Wasteland Weapon Guides Part 2- Axle

My name is Frost Windchill. Pleased to meet you. In this week’s edition of Wasteland Weapon Guides, I’ll be covering a weapon that bridges the gap between Izmash and Ironshod- two manufacturers legendary in their dependability. A bastard child that trickled its way to the Capital Wastes and beyond, it’s a hodgepodge of a firearm with no standard design.

I present to you: the AKSL, more commonly known as the Axle.

While the AKM and AKMB remain relevant following The End, they’re uncommon outside of Stalliongrad and settlements that do trade with it. 7.62x39 SR is similarly difficult to find in the Capital Wastes and often difficult to acquire except through trade or reloading spent ammunition. While effective and highly sought after, the AK encounters a noticeable supply problem in the Equestrian Heartland.

Enter the AKSL. The Avtomat Kalashneighkova is simply followed by the initials of Simone Leold, the griffiness generally credited with the initial concept and design. Rumor has it that her AKM finally quit working on her after taking a .338 Lapis Lazuli Lapua meant for her. Without any proper replacement parts on hand, Simone simply opted to hastily put together a frankengun of an assault rifle by combining working parts with an Ironshod IF-94 carbine she later looted. The result was the AKSL.

Nobody truly knows at what point the design took off and gained such popularity. Similarly elusive is the origin behind the popular nickname of “Axle,” thought to have come from a pony who was rumored to have used a portion of a toy wagon axle to replace the barrel of his weapon. While by all means possible, it’s likely the pronunciation of “AKSL” as a word rather than an acronym. What everyone seems to agree on is that this is the poor pony’s IF-AK hybrid. With both weapon series renowned for their general durability, they do surprisingly well for what’s considered to be a cheap, third-rate weapon.

No universal design exists either, though the Axle generally consists of a pairing between Ironshod and Izmash weaponry and is fully-automatic. Their bore is similarly diverse, usually leaning toward the plentiful cartridges such as the 5.56 NETO and 9mm Parasail. Thus, the Axle isn’t strictly an assault rifle- battle rifle and sub-machine gun variants exist as well, and they are all capable of accepting furniture from both manufacturers.

Despite the variability of the AKSL-A, -B, and -CQB designs, the interchangeable nature of many of the Ironshod weapon models and some of Izmash’s designs make it easy to substitute parts when something eventually does break down. In the end, it seems as if the biggest manufacturers of Equestria had a wunderkind of a bastard child.

There are definitely flaws with the AKSL, however. Different parts of different weapons from different manufacturers were not meant to work together. Axles tend to lean towards accuracy… for the first shot at least. Under fully automatic fire, Axles leave much to be desired due to wild inaccuracy and often low rates-of-fire. Not even the fastest-firing Axle known thus far can break 450 RPM. It’s during mentioning these key downsides that one must remember this is a cheap, third-rate weapon.

For what it is, the AKSL is a true Wastelander’s weapon. Weapons break down and break down fast in this day and age, even if made from the top manufacturers. No weapon can truly operate in pristine condition without proper maintenance, and no firearm is easier to maintain than the Axle. Its “pristine” condition leaves a lot to be desired, however, but for an easily-maintained, adaptable weapon capable of fully-automatic fire, it’s a steal at a general price of around two-hundred caps in “top” condition.

Unwieldy, perhaps. Clunky, most definitely. The Axle isn’t a professional’s weapon. But professionals are few and far in between, and in the end, the survivor will pick the weapon that gets him or her through a scrap and continues to last through several dozen more. Because even if your Axle manages to break down…

… all you need is a little grease.

This has been Frost Windchill. Let met know what you thought about this week’s edition of Wasteland Weapon Guides, and feel free to offer suggestions for the next episode. So until next time, take care, and farewell.

Sources:

Eddur and scottmack from the New Vegas Nexus