>I haven't fired a Nagant -- though I want to, someday -- but I have
>had the fun of squeezing off some rounds from a (Chinese) AK-47, which
>technically makes it a Type 56 I think. That fires 7.62x...
>something. 39mm, I think?

Yeah—the 7.62x39mm cartridge is one of the original "intermediate" rounds, designed to have the same bore diameter as the USSR's full-power rifle cartridge (the 7.62x54mmR), but a smaller powder charge. Same kind of thing as the German 8mm Kurz (as used in the MP/StG 44). In the Soviets' case, they originally developed their intermediate round for a light machine gun during WWII (the RPD), and it was then used in several other projects during and after the war. Since one of those other projects was the AK-47, it's now the most common rifle ammunition in the world.

>It was fun but I don't think it was fun
>enough to want to spend that sort of money on a regular basis. One of
>my aforementioned uncles had it and we took it out back a few times.

I kind of perversely want an AK of one type or another in my collection, partly because of its long and colorful (if often darkly-colored) history and partly just because the damn things are likely to be banned again sooner or later. My inner shitkicker showing through, I suppose. :)

(For more than most people really want to know about the history and implementation about the AK-47, I recommend The Gun by C.J. Chivers, which I believe is still in print.)

>Kicks like the proverbial mule, and a right bitch to clean.

Modern black powder substitutes (Pyrodex et al.) help a lot with regard to the second point. They still require cleaning up after, but they're nowhere near as dirty and nasty as the Colonel's original formula; their cleanup requirements seem to be about equal to what's needed after firing old smokeless ammunition with corrosive primers. Which a lot of surplus military ammo is, so I've got a depressing amount of it in stock for both my SMLE and my Mosin-Nagant.

--G.
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Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
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