45 years ago in the German Democratic Republic created the first sample of a small-caliber copy of the Kalashnikov assault rifle. The name of the East German model KK-MPi 69. This weapon was intended before the training of pre-conscription youth in the framework of the German analogue of the Soviet DOSAAF. This weapon was also used in the GDR army for training exercises and shooting, according to the website.all4shooters.com.
By the time the Berlin Wall fell, about 50 thousand copies of the KK-MPi 69 remained in the GDR, and almost all of them were destroyed, as the new leadership felt that it was necessary to part with the past easily. However, disposal, as it turns out today, did not affect all units of this weapon, unique at that time. Several copies survived and today they adorn museum and private collections in Germany (and not only in Germany).
In the late 80s, the idea of creating a small-bore version of the AK began to be implemented in Romania. The incarnation took place, and a semi-automatic version of the AK-22 "Trainer" weapon, suitable for the.22 l.r. cartridge, was born. The production of this weapon was started at an enterprise in the town of Kugir. By that time, the enterprise was known for the production of pistols, ammunition for them, as well as copies of DShK and NSV machine guns.
The AK-22 "Trainer" was created as a commercial shooting toy for export to gun enthusiasts in the United States. In Romania, few people were interested in such weapons, because a significant legacy remained from friendship with the Soviet Union in the form of a large number of Kalashnikov assault rifles. Civilians in the States purchased the small-bore version for up to $ 500. Often, a small-bore semiautomatic machine was used for training pre-conscription youth in shooting, as in the GDR.
The Filipinos also decided to keep up with their European colleagues in terms of copying a small-caliber Kaalashnikov assault rifle. Here the "Armscor" corporation started producing a model called MAK-22 with the possibility of equipping it with various types of butts: plastic, wooden, folding metal. The Filipinos also found an opportunity to make money on this weapon model in the American market.
In addition, the release of "lightweight" copies of the Kalashnikov assault rifle was carried away in the United States itself, as well as in Italy, where the Armi Jager AP-80 was assembled.
All of these copies have a significant difference from their "older brother". Even a person who is not particularly familiar with the details of the device of a weapon can easily determine that foreign models with a small caliber have many differences from the Soviet (Russian) machine gun. That is why such copies have come to be called "non-native".
Does the Kalashnikov assault rifle have a "native" copy of a different caliber and functionality? Yes there is. This is a small-caliber "Saiga-22", which is manufactured according to the principle of alteration of the already produced AK models. In other words, the Saiga-22 is the same Kalashnikov assault rifle, but only converted for other purposes at the factory level. This is what makes the Saigu-22 a real leader among all small-bore copies of the Kalashnikov assault rifle.
Saiga-22
The Saiga-22 carbine itself was developed by a group led by Vladimir Symonenko, the leading designer of the Scientific and Technical Center. Symonenko is known as one of their creators of reliable SVK and SVK-S sniper rifles, for which a 6x49mm cartridge is used. He is also known for his participation in the creation of the Saiga hunting carbine.
What is Saiga-22 constructively? This is a weapon that uses the principle of a free bolt, which is why the locking unit is in many ways reminiscent of the version of the Korshun carbine. The function of the gas chamber in this case is rather decorative. They decided to place the carbine store inside the original store. Outwardly, the Saiga-22 has a lot in common with the AK, but at the same time, the Saiga-22 is deprived of the ability to conduct automatic fire. If we talk about the average price of a carbine that the manufacturer asks for, then this price lies within 20 thousand rubles.
At the moment, marketing research is underway. The potential demand for this type of small-caliber weapon is being carefully studied. If manufacturers collect sufficient amounts of data that this type of weapon in Russia and abroad will be in demand, then production will be brought to an industrial scale.
Concern "Izhmash" has already made an attempt at one time to create weapons of this type. This is the TSV-1 rifle - a training option for sniper shooters. Developed by TSV-1 by E. Dragunov. The rifle was a slightly smaller version of the famous SVD, while it was manufactured under the rimfire cartridge (5, 6). This weapon did not get into the series, but several copies remained for study. Instances today are excellent for training sniper shooters, and besides, experts speak of them remarkably, calling the rifles samples of reliability in their class. The ease of their use allows the use of TSV-1 for the training process among novice shooters.
Considering that the Saiga-22 is designed according to the principle of "nothing more", then we can hope that this weapon will also become very popular in Russia and abroad. The high level of sales will allow the concern, based on the drawings of this weapon, to engage in new developments in this area.
