AK-47's of Iraq, Iran and Afganistan

[Desert Scorpion]

For those of you who have been to Iraq, Iran and Afganistan I was wandering what style of AK-47's do these countries have and how did they go about getting them. I understand that Afganistan is mostly comprised of the Russian made AK-74 becasue of the communist invasion years ago and the USSR leaving many firearms behind. But what about Iraq where did there AK-47 line come from are they domestic built or are they from russia, and are they mainly 74's or 47's; and what about Iran too where do they get there supplies. I have heard that there are many romanian ak-47's in Iraq but not sure if this is correct, any one have any knowledge.

 

[AndyC]

I personally didn't see any 74's at all, only 47. We had milled types, most of the Iraqis I knew had stamped-receiver models - the under-folders and side-folders being the most popular, but also what I now recognise as East German style stocks.

If I knew I'd be living in a country now where I can actually own these, I'd have paid more attention; while I was there, it was just a tool.

Below is a typical AK carried by Iraqi security-personnel:


Below is the AK I carried:

 

[Hoppy590]

i havnt been there, but i understand they haveeverything and anything

Iraq has some local made, some purchased through Egypt.

that first pic is E german. the 2nd is Hungarian i believe

iv seen photos of what i ASSUME are yugos ( due to the grenade sight) and Chi-Com due to the folding spike bayonet

 

[mtngunr]

When you first arrive in-country, and if your weapons have yet to arrive, they'll take you to a CONEX stuffed with beater AK's where you finally find one that works, the guns ranging in quality/maker including local hacked garbage to finest Russian....the current Iraqi issue contract is the Arsenal/Bulgaria gun in 7.62x39mm, I believe....

 

[Onmilo]

I have some friends over, over there that work with the special operations community.


There are Iraq made AK rifles which feature a combination of East German and Yugoslavian technology being as both countries were involved in setting up the arms production facilities in that country.

Many of the rifles that look East German because of the stippled buttstocks and forends are actually Iraq produced variations of the AKM

The Milled AK rifles that look like Yugoslavian made rifles are their version of that rifle.

The markings are what normally gives away the country of origin not the appearance.

There are also Chinese, Russian, and Bulgarian rifles in use in Iraq.
Some of these came in through outside weapon purchases made by Iraq prior to the collapse and some are weapons smuggled in by foreign fighter elements.

There are some 5.45X39 caliber rifles turning up in Iraq and from what folks are telling me, it usually indicates a Chechen presence.

Afghanistan is a melting pot of stuff.
Anything and everything can be found there.
The ultimate creme de la creme of small arms for the average Afghani fighting man appears to be the PK and PKM general purpose machinegun.

 

[mtngunr]

here's a link....
http://www.ar15.com/lite/topic.html?b=4&f=76&t=69702

and...

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=127970

 

[Desert Scorpion]

So really they have copies of other countries Ak's and they have other countries Ak's from most of the major large countries. At least all the parts are interchangeable for the most part.

 

[sarduy]

have you ever seen a Cuban Made AK47?

i have

 

[Thin Black Line]

As far as AKs in Iraq there's everything. One person on my team even picked
up a RPK74.

 

[buck00]

I understand that Afganistan is mostly comprised of the Russian made AK-74 becasue of the communist invasion years ago and the USSR leaving many firearms behind.

Where are you getting this from? Yes there are obviously AK-74s still around over there, but generally, the majority of AKs in Afghanistan are 7.62 x 39. This has more to do with the amount of AKs and 7.62 x 39 we provided them.

Throughout the Afghan war, the CIA purchased Soviet-designed weapons from Egypt, China and elsewhere and transported them to Pakistan. Cables reveal that Chinese and Egyptian AK-47 rifles and SA-7 anti-aircraft missiles arrived in Pakistan as early as 1980. This covert purchasing process not only covered U.S. tracks, but ensured the availability of weapons that were compatible with the kind captured by the rebels from their Soviet-supplied enemies.

 

[Desert Scorpion]

O!

 

[gtmerkley]

I think Iran uses the G3 but they may use small numbers of ak's to.

 

[RP88]

Iran has alot of AKs and alot of G3/FAL rifles. They are currently trying to model their own assault rifle in bullpup model and in 5.56x45mm down the road, so their prime may change in ten years.

 

[Hoppy590]

G3/FAL rifles

Iran has FAL's? you sure your not thinking for "G3/Cetme" rifles

 

[LeibstandarteAdH]

that first pic is E german. the 2nd is Hungarian i believe

The hungarians never made an underfolding milled rifle.

 

[thebaldguy]

My girlfriend's brother had a chance to see a wide variety of some AKs in Iraq. He said most of them looked pretty bad, but shot with a good degree of reliability once cleaned up.

 

[Hoppy590]

The hungarians never made an underfolding milled rifle.

si, i didnt blow it up all the way. i was just looking at the hand guards and the different style pistol grip. i was wrong

 

[AndyC]

The pistol-grip I added (and the skateboard tape on the fore-end) - the standard PG is just too thin for me.

 

[Jeremy2171]

Andy, yours looks like a Bulgarian folder...probably had a Circle "10" on the left side.

Had quite a few of those while I was over there....but I prefered Russian made ones..my favorite shooter was a 1976 RPK.

 

[AndyC]

I wish I'd taken pics of the left side so I could confirm that, Jeremy, but you know how it goes - "It's just a tool and I'll never be able to get one of my own, so..."

A PKM was my personal favorite

 

[Browning]

From what I understand most of the AK's in Iraq are either Romanian, Polish or Yugo.

Romanian AK's seem to outnumber the others though by a pretty good margin.

For sniper rifles they've used Yugo M76's in 7.92, Rom PSL'S, Russian SVD's, some commercially made and surplus Mausers and a local PSL Iraqi variant called the Al Kadiesh that's chambered in 7.62x54R.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Afganistan they're mostly using Chinese Type 56's and captured or stolen Russian AKM'S, 74's & SVD'S along with Lee Enfields and Moisin Nagant 91's, 38's and 44's.

 

[Browning]

AK's of the Iraqi Insurgents.

Western troops getting hit with Chinese AP 7.62X39
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/07/chinese-made-ar.html

Insurgents weapons old, but effective
http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,Defensewatch_062405_Quigley,00.html

Allied forces regularly recover Romanian AK's from Iraqi Insurgents.
http://fragcdo.com/2008/02/09/vfcs-romania-aims/

Supposedly most Iraqi Insurgent AK's are Romanian
http://www.sprinco.com/buffed.html

IMPORTANT NOTE: Current production Romanian AK's (Romarm S.A. / Cugir) imports have inconsistent dimensions in the spacing of the rear solid wire interlocking loop that may not be compatible with our Item 77011. If your rifle specimen has a space larger than 7 mm, please do not order, or inquire as to the availability of a new, unissued, moly-plated Mil-Spec Hungarian replacement bolt carrier recoil assembly that utilizes our Item 77010.

INTERESTING FACTOID: The vast majority of Full-Auto AK-47's "recovered" from Iraqi "Insurgents" by our U.S. Forces were manufactured in the same remote mountain village factory in Romania. The village is only accessible by a narrow gauge railroad, and still has the machinery under tarps that produced the Mauser K-98's under wartime during Nazi occupation in WW II.

Captured AK-74

Captured Rom AK

------------------------------------------------------------------------

From what I can find in Afghanistan 50% of the AK's in Taliban hands are Russian made, 25% or so are Romanian and the other 25% are Chinese (the US brokered an arms deal between the Muj and both Pakistan and China when we were giving them weapons.