome .50! The .50 was developed in the early 1930s and after being used extensively in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and many other places Uncle Sam has had to go it still performs admirably after all these years in Afghanistan today! Kalasnikov was a talented designer and he deserves to be honored for his design but John Browning he ain't!!!!

[TheGrimReaper]

The man was an absolute genius, even if he was on the other side of the fence! RIP Mr. Kalashnikov.

Yes Sir, I agree.

[oldred]

An absolute genius??? The AK47 is notable for being cheap to manufacture which is the primary reason for the millions upon millions in existence not due to any ingenious designs, except from a manufacturing standpoint. And again it bears more than just a passing similarity to the German design from which it was obviously taken. Kalisnikov was a man in the right place at the right time with a needed idea but the AK owes most of it's fame to it's popularity and reliability, popular because it was so cheap to manufacture and reliable because of loose tolerances that also contributed to it's low cost. The bottom line is the AK is such a success due to it's low cost and ease of production far more so than being an ingenious design!

[theperfessor]

Making things cheap and easy to manufacture takes as much genius as making a new and novel design, and least in my mind.

I remember reading about him in a Rifleman article, I believe he said he would be just as happy to have invented a good tractor (or something similar, it's been a while since I read the article.)

[oldred]

Making things cheap and easy to manufacture takes as much genius as making a new and novel design, and least in my mind.

I remember reading about him in a Rifleman article, I believe he said he would be just as happy to have invented a good tractor (or something similar, it's been a while since I read the article.)

Yes it does and he was definitely above the average designer but a firearms genius on a par with Browning and Colt?? Hardly and if he was where are his other designs? It's hard to look at an AK and think "Engineering marvel" especially when it shares features of earlier designs and again it owes it's fame more to it's vast numbers far more so than being a technological marvel. The bottom line is his genius is in being able to mass produce a reliable, albeit rather crude, firearm dirt cheap and a huge part of it being dirt cheap was due to lack of production costs in the communist industrial environment. I would think there would have been a heck of a lot more M16s in the world today if they had of been available for $100 each and offered by the Government by the millions to third world countries!

[theperfessor]

Can't argue with any of that...

[prsman23]

Regardless of how you feel about his design or where he got his ideas, he was a man like the rest of us. He had the same characteristics all men share and he has passed. Left behind a family, many friends and a legacy. I'd say he lead a successful life and I wish him the best in the afterlife.

[MBTcustom]

Old red nailed it. I have much respect for Mr. Kalashnikov, but he was no John Browning.
I put him in the same category as Eugene Stoner, John Garrand, and William Ruger.

A truly great man, and I mourn his passing. We are diminished.
I see the AK as a symbol of freedom, and that is his legacy. If only I could achieve such heights in my life.

[MtGun44]

Nothing very innovative about the AK. Pretty much a tough design based on a lot
of previous weapons. Well integrated, good choices on durability, poor choices on
accuracy, sights, trigger pull, sight adjustability, safety design, ergonomics in
general, etc. IMO it is pretty much a durable piece of cr**. I have owned a few, and
the DO jam upon occasion. Nothing magical about it. Roughly made, strong, overbuilt
but basically crude and not accurate. Reminds me of the Kamaz trucks in Russia.
Tough, pretty durable but really a crummy truck in the end. Durability ISN'T
everything.

Not much impressed other than they are cheap to build, generally will survive
poor maintenance and the commies flooded the world with them. Good design in
several ways, but seriously deficient in many others. Genius? Not remotely
on the level of John Browning. Remember, Browning designs came forth when
there was NOTHING to draw from. The AK is an extremely derivative design,
very little innovation.

Bill

[wallenba]

A brilliant man, who I bear no ill will to, despite the grief his weapon design has brought to U.S. veterans. He, at the time, had defeating the Nazi's in mind. I respected him.

[cephas53]

I was surprised to find out he was a life member of the NRA: "And he was an NRA Life member who, in a 1999 speech on his 80th birthday, forcefully reiterated his firm support for the right to keep and bear arms by private citizens all over the world."
http://www.americanrifleman.org/blogs/Farewell-to-Mikhail-Kalashnikov

[waksupi]

Here is something Recluse found and passed along. Hope it's not too soon!

http://www.duffelblog.com/2013/12/mikhail-kalashnikov-dead/

[bearcove]

Like said above cheap to make (stamped) Reliable (loose tolerances)

[Artful]

TAPS ....The Last Post

A few years ago, a friend visited the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in the village of Margraten, about six miles from Maastricht.
There lie buried 8,301 American soldiers killed in the battles to liberate Holland in the fall and winter of 1944-5. Sgt. Bill Dukeman, 101st Airborne Division, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Second Battalion, Company C (of "Band of Brothers fame) is buried there. He was killed in the battle of "The Crossroads" in northern Holland.

The Dutch hold an annual memorial concert every September at the above cemetery to remember and honor the Americans who died to free them in Operation Market Garden and subsequent efforts to eject the German army from Holland. Sgt. Dukeman, like many other fallen GIs, was "adopted" by a Dutch family. Dukeman's family in the States was contacted and hosted in Holland, and his grave site decorated each year by his Dutch "family." They keep his portrait in their home, displayed in a place of honor. Fathers pass this obligation down to their sons in Holland. This version of the original "taps" music is played by a 13 year old Dutch girl named Melissa Venema. The conductor of the orchestra is Andre Rieu from Holland .

Many of you may never have heard taps played in its entirety . The original version of Taps was called Last Post, and was written by Daniel Butterfield in 1801. It was rather lengthy and formal, as you will hear in this clip, so in 1862 it was shortened to 24 notes and re-named Taps.
Melissa Venema is playing it on a trumpet whereby the original was played on a bugle.

http://www.flixxy.com/trumpet-solo-melissa-venema.htm

Good bye General Kalashnikov - your place in history is assured and we will remember you with honor.