Fyodorov AF-1916G

     Notes: the AF (Avotomat Fyodorov)-1916G has been called by many later writers as the first assault rifle, though it does fire a full-power cartridge (though a small-caliber one) that is a bit too high in power to fit the modern definition of an assault rifle.  That is why I have placed it here in the Battle Rifles category.  That it was designed in 1913 and put into limited service in 1916 is a wonder; at the time, it was a weapon way ahead of its time.  It arrived too late to see any World War 1 service, it saw limited use in World War 2; in that war, however, it was deemed too complicated for maintenance by the largely conscript troops that formed most of the Soviet Army at the time, and too expensive and time-consuming to build. It was used in small numbers by the Red side in the Russian Revolution of 1917, and in the Russo-Finnish War of 1939-40. This is when the maintenance difficulties arose; it didn’t help that the troops considered and used it more as a light machinegun than the assault weapon it was, so reviews reflected this and tended to be negative. The AF-1916 also suffered from the lack of quality steels available to him at the time, and the barrel was of such poor quality that heat dissipation was a problem, with 300 rounds on automatic causing the barrel to smoke (which is still better than the M1891, which would smoke after 100 consecutive rounds of bolt-action fire). In the end, the Russians went with an abortive effort to produce improved semiautomatic and automatic rifles in 7.62mm Nagant, leading to the SVT-38 series.  The Fedyorov simply fell out of use, and were simply recalled. All in all, some 9000 were built, but almost all of them had been recalled by 1941.  Most were used by reconnaissance and intelligence units.

     Fyodorov was inspired by the French Chauchat, which he saw in use as a military attaché during World War 1.  He felt that he could build a similar, smaller and easier to handle, and above all, more reliable rifle of this type. Fyoderov at first tried the Soviet-standard 7.62mm Nagant cartridge, but it provide to powerful to be controllable. (Some 30 Fyodorovs were produced in this caliber, however, for testing.) Fyodorov then purpose-designed a 6.5mm cartridge, but the Army, frustrated by the lack of progress in what could be the best assault weapon in the world (they were excited about it at the time), told Fyodorov to use the 6.5mm Arisaka cartridge (which they had in quantity – more on that later).  At the time, the Soviets already had thousands of captured Japanese Type 30 and 38 Arisaka rifles in service, so the new rifle would benefit the Army with the use of a common cartridge.

     The AF-1916G is a selective fire rifle firing what was at the time a reduced-power round, the 6.5mm Arisaka round captured by the millions of rounds by the Russians in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05. It utilized two locking lugs, latching the bolt and the barrel together.  It uses recoil operation, with the action of the bolt ejecting the spent case and stripping another from the magazine, using the impetus of a recoil spring at the back of the receiver.

     The AF-1916G was a big rifle but this is largely due to the receiver needed to contain the innards, which, due to its early, ahead-of-its-time design, were a bit primitive, and took up a decent amount of space.  Furniture was almost entirely wood, with a conventional stock design.  The part of the barrel ahead of the fore-end to about halfway to the muzzle is surrounded by a barrel jacked with many holes for cooling. The AF-1916 fed from a curved 25-round steel magazine. The barrel was 20.5 inches and tipped by a birdcage-type flash suppressor.  The rifle, however, was a bit large at almost 41 inches long.  The front sight is a blade in the shape of an inverted V, while the rear sight was a V-notch adjustable from 300-1500 arshins (one arshin is about 711 mm), but in 1917 most of them were converted to metric sights.

     Very few of these rifles survived World War 2, and there are a very few examples in various museums (most of them in Russia).

Mosin-Nagant M1891 Series

     Notes: This rifle was designed by two Belgian brothers named Nagant and a Russian Army colonel named Mosin. The 7.62mm Nagant cartridge was designed for use in this weapon (though at the time of its design, it was known as the 3-Line cartridge). The weapon has an unusual safety; it is engaged by pulling the cocking handle back and rotating it backwards. Many variants were made over the years.

     The first model was the M1891; it uses a removable socket bayonet.  The sights were calibrated in the obsolete Russian measurement system of arshins (one arshin is about 711 mm), but in 1917 most of them were converted to metric sights.  The bayonet, though removable, is designed to be on the rifle; in fact, the balance of the M1891 is so affected that the sights must be re-zeroed if one intends to use the rifle without the bayonet.  The M1891 is almost an obscenely-long weapon, at 51.9 inches, though this did allow for an incredible 32.3 inches of barrel length.  Receivers were of heavy steel, and a ramp-and leaf sight rear sight and a front bead sight were provided for aiming on original M1891s.  The stock was straight-wristed.  Experience in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 showed that the sights worked poorly at short ranges, and therefore they were re-worked.  At the same time, some minor changes were made to the mechanism and stock.  Issued in 1910, this version was the M1891 Type L.  (It is identical to the standard M1891 for game purposes.)

     The M1891 Cossack Rifle is a version of the M1891 with a shorter 29.9-inch barrel, sling slots moved to the side of the stock and fore-end, and a modified cleaning rod.  It was designed specifically for use from horseback.  This version was built until 1914, with assembly continuing until 1915.  The M1891 Dragoon is essentially the same rifle with a different cleaning rod, but otherwise virtually identical to the Cossack rifle.  Both had special weighting so that aim was not disturbed whether or not a bayonet was attached.  The Dragoon became the standard infantry rifle in 1922, and production continued until the early 1930s.

     The M1907 carbine used an even shorter 20.05-inch barrel.  It was specifically designed for the Tsar’s Army artillery and cavalry units.  The stock had such a long fore-end that a bayonet could not be attached.  Originally, the sights were graduated for arshins, but with the advent of the Spitzer bullet, the sights were replaced with metric sights graduated for longer ranges.  (Some sources call this version with modified sights the “M1910,” but this nomenclature is generally regarded by most experts as incorrect.)

     The M1891/30 is a modified Dragoon rifle with the receiver body changed from a hexagonal shape to a cylindrical shape.  This was done to simplify manufacture.  In addition, the rear sights were changed from leaf-type to a tangent-type, and the front sight was changed from a barleycorn type to a more modern hooded post.  Sling slots were added to the stock and fore-end.  A new bayonet along with a more secure bayonet lug was designed for the M1891/30.  Barrel length was still an astonishing 28.75 inches.  The M1891/30 is perhaps the most numerous of all of the M1891 series, with some 17.5 million being built (mostly just before and during World War 2).  The M1938 carbine was essentially a shortened M1891/30, with 20.05-inch barrel and the ability to use the same bayonet as the M1891/30.  The Czechs produced small numbers of a similar carbine, called the VZ91/38; however, it is not known why these carbines were produced, and they don’t appear to ever have been issued out to troops, and few remain today.

     The M1891/30 Sniper’s Rifle was made by taking the best-performing rifles from production batches of M1891/30s, adding a mount for the PU or PE telescopic sights (both of which were modified Zeiss designs, with the PE being longer and having a 4x magnification, while the PU was shorter and had a 3.5x magnification), and given further treatment to ensure smooth operation of their actions.  The normally straight bolt handles were also turned downward so as to not interfere with the scope, and a slot was cut in the side of the stock for this down-turned bolt handle.

     The M1891/30 Silenced Rifle is a rare and odd variant of the M1891.  Designed for use with special “partisan” sub-loaded ammunition, these rifles were never large in number and even recorded uses of them are rare.  They were to be fired only with the special subsonic ammunition; if normal ammunition is used, the rubber-baffle silencer would be ruined in as little as 3 shots.  Even with subsonic ammunition, the life of the silencer may have been as little as 30 shots.

     So many Mosin-Nagants were built, and the design so hardy, that they can still be regularly encountered today in the hands of various insurgents, rebels, hunters, and even in some armies.  Chinese examples even showed up in the hands of Kosavar rebels during the Kosovo War in the late 1990s, and Hungarian examples showed up regularly in the hands of the NVA and Viet Cong during the Vietnam War.

The Mosin Obrez

     The Mosin Obrez is a radically different sort of Mosin Nagant.  Obrez in Russian means “cut down,” and the Mosin Obrez is a severely cut-down Mosin Nagant.  In 1917, Russia suffered under the October Revolution and its aftermath, and for a while, the country started to disintegrate.  The Bolsheviks sent out their own army, the Red Army, to often violently keep Russia together.  This in turn spawned countless counterrevolutionary militias.  These militias were not as strong as the Red Army, and while well-supplied with Mosin Nagants and other infantry rifles of the period, they needed a weapon they could hide under a coat and whip out for an ambush. So, out came the saws, with these militia members lopping up to two feet from the barrel and the stock just behind the pistol grip wrist.  This produced a sort of Mosin Nagant pistol, dubbed the Mosin Obrez. Individual examples are highly variable in barrel length and cut of the stock, but some examples are shown below. Even today, with Mosin Nagants being cheap and stocks being of poor quality in their old age, Mosin Obrezes are being made by gunsmiths or various quality.

Other Mosin Nagants

      Starting in 1943, experiments began to affix a permanent folding bayonet to the M1938.  By 1944, a Semin-type folding cruciform bayonet was settled upon and production began.  Unfortunately, it was quickly realized after World War 2 that the M1891 series was obsolete, and production stopped shortly after the war.  Production did, however, continue in other countries, most notably China, long after this point.

     During World War 1, the Austro-Hungarians captured mountains of M1891s and M1891 Cossack rifles on the Eastern Front.  Most of these were used without modification (as the Austro-Hungarians also captured mountains of ammo), but a considerable number were converted to fire the 8mm Lebel round which was one of the Austro-Hungarian standard rifle rounds.  Some were also modified to use Austro-Hungarian bayonets.  Like the Austro-Hungarians, the Germans also captured large amounts of these Russian rifles and ammunition, but some of these were also converted to use the standard German service cartridge (8mm Mauser in this case).  Captured German examples were far more likely to have been modified to use German bayonets.

     The Poles also used the Mosin-Nagant starting in the 1920s until its subjugation by the Nazis in World War 2.  Theirs were highly-modified, chambered for 8mm Mauser ammunition, designed for German-style bayonets, and having barrels 23.6 inches long.  These rifles were called the M91/98/25.

     The Estonians made a severely shortened carbine out of the M1891, called the M1935.  The Estonians built some 6770 of these carbines during World War 2.  The barrel was only 23.625 inches long. These barrels did, however, have better quality than was standard on Russian Mosin-Nagants.

     The M1891/59 was a Bulgarian post-World War 2 modification, cutting down the M1891 to carbine length, with a barrel of 24 inches. After a short service, they were replaced with AKs.

     Remington and Westinghouse manufactured nearly 3000 Mosin-Nagant M1891s for the Russian Tsar’s forces; however, after the October Revolution, the Bolsheviks cancelled the order, and few were actually delivered to Russia.  They were essentially dumped on the international gun market; some sold in the US were rechambered for .30-06 Springfield.

     Russian competition sharpshooters often used the Vostok rifle, which was an M1891/30 built to a much higher standard than the M1891/30 ever was.  These rifles often had aftermarket stocks and mounts for scopes or other optics.  The USSR in the 1960’s and 70s used Vostok rifles chambered in 6.5mm Nagant, which is a 7.62mm Nagant cartridge necked down, loaded with a match bullet in a match case, and slightly hot-loaded.

     Several companies in the US, Europe, and Asia sell aftermarket stocks, Picatinny or Weaver Rail mounts, and muzzle brakes for the Mosin-Nagant action, as well as a variety of match-quality barrels.

Simonov AVS-36

     Notes:  Though this battle rifle had been under development since 1931, it was not until 1936 that Simonov (better known for the SKS carbine) developed a weapon that worked well enough to put into production.  Unfortunately, the AVS-36 was never trialed properly, and in battle, its shortcomings became obvious.  The AVS-36 was hampered by an overly-complicated gas operation system that fouled too quickly since it let dirt and dust in too easily.  In addition, the weapon was much too light for the cartridge when fired on automatic, and muzzle blast was far too great due to a poorly-designed muzzle brake.  The AVS was replaced by the Tokarev SVT-38 in 1938.

TsKIB SOO ShAK-12

     Notes: Though the Russians class this weapon as an assault rifle, in Twilight 2000 terms, it is more of a battle rifle than an assault rifle, primarily due to its caliber.  The ShAK-12, originally designated the ASh-12 (or ASh-12.7) was originally designed at the behest of FSB (Federal Security Service) SRT teams to provide a hard-hitting weapons able to shoot through doors and walls, but low in weight and fairly easy to handle.  The FSB got their first shipment in 2011, and then KGB Alpha Teams and Spetsnaz units began demanding the new weapon.  The ShAK-12 is also meant to provide accurate fire at short ranges, and not overpenetrate human bodies, to keep from causing collateral damage.

     The standard loading would seem to be huge and heavy due to its 12.7x55mm caliber, but the bullet used is primarily a subloaded cartridge which is also light in weight and with an aluminum core. (Note however, that equivalent Western cartridges, such as the .458 SOCOM or .50 Beowulf, generally fire even lighter bullets than the ShAK-12.) However, it should be noted that besides this standard loading, the ShAK-12 has heavy, heavy subsonic, HE, AP and duplex loadings.  The rifle has a bullpup configuration, with a stamped steel receiver and a polymer stock/mechanism housing.  The weapon has two selector levers, one to place the weapon in Safe or Fire, and another for Semi/Auto settings.  The ShAK-12 is also often equipped with a very-short-barreled 40mm grenade launcher.  The rifle barrel is generally equipped with a muzzle brake, though a quick-attach suppressor may be attached, or a larger suppressor for use with heavier subsonic bullets. Due to the bullpup planform, the barrel is nearly 20 inches long. Though the ShAK-12 is generally seen with proprietary mounts for some sort of Russian-made optic, versions have been seen in the hands of Spetsnaz troops in Syria with a flattop configuration topped with a Picatinny Rail; another common accoutrement is a Picatinny Rail below the handguard, to which is either attached a foregrip or slightly-longer-barreled grenade launcher.

Tokarev SVT-38/SVT-40/AVT-40

     Notes:  Tokarev’s first battle rifle design, the SVT-38, was for the most part a failure due to the fragility of the weapon.  It has a two piece stock, an external cleaning rod, a complicated gas operation system, and a six-baffle muzzle brake.  These complicated pieces simply broke a lot.  Operation is by gas, and the operating system itself is quite efficient when working.  Steps were taken to prevent an early-on problem – violent case ejection that deformed cases and possibly revealed the shooter’s position.  The receiver is a long affair, with a cocking handle with a ring on it.  The two-piece stock generally divided at the fore-end just ahead of the magazine well.  The handguard was metal and ventilated, and wrapped around to form a barrel shroud.  On the inside of the fore-end was a hole for the insertion of a cleaning rod when not in use. The SVT-38 had a simple safety that rotated into the trigger guard and prevented any trigger or hammer movement.  The barrel of the SVT-38 was 24.7 inches long and tipped with a muzzle brake, and the rifle was a bit on the heavy side. The SVT-38 was first used by the Soviets in the Winter War against Finland, but results were disappointing; it is possible that the brutal winter conditions along with troops poorly trained in its use and maintenance contributed greatly to it’s bad reputation.  However, it is possible that the SVT-38 was not sufficiently strengthened to handle the 7.62mm Nagant cartridge.

     The SVT-38 was replaced by the SVT-40, which was a more robust version of the SVT-38.  There were a number of improvements, such as a one-piece stock, replacement of smaller pieces with large continuous ones where possible, a simplification of the operation, a two or three-baffle muzzle brake, and a number of other improvements.  Tokarev retained as much of the basic SVT-38 pattern as possible, but worked on all levels to correct the SVT-38’s shortcomings.  This included strengthening of the receiver, firing pin, and barrel extension. Unfortunately, the SVT-40 was still rifle that was expensive and slow to build.  Tokarev also addressed criticism that the SVT-38 was too long, shortening the barrel to 24 inches. They were primarily issued to noncommissioned officers and to certain snipers, though to an extent the SVT-40 also became sort of a “showpiece rifle” and used by special units.  Some snipers also made use of them, using a variant of the 3.5x PU scope used on the Mosin-Nagant sniper versions.  Though 2 million SVT-38s and SVT-40s were produced, they came nowhere near to replacing the Mosin-Nagant.

     The AVT-40 was basically an SVT-40 with a sear and selector lever modified for automatic fire. Few such modifications were made, since the resulting weapon was too light for practical automatic use.

     A few thousand carbine versions of the SVT-40 were built with an 18.5” barrel , called the SKT-40.  They were designed for urban warfare, but the muzzle blast proved formidable.  The standard sights were also retained, leading to aiming errors and a lot of “Kentucky windage.”  The standard knife bayonet was retained.  After World War 2, prototypes of the SVT-40 and AVT-40 were chambered for the then-new 7.62mm Kalashnikov round, but these were not proceeded with, and are presented here merely for interest.