The AKMSU (russian: АКМСУ) is the name attributed to a compact carbine derived from the Soviet
AKM
The AKM () is an assault rifle designed by Soviet small arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1959. It is the most ubiquitous rifle of the Kalashnikov rifles. It was developed as a replacement to the AK-47 introduced a decade prior.
Introduc ...
, chambered in
7.62×39mm
The 7.62×39mm (aka 7.62 Soviet, formerly .30 Russian Short) round is a rimless bottlenecked intermediate cartridge of Soviet origin. The cartridge is widely used due to the worldwide proliferation of Russian SKS and AK-47 pattern rifles, as ...
. The carbine was commonly thought to be a Soviet prototype weapon, but evidence suggests that the carbine was not actually of Soviet origin, and was instead a custom-made weapon misattributed as a Soviet weapon.
Origins
The carbine that would later be attributed with the name AKMSU was first received by the British Ministry of Defense Pattern Room collection in June 1986. The Pattern Room closed in September 2005, and their entire collection was gifted to the
Royal Armouries
The Royal Armouries is the United Kingdom's national collection of arms and armour. Originally an important part of England's military organization, it became the United Kingdom's oldest museum, originally housed in the Tower of London from ...
in
Leeds, England
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populat ...
, where the AKMSU resides to this day.
Following the Pattern Room's reception of the carbine, the carbine would be documented in several English and Russian publications,
[Isby, David C. ''Weapons and Tactics of the Soviet Army.'' Englewood: Jane's, 1988. pp 415.] and the name AKMSU was later attached to the weapon. Alongside the name, the weapon was also attributed with history that describe it as a Soviet prototype weapon, made in either 1959 or 1975. Despite the description of these sources, no Russian armory documentation exists for the weapon, strongly suggesting that AKMSU was not a Soviet weapon.
[
The true origin of the AKMSU is uncertain, though it has been suspected to be a one-off " Khyber Pass Copy" from Pakistan's Khyber Pass region, an area known for diverse and unique weapon production in small shops.][
]
Design
The AKMSU is composed of a Chinese manufactured Type 56-1 receiver combined with a 1977 dated AKM
The AKM () is an assault rifle designed by Soviet small arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1959. It is the most ubiquitous rifle of the Kalashnikov rifles. It was developed as a replacement to the AK-47 introduced a decade prior.
Introduc ...
trunnion. Its other custom parts include a muzzle brake, which is required for the correct functioning of the rifle and contains an expansion chamber to correctly cycle the rifle. The muzzle brake has many grooves machined into it for increased heat dispersion. It also has a custom hand guard.[
]
Notes
References
Further reading
* Peterson, Philip. ''Standard Catalog of Military Firearms: The Collector's Price and Reference Guide.'' Lola: Gun Digest Books, 2007.
{{AK47 derivatives
7.62×39mm assault rifles
Carbines
Kalashnikov derivatives
Rifles of Pakistan