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Subject: "Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III*"     Previous Topic | Next Topic
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Conferences Gun of the Week Topic #14
Reading Topic #14, reply 11
Gryphonadmin
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22375 posts
Dec-16-15, 02:11 PM (EDT)
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11. "RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III*"
In response to message #9
 
   >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.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.


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  Subject     Author     Message Date     ID  
 Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* [View All] Gryphonadmin Dec-13-15 TOP
   RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* Sofaspud Dec-14-15 1
      RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* Gryphonadmin Dec-14-15 2
          RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* ratinoxteam Dec-14-15 3
          RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* Sofaspud Dec-15-15 7
              RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* Gryphonadmin Dec-15-15 8
                  RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* Sofaspud Dec-16-15 9
                      RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* Offsides Dec-16-15 10
                     RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* Gryphonadmin Dec-16-15 11
   RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* Tabasco Dec-14-15 4
   RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* rwpikul Dec-15-15 5
      RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* Gryphonadmin Dec-15-15 6
   RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* ejheckathorn Mar-29-16 12
      RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* mdg1 Mar-30-16 13
          RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* Gryphonadmin Mar-30-16 14
      RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* SneakyPete Mar-21-20 17
          RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* Gryphonadmin Mar-21-20 19
   RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* VoidRandom Oct-30-16 15
   ceci n'est pas un SMLE (sort of) Gryphonadmin Mar-19-20 16
   RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* SneakyPete Mar-21-20 18
      RE: Gun of the Week: SMLE Mark III* Gryphonadmin Mar-21-20 20


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