28 September 2011

Russian Army Ending Kalashnikov Era

The Russians are ending a 70-year history of purchasing Kalashnikov rifles.

The Russian army says it is halting orders of the famous Kalashnikov assault rifle until a newer model is developed by its manufacturer.

Chief of the General Staff Nikolai Makarov told Russian media that the army already had too many of the weapons in its stores.

A new model is expected to be ready by the end of the year.

News of the army's decision is reportedly being kept from the rifle's designer, Mikhail Kalashnikov, now 91.

"We do not want to take it upon ourselves to tell him," an unnamed member of his family told Russia's Izvestia newspaper.

"It might kill him."


h/t Mike M

By: Brant

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

If the Russian Army has more than enough for its needs "several times over", expect about a million older AKs to be dumped out there, for cheap... but it's not as if the world were running short of them anyway.