The Rasheed (or ''Rashid'') is a
semi-automatic carbine
A carbine ( or ) is a long gun that has a barrel shortened from its original length. Most modern carbines are rifles that are compact versions of a longer rifle or are rifles chambered for less powerful cartridges.
The smaller size and light ...
, derived from the
Hakim Rifle and used by the Egyptian military. Only around 8,000 were made.
The Rasheed was designed by the Swedish engineer Erik Eklund, who based it on his previous
Hakim Rifle (8×57mm Mauser cartridge), which was itself a slightly modified version of the Swedish
Ag m/42 rifle (6.5×55mm Swedish cartridge).
Design
The carbine resembles the
Soviet SKS
The SKS (russian: Самозарядный карабин системы Симонова, Samozaryadny Karabin sistemy Simonova, 1945, self-loading carbine of (the) Simonov system, 1945) is a semi-automatic rifle designed by Soviet small arms ...
carbine, particularly in the permanently attached pivoting-blade bayonet, which appears identical to its Russian counterpart. The 12-inch (305 mm) blade bayonet pivots from a mount under the barrel, back into a recessed groove in the forend stock.
The carbine features a rear ladder sight, with a "battle" position for short-range fire as well as increments of 100 to 1000 metres, although the latter distance greatly exceeds the 300-metre effective range of the weapon.
The semi-automatic mechanism is gas-operated through the
direct impingement system. The Egyptian training manual had users use stripper clips to reload. However, the hot gas would heat up the receiver and cause burns when fingers would touch the receiver.
Rarity
Only around 8,000 were made, making it a rare rifle.
[ examples were valued at approximately USD $900 to 1,000, depending on condition.]
References
{{Reflist
Weapons of Egypt
7.62×39mm semi-automatic rifles
Rifles of the Cold War
Infantry weapons of the Cold War
Military equipment introduced in the 1950s
Gas-operated firearms