The AK-47: The Most Reliable Killing Machine in Modern History

You know you've made it as a gun when you're featured on national flags.
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[@kampferpl7759]

Fun fact: During the filming of Lord of War (2005), the filmmakers found it was cheaper to buy real AK-47 for filming than get a prop ones.

[@SRW_]

That is interesting

[@walttrotter535]

That's right! Prop guns are sometimes way more expensive than the real version.

[@Thehandsomeliberal]

Damn

[@eugeneoliveros5814]

Except for that one scene with a crap ton of AKs in the warehouse on racks. Those were Czech rifles

[@srijonmondal8842]

Made my day.

[@shawnramsey5555]

Having done the AK 47, the logical progression is to do a video on the preferred transit of insurgents everywhere: the Toyota Hilux.

[@d.b.1176]

Lol, the evolution of terrorism.

[@saffalife8831]

Aswell as prefered phone. The nokia 3310

[@christianarrington6492]

As well as preferred plane...

[@manifestgtr]

@@christianarrington6492 LOL

[@off_grid_javelin]

​@@christianarrington6492now that's a punch 🎉

[@jacobszymczak9323]

The AK74 wasn't just a "basic upgrade" it changed the round from 7.62x39 mm to 5.45x39 mm which was smaller bullet but faster with a flatter trajectory giving the increased range and accuracy

[@DMlTREl]

And also decreased recoil

[@goodoleme747]

Yea, I'm surprised that wasn't mentioned...one of the biggest changes of the weapon

[@Ripa-Moramee]

Buddy, it was basic. All they did was change the calibre lol. The heart of the AK has never changed.

[@AK-104]

@@Ripa-Moramee They also redesigned the bolt carrier & bolt, made side folding (AKS-74) and short variants (AKS-74U) variants for the first time, polymer furniture, polymer magazines etc...

[@njw1977]

The 800m range is a bit optimistic

[@Charsept]

My AK is one of my prized possessions. I got it for only $340! Heavily modified since then. The simplicity of its design has always been so appealing to me. Cleaning it is dead simple. It's 10 feet from my bed 😅

[@zhead86]

Why so far?

[@JesusChrist-xk9ee]

I sleep with mines

[@volentastudios4673]

Crazy Americans, lol

[@Vincentpanh]

@@volentastudios4673 bro, sleeping with your weapon is normal, i hug my hammer when I sleep.

[@EpochEmerge]

Meanwhile in russia chilled versions of pistols are 500-1000 usd and more than 1k for ak guns

[@madlibsluver]

"It's so easy even a child could use it, and they do."

[@bosmerfromcanada3878]

9:08-9:11 The next Ramsay Bolton, ladies and gentlemen.

[@matthew_natividad]

Ahoy

[@hyakushiki4406]

"And in some parts of the world, they often do." Is the full quote i believe

[@bosmerfromcanada3878]

@@hyakushiki4406 As well they should. Mankind is not peaceful or nice or kind, as any school field trip to France's military graveyards, Auschwitz, Butugychag an Perm-36 will testify. Man is the cruelest of beasts...AS EELL WE SHOULD...otherwise we'd not be alphas but limp-dicked beta cucks.

[@samfisher2306]

Lord of War!

[@eastonkeeton5370]

Me: doing school trying to focus Megaprojects: AK-47 Me: education is optional

[@MisterAndrewBuckley]

Sadly, many seem to agree

[@nitsu2947]

as long as you don't shoot up the school

[@ganjatheninja]

knowing how to use an ak has served me better in life than the math i learned.

[@stephenberg9268]

This video is educational af

[@travisinthetrunk]

Education is relative.

[@poetryaddict1]

The first gun I ever shot was an AK-47 back in Somalia when I was visiting family. The gun was so readily available that practically every family had one in their home. It was sort of a necessity in those days.

[@TheHauntedKiwi]

Well that must mean Somalia is the safest country on earth then

[@corbinsmith6777]

We’re it not for the sad fact that it was the violence that necessitated each family owning a gun, as a firearms enthusiast the idea of everyone casually owning an AK is quite appealing

[@TheTeodorsoldierabvb]

@@TheHauntedKiwi Are you being ironic? It's probably as safe as a Texas school (although the latter might actually be more dangerous)

[@Givemeproofkid]

@@TheTeodorsoldierabvb hhh

[@Mrgunsngear]

Thanks

[@srijonmondal8842]

Ahoy - It can be counted with the most basic tools The hammer, the sickle and the AK47.

[@hardbodybrain]

chills

[@Icarus_Tactical]

i was looking for this comment

[@GrievousReborn]

Stuart Brown AKA Ahoy one of the best British KZbinrs

[@ashesh2049]

The best description of AK 47

[@PatRiot-]

First two to work- AK to be able to keep working 😂

[@aceman67]

"This is the AK-47 assault rifle, the preferred weapon of your enemy, and it makes a very distinctive sound when fired at you, so remember it." ~ Gunny Tom Highway (Clint Eastwood) - Heartbreak Ridge

[@crazyeyez1502]

Yessss. Good ol Gunny Highway

[@JoseFlores-xc7wu]

I love that movie

[@Manuel-gu9ls]

It’s the main assault rifle of the Slavic armies until it also became synonymous to terrorists...

[@jasen5379]

Just watched it this week

[@user-kl6ej1kr3z]

"The Soviet union was the king of mixing myth and reality" BOLD WORDS FROM AN ENGLISHMAN

[@killacommie4mommie]

Ouch, that gotta hurt😂

[@yaboyed5779]

Broo😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@Ripa-Moramee]

Not really, England and the UK where bad but the union was on another level.

[@pobox7026]

@S_ynze cope harder

[@Ripa-Moramee]

@@pobox7026 🤓

[@derPetunientopf]

"Most changes from the AkM to the Ak74 were small tweaks" That is arguabely true but also completly misses the point of the AK74. The one important difference is the change to a smaller caliber to make the weapon a bit better controllable.

[@BloPsy__]

Not only that - it also allows the soldiers to have more ammo since the cartridge is lighter.

[@joetruth7823]

And it makes it far more accurate at much greater distances. It also has a great muzzle break that reduces felt recoil to almost nothing.

[@chizorama]

The biggest difference is the round itself, they learned from the US that a smaller caliber with more powder can cause more significant tissue damage. They took it a bit farther by making the bullet longer than the 5.56 making it, arguably, more lethal(inside 400m at least). The Afghanis referred to it as the poisonous dart, that's quite an endorsement to it's effectiveness. Then add in weight & felt recoil & voila, the world got even more flooded with 47's after the Soviets switched.

[@anydaynow01]

Mega Project idea: The Soviet evacuation of their war industry and large part of their population to the Urals during ww2, one of the largest mega projects ever.

[@timstadlmueller58]

Yes, this is a fantastic suggestion.

[@M0CC3R]

Business blaze would be a better channel to cover this. Such a dark theme would do well with simon’s jokes and mocks of Russians.

[@tomvandijk9706]

@@M0CC3R Is that another one of his channels?

[@dallasgibson7578]

@@tomvandijk9706 oooooh boy. Just go watch all of business blaze from the beginning to end. Only if you want to be a legend, that is

[@susanmaggiora4800]

Tom van Dijk It is.

[@Unb3arablePain]

I wonder if Brandon Herrera will make a response video to this?

[@nknd8630]

Gun 👏 Meme 👏 Review 👏

[@SoYFooD2]

he need to to correct all the flauws, om not a expert but my list is long.

[@colsoncustoms8994]

“All you sexy KZbin mother lovers”

[@eugeneoliveros5814]

@@SoYFooD2 failure to mention the krinkov is high on mine

[@MilsurpMikeChannel]

@@SoYFooD2 I made a Mikhail Kalashnikov biography/AK47 development video (my largest undertaking with Hererra in the intro) and another AK74 development video that is much more accurate than this.

[@sudiousmine]

"Today i didn't have to use my AK, I gotta say it was a good day". - Ice Cube

[@sudiousmine]

@@spasimokatavrochthizo yeah, I'll stop because you told me to. Did Ice Cube ruin your drink or something?

[@sudiousmine]

@@spasimokatavrochthizo hahahahaha

[@JosephStenson]

When talking about recoil at the 8:00 mark, you’re showing a demonstration of how a bump stock works.

[@andreivaldez2929]

Since when do the Brits know anything about guns? Had to hire H&K to fix their L86 rifles lol.

[@rosskrueger3322]

I noticed that too, I don't think that's what he was going for there.

[@fjriwnshd]

I saw that too.

[@justandy333]

@@andreivaldez2929 - We used to. Then we got sensible with our gun laws and stopped every man and his dog from owning one who didn't need one. Once you stop practising you loose your touch, as with everything in life. I grant you the L86 fiasco was rather embarrassing for our MOD.

[@mrTophat3]

@@andreivaldez2929 not a Brit but would like to point out it was the Brits who owned H&k at the time.

[@bluekestral8316]

This was fairly correct for a non firearm channel covering a firearm

[@USSEnterpriseA1701]

Not bad, but there are still a few notable slips or misconceptions. Things like 'not being able to tell where they came from'. Good grief, every single manufacturer that has ever made an AK variant makes some small tweaks or at least their own markings that actually make them very easy to distinguish. Yugoslavia/Serbia in particular made extensive modifications to suit their needs and preferences, making the M70 and it's relatives one of the most recognizable variants out there. The quickest way to spot them is the longer three slot handguards. China's stamped receiver models use a distinctive pattern of rivets on the front receiver trunnion and typically have a fully hooded front sight. Finland's Valmet series have some very distinctive changes as well and many of these were carried over to the Israeli Galil series, which are based heavily on the Valmets. And these are just a few examples. Also, the AK and it's variants are actually fairly heavy for modern rifles, though being one of the oldest of the type, that makes sense. One excellent example is it's Czech cousin, the VZ-58 (which is NOT an AK variant, even though it looks like one to the untrained eye). The VZ-58 is easily a pound or more lighter than an AKM, despite firing the same cartridge and having all the same capabilities as an AKM. I own a U.S. legal semi-auto only VZ-58 and it is a very slim and trim rifle that handles far better than the average AK (I have several variants of those as well, Yugo/Serb ones being a particular favorite, even though they are among the heaviest AKs), making the whole child soldier weapon argument shaky at best and stupid at worst. There are plenty of weapons out there that are far lighter and handier that would suit a child soldier, they just aren't nearly as widely available. I learned to shoot mainly on an old WWII U.S. M1 carbine, a 4-5 pound, light shooting rifle with excellent handling and consider it the single best centerfire semi-auto rifle for a kid to learn on. Now to deal with the glaring moral question at the end of the video, humans, so long as they remain as irrational, divisive, and fearful as we are, will ALWAYS find some tool to use to kill either each other or whatever else we might want to kill. Look at violent crime with edged weapons for example. People can and will kill with anything from bare hands on up to presumably anti-matter explosives (whenever those get inevitably get developed), the type of tool merely aids in the effectiveness, it does not cause the killing. The killing is caused right between a person's ears (the brain for those that don't get it).

[@bluekestral8316]

@@USSEnterpriseA1701 yea I was ignoring that bit at the end because it's expected of someone from britain

[@USSEnterpriseA1701]

@@bluekestral8316 Too true, and a bit sad considering their fine history of weapons design and marksmanship.

[@Koel_Hellion]

@@USSEnterpriseA1701 damn I wish I could've trained wit a m1 when I was younger hell I just wish I could fire a gun in a range

[@reddune6185]

@@USSEnterpriseA1701 yes to everything you said. I would like to add a bit about the sks. The sks biggest drawback wasn't that it was not full auto, but because it did not have detachable magazines and had to be breech loaded with stripper clips.

[@billrhodes5603]

As far as ease of killing goes, I would like to point out to Simon that the Rwanda genocide was mostly performed with $5 machetes. The intent to murder is whatvis important, not so much the tool.

[@esteban20969564]

yeah but is not the same 100 guys with machetes killing 100 people than 5 guys with AKs killing the same amount. yes, people kill people. but guns are just the tool to make that killing more easy and faster.

[@ApolloVIIIYouAreGoForTLI]

Yep, perfect example is WWII....commercial pesticide ffs.

[@tartrazine5]

@@esteban20969564 The Hutus would have thought twice about the genocide if the every Tutsi man had an AK-47.

[@ixiairisborne1695]

@@esteban20969564 The point is that, if people want to murder, they'll find expedient ways of doing it. Fertilizer-derived bombs, ovens, commercial aircraft, and automobiles have all been used to kill numerous people in the last century. Guns are simply a current "fad," if you will. If history is any guide, the firearm will be supplanted with a tool that makes killing even easier and even faster. The flip side is that another current "fad" regarding the firearm is the ease with which a person can defend themselves. Hopefully, a defensive tool that is as effective, or moreso, but lacks the lethality of the firearm, will be invented soon. At the moment, however, there is literally no other means of self-defense that is as effective.

[@cutl00senc]

It takes a lot more guts and willpower to kill with a machete than to fire a gun from a hundred yards away

[@Thaidory]

Back in school in 2006 we were shown how to fieldstrip and assemble back an AK74-m. All of us were able to repeat the process first try. 17 years later I got issued my own AK 74-m during the defense of Kyiv. I still managed to disassemble it and put back together by memory from that one lesson. Also AK-12 has effective range the same as AK-74M but way less reliability.

[@torjones1701]

Well, now that you've covered the AK-47, best cover it's closest competitor, the M-16.

[@ChefofWar33]

Yep. I'd say those are the only two firearms worth a megaproject vid. Every other gun isn't quite as "mega" as these two.

[@merafirewing6591]

How about the Tommy Gun?

[@ChefofWar33]

@@merafirewing6591 No. It wasn't well liked by its users. It was too heavy, it fired too fast, had too much recoil and didn't have the same power as a full sized rifle. But was quite popular in crime due to there being so many of them because they were phased out by the military.

[@bronxer78]

Understandable is the philosophical reflection at the end, yet I suspect that had the AK not been so widespread, then people would simply have found another rifle to slay their enemies. Just look at Rwanda 🇷🇼 in 1994 as they were butchering their countrymen with machetes. 😞

[@nomdeplume5446]

Yes, but like he said that is often due to outside influences. The example you used was heavily influenced by European colonial powers.

[@Touay.]

@@nomdeplume5446 Rwanda was the settling of scores between historical african tribes ... granted, the proximity of those tribes was down to the belgians, but at it's heart, it was african tribes doing what they have always done.

[@craniusdominus8234]

Well, Kalashnikov was sort of the Johannes Guttenberg of firearms, if you don't mind the parallel. He didn't invent the gun; he just ended up making automatic weapons accessible to the masses

[@thetangieman3426]

How many Russian lives were saved by the AK?

[@andrewmagdaleno5417]

I came to the comments section to make a similar point but you beat me to it.

[@zmanjace1364]

Wait a minute... this isnt Ian McCollum...

[@chosela2488]

Gun Jesus?

[@jimcappa6815]

He is the light and the way, but sometimes that light is muzzle flash

[@chosela2488]

​@@jimcappa6815 amen

[@mtacoustic1]

Obviously not a forgotten weapon!

[@lancemurdoc6744]

Of course not, Ian tell us much more about mechanics and history and way less about the political issues. At least if they are not directly related to the development or production of the AK.

[@madrabbit9007]

"The AK-47 is the weapon of choice for our enemies and has a distinctive sound." -Heartbreak Ridge

[@fryreartechnology7611]

All the life talks made me remember something I heard one... taking lives is easy, making lives is fun, living life can suck... don't know why that popped in my head with this video

[@Amethyst_Dragon_]

Wow that's really good...

[@cattibingo]

I am 14 & this is deep

[@dominusetdeus060644]

Teacher: what comes before 47? Quiet kid: AK Everyone else: 😐

[@SangheiliSpecOp]

thats when you leave the classroom quick

[@TheZaros666]

@@SangheiliSpecOp no, that's when you pull out your glock

[@cortex8239]

@@TheZaros666 *1911

[@NemyacX]

@@cortex8239 gtfo fudd

[@Pain-95]

What comes after 47 ? Smart kid : 48 Quiet kid : m and 74

[@efox2001]

Foreign entanglement is at the heart of human suffering. If not the AK variants; it would be another gun. If not the gun; it would be another weapon. At the heart of most social misery; you'll likely find a small person with a long reach.

[@theexchipmunk]

Yeah, the Strumgewehr was already made by the germans and out there. So it was a question of when, not if, a gun like the AK would have come into being. If not Kalashnikov it would have been someone else. Or just an outright copy of the StuGe. Or something else. But it would have been there without a question.

[@garretth8224]

Definitely not true lol.

[@garretth8224]

@Baby Goose Foreign entanglement isn't the issue, its people that are.

[@thelordofcringe]

@@garretth8224 Yeah no. The vast majority of countries on this planet do not recognize basic human rights the US does. By trading and investing in these places, you are enabling them later on when they do genocides and massacre innocents.

[@dr.ananthakrishnavemuri733]

Aah!!! So deep and damn true. At the heart of all miseries is just 1 individual with a twisted mind and extreme power.

[@America_Yea]

I think a video on the evolution of effective personal armor or the creation of the tank would be interesting as a megaprojects video. The armor a knight or a soldier in today's battlefields usually had quite the large development to make viable.

[@loquat44-40]

The cost varies for the AK because many of them were given away as aid to very poor countries. About 20 years ago a Romanian claimed that his country could make them for about $75 a gun. Currently to make AKs in them in the USA and sell at a profit is much more expensive. For decent guns with rivets properly placed, forged trunnions, good bolts, and a good receiver with proper rivets, about $1,000 to 1,700 retail. That is about the price of an upper tier AR-15 Cheaper less durable guns are about $600-700. Importation is still done after a fashion with critical parts being added after importation. To set up a proper AKM factory for mass production takes some knowledge and experience to get it right. Once it is going the unit cost goes way down. The AKM uses stamp sheet metal that lower the price, but it is difficult to set up right. The AK itself was first issued and made from a solid steel block that required extensive machine and materials. After about 12 years the soviets finally got the stamping receivers right and then cost went down and rate of manufacture went up. In the USA it is cheaper for the civilian market to make non-milspec ARs that work reasonably well.

[@davidlea-smith4747]

Kept thinking about the brilliant opening scene of 'Lord of War' while watching this.

[@cfcblue8]

Also reminds me of Agent Valentine's line: Those nuclear missiles, they sit in their silos. Your AK-47, that is the real weapon of mass destruction.

[@joshuanida5457]

"There are over 550 million firearms in worldwide circulation. That's one firearm for every 12 people on the planet. The only question is, how do we arm the other 11?"

[@haplon33]

"No one can stop this bath of blood" "It's not 'bath of blood' - its 'bloodbath''. "Thank you, but I prefer it my way"

[@Boberman286]

“OH, NO! NOT THE BEES! NOT THE BEES! AAAAAHHHHH! OH, THEY'RE IN MY EYES! MY EYES! AAAAHHHHH! AAAAAGGHHH!" Wait wrong movie.

[@RealxRonnie]

Mega Projects idea for April 1st: Simon's filming schedule.

[@Switcharoo12]

He really pumps them out. One would think he had an AK-47 pointed at him as he does episode after episode and not just Megaprojects but all the other channels too. The dude is a beast.🤙

[@Albinoafroman316]

No a good April 1st release should be Danny broadcasting his escape from the dungeon.

[@megaprojects9649]

That ain't a joke though ;)

[@chris31795]

@@megaprojects9649 Your sleep schedule might be though.

[@Greatblue56]

@@megaprojects9649 😂😂😂😳❤️❤️❤️😉

[@mp40submachinegun81]

"It can also be used by a child". so can pretty much every gun, Simon. I was 7 years old when i shot my first deer using a modern .30-06, slightly more powerful than the 30-06 used in the M1 garand in ww2.

[@ChefofWar33]

Probably was a bolt action though. Which is magnitudes lighter than the M1. The M1 is a beast meant for fully grown men. Bolt actions are so damn simple they are just really light and easy to use.

[@tinderella2386]

Naww isn’t that nice, even as a 6yo you were killing innocent animals just for fun. How wholesome. Pretty much what Jeffrey Dahmer and the likes did too at that age.

[@mp40submachinegun81]

@@ChefofWar33 bolt actions arent inherently lighter. Most are actually made purposely heavier for recoil absorption. An m1 garand is 9.5 pounds, the Winchester model 70 (most popular hunting bolt gun by far) is 8 lb without a scope or anything. A scope easily makes it 10+ pounds. The model 70 is also only an inch shorter than the m1. Im not sure what your point is. The gun i used was a lever action Winchester model 1895, quick google search tells me in 30-06 they are 9.3 lb, add a scope and thats heavier than the garand. The model 1895 is also 46 inches overall length while the garand is 43 inches.

[@mp40submachinegun81]

@@tinderella2386 you mean i participated in population control of a way overpopulated species that causes billions in damages to farmland and the like every year. Hunting is a natural thing that has to be done to hold populations in account, its only recently in history that everyone hasnt had to hunt for food. For ecosystems to stay healthy as they have adapted to being hunted over 1000s of years they have to be hunted. A healthy deer population is 6-8 per sq mile. My county's last survey has almost 35 deer per sq mile. So should i help the environment with my food or eat a farmed cow? Dont say be a vegetarian because pesticides kill far more animals than someone who eats meat could ever dream of.

[@HellStr82]

​@@mp40submachinegun81well good thing you didn't take the gun to school as a normal us child does

[@Matakshaman]

Suggestion: Malbork Castle in Poland

[@christopherstromberg3070]

The ak-74 is next on my list after I finish my 300 blkout build.

[@silverstormrifleworks7080]

heck yea dude, cheers to odd calibers in AKs, working on a M70 Tabuk Sniper in 6mm ARC right now.

[@oramac7237]

Google the "Plastikov". You won't be disappointed.

[@tleg6969]

You won't be disappointed

[@MiTaReX]

Me: I wonder, how Simon will butcher Mikhail's surname. Text at 3:37 : "Kalashnik". Me: This is worse than I imagined.

[@rubiconnn]

I'm not 100% sure in this particular case, but last names in Russia have their ending changed depending on the sentence structure and who they are addressing.

[@PetrSojnek]

I don't know... it feels it was just too long, so they cut it for it to fit in the screen :D Cause later in text he reads it normally.

[@tsartomato]

nothing beats that biographics video where they used machine reading of handwritten text and girl's name became dfsagjhfsdjhgjdsfh;kjg which they then proceeded to read, without ever bothering to try google it first

[@tsartomato]

@@rubiconnn uhm no? surnames have gender they also have cases but that is beside the point since in english everything is in the first case flat

[@jur4x]

@@tsartomato Yes, but his last name was Kalashnikov not Kalashnik. In English it would be Kalashnikov's machinegun rather than what they've written on screen

[@LeeRenthlei]

AKM is over 60 years old yet it still compete with modern high-tech assault rifles. Legendary status.

[@steffenschiller3189]

Strange how things come around again and again. I was trained on the AKM and the AK-74 during my national service. As a museum guide in London I did talks on the AK-47 in the museum years later. And now I see it on KZbin. Blast from the past - literally.

[@isaacschmitt4803]

Simon: Mikhail Kalashnakov was a poet My brain: Ratta-tat-tat Ratta-tat-tat Rat, rat, rat Clack-clack "Cyka blyat!"

[@Ratkill9000]

I like Kvas I like gun Vodka bottle shoot for fun Ak47 beats Add three stripe Ak50 Mutant gun I show you how Semi-auto .50 cal Do you like my Kalashnikov Papa-kalash you can't stop I jump into the lada You try to ride shotgun I tell you mother lovers Papa-kalash ride up front The fuel is my obsession To make the perfect weapon Like Rasputin's rise to the top Papa-kalash you can't stop

[@reddune6185]

@@Ratkill9000 we need a t shirt, "Where is the 50 Brandon!?!"

[@isaacschmitt4803]

God, please don't antagonize him any more. . . That being said, Saiga 12 with slugs is a .50 cal AK, change my mind.

[@Ratkill9000]

.73 caliber technically.

[@Hackwild217]

Fun fact the AK-47 share more in common with an M1 Garand than it does an STG-44

[@Rashed1255]

The insides of an M1 Garand with the look of the STG-44 right?

[@everything777]

You definition of "fun" differs from mine somewhat

[@jamesriggs6210]

& to this day the AK-47 still has the fewest parts for an assault rifle thus owing to it's reliability.

[@theexchipmunk]

@@jamesriggs6210 Addad fun fact: One of the cases where statistics and possibilities have an easily understandable real world application. Fewer parts, less parts that can break, leads chance the gun breaks or malfunctions ergo a more reliable Gun. And that goes for everything. The fewer parts the more reliable.

[@jamesriggs6210]

@@theexchipmunk Very true! A Glock has the fewest parts of any striker fired pistol.

[@cactus9201]

Great video! Thanks! Any chance to make one about Otis and how his improvement of elevator reshaped the city skylines?

[@spiritofthetime]

8:00 - that's an infographic of a bump stock, not a standard AK stock.

[@spiritofthetime]

@J Jones President Trump instructed the ATF to regulate them under federal law as a machine gun (US law denotes and regulates an intrinsic part of the firearm which makes it capable of automatic fire, such as the sear or in this case the stock, as 'the machine gun'), which achieved the same practical effect.

[@rickv9180]

"How do we arm the other 11?"

[@chroma6947]

By giving them hyperacusis of course.

[@SparkBerry]

"Brandon Herrera has entered the chat"

[@utbdoug]

Next Megaprojects - The AK 50!

[@nicholasrakestraw9707]

Lol

[@manifestgtr]

I love that every Soviet genius seems to have some story of exile or horrific imprisonment lol Sergei Korolev (the dude who spanked us in the space race) was pretty much yanked out of a gulag to head the space program. Kalashnikov was chased north in his youth. There are others that I can’t think of off the top of my head but it’s a definite pattern.

[@ugn669]

No, Kalashnikov (and family) were relocated away from the fighting. It had nothing to do with exile or imprisonment. But there are plenty of cases similar to Korolev as well.

[@vyoufinder]

I like the way it sounds and feels - puts the "punch" in punching holes.

[@pamelamays4186]

Suggestion: The steel mills of Pittsburgh, PA.

[@charlesb.3569]

Up vote

[@hukaman88]

As someone who lives in pittsburgh. Yes!

[@maiqtheliar2465]

Yes

[@addedcheese]

The Finnish army also operates an AR that is effectively just a modification of the AK, these two weapons are known as the RK-62 and the improved RK-95 in case anyone is interested in reading more about a foreign modification/improvement to the old classic

[@sebaseba6710]

Pretty interesting video, and pretty crazy how famous the AK has become

[@apaulson6590]

General knowledge of firearms lacked at times here but still very informative.

[@boneyardrendezvous]

Before we go blaming firearms remember that our species used to nail each other to sticks, so humans have always been kinda garbage.

[@jeffrichards1537]

Exactly I tell people a gun in a holster is no more dangerous than a hammer on a work belt. I could just as easy beat them to death with the hammer and never run out of bullets. They are tools the person holding it is the problem.

[@Ratkill9000]

@@jeffrichards1537 More people are killed each year by blunt objects than long guns. Source: FBI statistics

[@jjc5475]

yes, but.. you can't kill 600 people per minute with a stick.

[@Ratkill9000]

@@jjc5475 No one can accurately shoot, kill and reload 20, 30 round magazines in under a minute on full auto. Physically impossible.

[@boneyardrendezvous]

@@jjc5475 You can't do that with a gun either. I understand that some people find them loud and scary so they feel the need to embellish their fears like children.

[@Bodiddly2106]

It’s fun watching not gun people describe guns.

[@joshuaradick5679]

He did way better than the Infographic Show on the M-16 vs AR-15

[@darink300zx]

At 8:00 your showing an animation for an aftermarket device called a bumpstock, which was not part of the AK design but something for the civilian market to attempt to approximate the rate of fire of a full-auto on a semi-auto AK. They (bumpstocks) were banned in the US, after the Las Vegas shooting a few years ago.

[@MrRaylay]

Excellent video

[@MrTexasDan]

Simon (again) couldn't resist spewing his ant-gun philosophy at the end.

[@shaunmattice6413]

To be fair, it's a reasonable thing to think about no matter what your stance is on it. I don't think it should be a controversial question when asked.

[@AdamIsUrqed]

Ant-guns pose little threat to humans, thankfully.

[@mbpaintballa]

I mean he does try to be impartial.

[@shebbs1]

Yeah, that wpuld be input from his notably liberal American team of scriptwriters and editors. Pretty much all his presentations have a distinctive liberal slant, as well as pandering to American parochialism.

[@zata1197]

I have an akm variant from serbia and I love it. It's by no means a fancy display piece like some guns, but it's reliable and easy to use and maintain.

[@timstadlmueller58]

The maintenance thing is underappreciated. You can maintain an Ak with minimal tooling, and it's easy to field-strip.

[@aridroutsas3786]

Is it a Zastava.

[@o5-330]

You don’t maintain the gun. The gun maintain you.

[@robertspence831]

Should have added a bit of the notorious "monkey shooting an AK" video. Hilarious.

[@VennyTheJet]

@Megaprojects I’m a relative newcomer to your channel(s), and I appreciate the approach you take to the presentation of history. I would implore you to consider your parting shot (pardon the pun) from the perspective of a group of people that face genuine, violent oppression, that lack any diplomatic means of resistance to their oppressors. If someone is willing to take a stand in righteous opposition to oppression, is it not better that the chance exists for them to acquire arms like the AK to defend themselves? If your answer is yes, then let’s go a step further: how much more difficult is it to repress an armed (and hopefully trained, even informally so) people? An ideal world would not require arms, but ours is not ideal.

[@naphackDT]

That lever isn't just a safety switch and a fire selector, in the safe position it also serves as a dust cover.

[@yienmaster04]

And if you cut a notch into it, it serves as a bolt hold open as well.

[@phatpigeonii]

@Robert Sears But if you get dust in the gun it doesn't matter. The real strength of the AK platform lies in the fact that you can never maintain it and it will still probably operate. It may have real shitty accuracy, but when all you do is scream "Allahu Akbar!" and pull the trigger in full auto, what difference does that make?

[@GrizzlyCompany]

Nobody: USSR: Keeping Up With The Kalashnikov's

[@nogi2167]

It is worth noting that the biggest improvement that came with the AK-74 was not with the gun itself. Instead, the big change was the ammunition. The AK47 used a 7.62mm (.30 cal) round, with the same diameter as the 7.62 round used by the Mosin-Nagant. This was done to simplify production , as all Soviet weapons, regardless of design, could use the same, 7.62mm barrel blanks. However, during the Vietnam War, the Soviets first encountered the American 5.56mm cartridge via their North Vietnamese allies. This small .223 caliber cartridge was lighter, produced less recoil and seemingly counterintuitively, produced more lethal wounds than the 7.62. This was because the 5.56 was less likely to completely penetrate the target, thereby dumping all its kinetic energy into the target, whereas the 7.62 often overpenetrated, with much kinetic energy still left in the bullet. As a result of this revelation, the Soviets designed their own small-caliber cartridge, the 5.45x39mm, which the AK74 was designed around.

[@jamescleeton8440]

another enjoyable and informative film. How about a film about the de havilland mosquito?

[@sierravortec2494]

Awesome video as always. Been thinking you should have another channel dedicated to breaking down battles throughout history. I just don’t think you have enough channels!

[@bloviatingbeluga8553]

Light recoild... shows gif of a bump stock

[@fjriwnshd]

@J Jones kinda, he instructed the atf to interpret them as machine guns. not exactly the most legally sound way to do it but in practice it's working.

[@liordagan9342]

Massacres happened before the iron age. And shooting someone with an AK47's accuracy and recoil isn't that easy, compared to an M16/M4. Not to mention that in many wars, artillery, famine, diseases kill. It's always the operator. Sayeret Matkal used AK's to free the hostages in Antebbe.

[@pavelvasilevich2785]

"Its easy to make a complex thing,but it's takes a genius to build a simple thing that works." - Mikhail Kalashnikov

[@jacobhuff3748]

My only complaint here is that Simon doesn't mention that the 74 is chambered for 5.45x39, the Russian version of 5.56 Nato

[@kenphilpot1903]

He did say multiple shells or cartridges or something like that . My buddy has a 74 but because ammo is harder to get we only shoot it a few times a year

[@cikame]

It wasn't the animation of a bump stock when referencing its "mellow recoil"?

[@jacobhuff3748]

For context here my issue is that he didn't mention that 74 was the point the Russian military switch from 7.62x39 to 5.45x39. It's not an accident that it happened after Vietnam.

[@steeljawX]

@@jacobhuff3748 I'll concur on that. He mentioned on the AK-17 had a range of ammo types, but the AK-74 was practically half of an AKM with other minor tweaks to accuracy. Not once did he ever mention that from the AKM to the 74 was there the ammo swap. Not all ammo is the same, just like how not all drinks, cars, or potato chips are the same. Different strokes may work for different folks, but different cali's check off on different tallies.

[@cattibingo]

How dare he not mention the 1 specfic detail that some dude on the internet cares so much about

[@24escalade]

when myth becomes legend, print the legend

[@Condorito380]

I know where that came from. Allegendly.

[@15Indianajon]

Hi Simon, thanks for yet another great video. As I think I do every time I'm going to request the F14 Tomcat next, although just to mix it up a little I'm also going to ask for the A6 Intruder because they are two amazing aircraft with amazing histories! Plus Heatblur have recently announced the A6 for DCS (Flight sim game) and who doesn't like an aircraft project and it might mean you might make tee-shirts for them (Hint!) To that end, also the LM from Apollo. Please do all of these! You know it makes sense! If you ask nicely I will even help you write them ;-p

[@Colonel_Overkill]

Ironically enough the AK 47 is an extremely rare rifle. The first were made from stampings before being changed to milled and finally updated to AK 74, AK M etc. The original stamped models are considered unicorns in gun collection circles.

[@lambastepirate]

You have it backwards they had the ability to mill when they started manufacture of AK 47s they got the stamping process from the germans but not till after 4-5 years of manufacture. The milled receivers are much stronger than stamped ones.

[@Colonel_Overkill]

@lambastepirate specifically the first production AKs used a stamped body with a milled trunion and stock insert, both pieces at the 2 ends of the stamping

[@lambastepirate]

@@Colonel_Overkill He made 2 prototypes a stamped one and a milled one the stamped one was no good the milled one was, so they made them till they developed your inserts. Once the manufacturing difficulties of non-milled receivers had been overcome, a redesigned version designated the AKM (M for "modernized" or "upgraded"; in Russian: Автомат Калашникова Модернизированный [Avtomat Kalashnikova Modernizirovanniy]) was introduced in 1959.

[@HellDuke-]

Not rare, just does not exist. It was called the AK, not AK47

[@brosint6955]

The man speaks the truth. There’s are only 3 types of ak47 - series 1,2 and 3. Any other type be it from Russia (akm onwards) or elsewhere is a different weapon. People need to do away with the term “ak47” and just say AK, in the same way that weapons in the states are described as AR platforms

[@dandutre2272]

The most horrible fact about the AK-47 is, I only have four of them in my safe right meow. 😔 I should have brought more before they became so expensive.

[@manspider1532]

@J Jones Don't hate on WASR 10s. Those AKs are tried and true built to last AKs. IO AKs are history. They changed their name to Riley Defense and are slightly better when they were called IO.. Still trash tho. Imports are where it's always at in the AK fam.

[@pizzarollking4397]

I was happy enough to get one for $1037 in 2022.

[@threeminuteshate]

They’re coming back down in price again.

[@khabrahasunny1947]

@@threeminuteshateI might buy one right now an Zastava m70 from serbia 🙌🏾yugoslavia I was thinking about an expensive taxed Ddm4v7 but im gona get the K and built my own M4E1 later

[@Dakota277]

​@khabrahasunny1947 get the Serbian import, lighten it up with some good furniture, get an adjustable gas piston and a good suppressor, then build an AR, or buy a quality pre-built one. Stay away from Aero, Palmetto State, or any other "budget" options for your AR. One good AK and one good AR, along with plenty of ammo and training. That's always my advice. It's also not a bad idea to have a good hunting rifle, if you live in a less populated area.

[@Jsh0w]

Hey Simon! And crew! How’s that Global Positioning System (GPS) episode coming along? Much love and respect from California.

[@garyneilson1833]

Simon have you thought about doing a videoon the TSR 2 ?

[@davidorojo]

That last sentence in the video was🔥🔥

[@hokutoulrik7345]

The invention of black powder certainly opened a pandora's box when it came to making killing people easier. Yes, bows, catapults, and similar weapons made killing at range easier, but they were slow to fire and required a considerable amount of skill to weild effectively. It doesn't take a whole lot to train someone to use a firearm. At most you can have someone ready to go within 8 hours if you are teaching safety as well, but in under an hour for the simpler rifles and handguns.

[@libertarian1637]

The AK-74 changed the cartridge used from the 7.62mmx39mm to the 5.45mmx39mm; it was created after seeing the US/NATO 5.56mmx45mm cartridges in Vietnam fired from the M-16. The AK series rifles also was copied/modernized in the development of the IDF’s rifles and are even manufactured today in the USA, as importation of the rifles is quite limited.

[@kristianxoto]

they went back to 7.62 in modern versions because it has more stopping power

[@libertarian1637]

@@kristianxoto Modern AKs are still available in 5.45mmx39mm. In fact you can get modern Russian produced AKs in 5.56mmx45mm; I imagine they’d make them in about any chambering for enough money. The 5.55mm AKs look quite odd as the magazines are quite straight compared to 47s and especially 74s.

[@kristianxoto]

@@libertarian1637 ok. just know the new ratnik program says 7.62×39mm for AK-15 which will be standard rifle for all normal infantry. replacing all former rifles and going with the new ratnik personal system

[@chizorama]

@@kristianxoto I would argue penetration power, the 5.45 is a flesh eater, not sure of it's effectiveness vs plates or light armor, but I'm guessing that 7.62x39 has an advantage there.

[@CarimboHanky]

one of the most badass weapons out there... that distinctive sound, you can tell the sound of an ak from a distance.

[@johnlenin830]

In fact, the first Soviet assault rifle for the 7.62x39 cartridge was created in 1944, the AS 44 (designer Sudayev), but it was not adopted for military service. Its features, such as upward displacement of the bolt group with large gaps, as well as providing contact between moving parts through small areas, were introduced into the design of the Kalashnikov rifle

[@ZuluComander]

"...An elegantly simple 9 pound amalgamation of forged steel and plywood. It doesn't break, jam, or overheat. It'll shoot whether it's covered in mud or filled with sand. It's so easy, even a child can use it; and they do."

[@lordskitch]

Need a side project of Simon firing various guns at a range.

[@oldmindyoungbody3068]

If he's ever in Northern Colorado, I'd gladly take him out.

[@alexlongfur2515]

@@oldmindyoungbody3068 phrasing!

[@cattibingo]

@@oldmindyoungbody3068 this comment right here, officer

[@matthew_natividad]

Better call Ian McCollum

[@predatorishi]

Great video

[@MichaelRacer]

Since you just did an episode on the AK47, are you gonna do one about the M16?

[@snorkelthump]

this video makes me recall the intro to the movie "god of war". but still a good video Simon W

[@joshuanida5457]

Lord of war

[@leopardone2386]

AK 47 OF TANKS : T 55 Most widely produced tank in history. A mega project in itself. Simone my man .... Get on it!

[@jasongeis960]

Simmon i truly enjoy your videos. I find them not only educational but entertaining as well. Would you please do a video on America's war on drugs and how it impacts our society

[@christiaanvanderhorst4639]

Idea for a video. Oosterscheldekering or Maeslantkering i loved your video About the delta works

[@GrockleTD]

What about the AK-50 ;)

[@mrTophat3]

Cease

[@Idahoguy10157]

One hundred million Mauser rifles, and their direct derivatives, were made. Still in production

[@berniemacandasideoffries]

Great video Simon! I just wanted to add some constructive comments to make us all more knowledgeable! It's important to note that the STG-44 in particular brought in mind two things to the Soviet State: the effective use of stamping and an intermediate caliber. The SKS was designed to replace the Mosin Nagant and the SKS in service, and the trials the AK participated in were to replace the various submachine guns in service utilizing effective stamping. It's important to note that 7.62 x 39 closely matches the ballistics of the 8mm kurz round that it's based off of. That explains some of the initial design decisions of the prototype AK's: it was common to have a safety separate from the firing selectors at the time (if the weapon had a firing selector at all). The reasoning for the placement is purely anecdotal, Kalashnikov himself stated that there wasn't really any factor in the decision making process of the selector lever, that's just sort of how the design turned out! The famed reliability of the AK is also, in a modern context, up for debate. This comment is long enough so I won't go into that minefield. If at all possible, would you be able to do a video on the AR-15 and all of its military variants? The story is really, really interesting! Thanks for the vid!

[@CNT12696]

"$100-$300." I wish they were that cheap in the US

[@Zerosen89]

paid $874 for mine

[@Lolfire]

If you're interested in the AK series of weapons you will want to check out the AK-50. It's a Kalashnikov chambered in .50bmg currently being developed by a guy called Brandon Herrara right here on youtube.

[@colsoncustoms8994]

“Currently being developed” lololol I think he’s been working on it for like 5 years or more.

[@0Asterite0]

Why would anyone be interested in something no one asked for. It's vaporware

[@reddune6185]

We need a t shirt.. "Where's the 50 Brandon!?!"

[@Dakota277]

​@@0Asterite0we're all asking for it what are you talking about?

[@Kadyis]

Mega Project Idea: The Perimiter or Russia’s dead man switch of the Cold War.

[@victorzvyagintsev1325]

Its still around ;)

[@gogrape9716]

The global equivalent of a Saturday night special...

[@mirrorflame1988]

It is the most common gun ever produced. From government forces to gangsters and terrorists weapon of choice. It is cheap, reliable, easy to make and modify. Thats what makes it so terrifying and widespread.

[@johnwiebe8581]

My thought when someone blames guns for violence: In Starwars= NO ONE blamed the lightsaber! and that is the even easier to wield than an AK.

[@angelarch5352]

...and no one can blame the blasters either, due to them missing all the time...

[@photodave219]

Star Wars is a fictional universe. It’s not real.

[@cattibingo]

@@photodave219 he's probably 12, let him have his fun

[@noeenricodomanais2517]

It's Kalashnikov, not Kalashnik.

[@victorzvyagintsev1325]

Well, technically its Avtomat Kalashnikova or simply AK(AK-47 is a prototype name)

[@cattibingo]

Who cares

[@nicknaylor9895]

The AKM wasn’t the first significant change tbh. The AK47 type 2 went from the milled receiver of the type1 to a stamped receiver to see if it could be made lighter and cheaper. That experiment failed and they went back to a milled receiver in the type 3 while they refined the stamping technology and built the manufacturing infrastructure to support the eventual AKM. Also, I own an AK pattern rifle. The recoil isn’t light, it does leave a bruise. The AK in full auto is manageable because of the rate limiter that keeps it down.

[@yzzxxvv]

Amazing research

[@michaelpipkin9942]

The A-10. The plane designed around a gun. The gun with a sound so distinct it produces cheers.

[@steeljawX]

Depends on which side of that sound you're on.

[@michaelpipkin9942]

@@steeljawX Well if you're on the busy end you won't know it, let alone hear it.

[@Rufrky]

Mega Project Idea: The development of the M4 Sherman Tank, and its use beyond World War II.

[@steeljawX]

Oh dear, you mean the entire M4 family? I mean, they're practically the same thing with the majority of the difference in designation being which part came from where; but when you get to the "Easy 6", "Easy 8", "Jumbo", "Firefly", "Crocodile", "Calliope", "Crab". . . . you've got a Megaproject that needs an introductory video on Hobart's Funnies.

[@PhantomFilmAustralia]

_"Of all the weapons in the vast soviet arsenal, nothing was more profitable than Avtomat Kalashnikova model of 1947. More commonly known as the AK-47, or Kalashnikov. It's the world's most popular assault rifle. A weapon all fighters love. An elegantly simple 9 pound amalgamation of forged steel and plywood. It doesn't break, jam, or overheat. It'll shoot whether it's covered in mud or filled with sand. It's so easy, even a child can use it; and they do. The Soviets put the gun on a coin. Mozambique put it on their flag. Since the end of the Cold War, the Kalashnikov has become the Russian people's greatest export. After that comes vodka, caviar, and suicidal novelists. One thing is for sure, no one was lining up to buy their cars."_ *--YURI ORLOV*

[@haridasification]

Salute for it's simplicity