During Operation Enduring Freedom, which the United States has been conducting in Afghanistan for several years, the American military, mainly special forces, from time to time still have to conduct active hostilities.
In the course of conducting autonomous operations in the mountains, the US special forces faced the problem of a shortage of ammunition: the provided ammunition load, as it turned out, was sorely lacking. Trophy ammunition was not allowed to use the incompatibility of cartridges and magazines of American weapons with the weapons of their next enemy. The main weapon of the Mujahideen is the legendary Kalashnikov chambered for 7, 62 mm., Produced, in addition to Russia, in various countries - China, Pakistan, etc. Therefore, the US Special Operations Command (US SOCOM) decided to create a suitable one for cartridges and magazines AK-47 and AKM weapons and an order was issued for the development and creation of a new assault rifle for the needs of special forces.
Firm "Knight's Armament" hastily created such a rifle, it received the designation SR-47 and soon got to Afghanistan.
The SR-47 assault rifle is a modification of the M4A1 carbine, which in turn is, in fact, a lighter and smaller copy of the M16A2 assault rifle, developed by designer Eugene Stoner. The main feature of the new weapon was the use of Soviet cartridges 7, 62 x 39 mm of the 1943 model from the magazines from the AK-47 and AKM assault rifles.
The SR-47 is similar in design to the M4A1 carbine. Automation based on a gas engine and the operation of mechanisms are identical. Disassembly and assembly are carried out in the same order.
The performance characteristics of the SR-47
Caliber - 7, 62 mm
Cartridge - 7, 62 x 39 mm mod. 1943 g.
Bullet muzzle velocity, m / s - 710
Length with folded stock, mm - 757
Length with unfolded stock, mm - 838
Barrel length, mm - 370
Food - magazine with a capacity of 30 rounds
Weight without magazine, kg - 2, 5
Rate of fire, h / min - 700-900
But some changes were still made, the barrel and chamber were designed for cartridge 7, 62 x 39 mm. The receiving neck was redesigned, which is a half-mine, and not a mine, as in the M4A1, into which a magazine from AK and AKM Kalashnikov assault rifles can be inserted. The receiving neck is equipped with a latch, as well as a special spring, which, after pressing the release button, pushes the magazine down from the machine, which somewhat speeds up the process of changing magazines
The fore-end of the weapon is equipped with the RIS system (Rail Interface System), which has 4 Picatinny-type guides for attaching various accessories (LCC, grenade launcher, handle, etc.). Removable sights are installed on the upper guide of the forend and receiver. The telescopic retractable butt is similar in design to the butt of the M4A1 carbine. It is possible to install a PBS or a bayonet on the barrel.
The creation of the SR-47 hybrid made it possible to preserve the weapons controls familiar to the American military, the methods of its use and maintenance, with the possibility of using cartridges of 7, 62 x 39 mm and magazines from AK and AKM assault rifles. Compared to the standard M4A1 carbine, the SR-47 assault rifle showed greater efficiency, since the 7.62 mm cartridge provides increased lethal and stopping action, and compared to the AK-47 - greater accuracy due to the use of the M4 carbine design.
But, as you might expect, the SR-47 inherited not only the advantages of its "older brothers" M16 and M4. The SR-47 had serious problems with reliability and rapid fouling, much inferior in these indicators to the AK and AKM.
The SR-47 assault rifle was not adopted by the US Army, it also did not get into mass production, according to various sources, only a few copies, 6 or 7 pieces, were manufactured.
