Wasteland Weapon Guides Part 1- AKMB

My name is Frost Windchill. Pleased to meet you. This week, we’ll have the first in a new weekly series offering detailed information on weapons found in the Wasteland. While not common outside of the outskirts of the Far North, this legendary weapon spawned so many variations and knockoffs that you’ve no doubt run into one of its iterations. Where the North Equestrian Treaty Organization often called the Ironshod IF-91 assault rifle the “right hoof of the free world,” to some, this would be known as the left.

I present to you: the AKMB.

The Avtomat Kalashneighkova Modernizirovanniy Bullpup, or quite simply “Kalashneighkov’s modernized bullpup assault rifle,” is the consummate bullpup AR. The phrase “assault rifle” designates a select-fire rifle that fires an intermediate cartridge and is capable of fully automatic fire, while “bullpup” refers to a configuration of the firearm where the firing components are located behind the trigger, resulting in an overall more compact design. You get a full-length barrel with a carbine package. The AKMB can trace its heritage back to the Zebrican KM-44, a pre-coup zebra firearm that can be considered the first modern assault rifle.

Meant to bridge the gap between the power and range of the bolt-action rifle and the compact size and high output of the sub-machine gun, the KM-44 saw limited use by the Legion to hold back the Wilds- and later on both sides of the Minotaur Uprising leading up to The Great War. It never saw widespread use due to its complexity and fragility- an officer reported that his weapon ceased to function after knocking it down to the floor from a resting position against his desk- but it did pave the way for future renovation and innovation of the concept and design.

By the time The Great War reached full swing, NETO was in a race to reverse engineer the Zebrican successor to the KM-44, then the Type 44, a remarkably accurate and deadly assault rifle with the capacity for imbuing. Though NETO stood by its first choice of the IF-91 assault rifle…

… which was essentially a near-copy of the Type 44 internals-wise, Stalliongrad’s Izmash factory began to opt for a different approach to the assault rifle design.

Enter Kalashneighkov, a wounded soldier in The Great War, who in the hospital caught notice of higher-ups with his knack for weapons design. Though his initial concept for a sub-machine gun was seen as far too complicated, he earned a job at Izmash, where he later designed the world-renowned AKb2

Initially known as the AKb1, the prototype was revised after proving to be still too complicated for judges of the assault rifle trials. Working closely with several other weaponsmiths, Kalashneighkov eventually improved his original design with a far different approach. Gone was the intention for accurate fire at range. In its place- rugged durability and dogged reliability. Featuring a spacious firing chamber and wider tolerances, it impressed many with its ability to just keep on working no matter what it was thrown at, into, or underneath. There is still a fabled story where an early Wastelander discovered it under the gored body of a bandit, its guts spilled completely over and into it. It’s said that she removed the weapon, slotted the safety off, and pulled the trigger- then smiled as it kicked back in her magic. These stories and more both wartime and postwar lend to the series’ renowned toughness.

The original AKb2 design saw several more revisions within the span of only a few years. Within only four, Izmash released the more widely-known and used AKM.

While retaining most of the original design and its philosophies- in fact, the AKb2 and AKM are still confused with one another by the unskilled to this day- it has several marked improvements. These include stamped-steel parts for easier mass production, newer composite components that reduced the weight by roughly 1kg, and revisions to the barrel, gas block, stock, bolt carrier, and spring; a much more user-friendly sight, and a variety of accessories. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the AKM has enjoyed quite a bit. Numerous clones exist, including the Isorreli Galil and even a near-copy by the zebras in the form of the Type 56.

But that still wasn’t enough, and after FN Horsetal shared the idea of a bullpup configuration, Izmash decided to adopt it in addition to dropping the wood furniture. Enter the weapon that earned a place in my heart- and Rig’s- the AKMB.

Chambered for 7.62x39mm SR, or Stalliongrad Rimmed, the AKMB features composite materials and polymers that further reduced the weight. Although the bullpup configuration makes the weapon a tad more complicated than its predecessors and increases trigger pull, it still withstands the test of time and remains rugged even to the present Wasteland day. Compared to the IF-91 which also enjoys a good deal of proliferation in post-apocalyptia and the Type 56 which is uncommon but not unheard of, the AKM and the AKMB stand tall and stand strong. While not as accurate as some of its peers, it packs a mean punch. The 7.62 SR hits considerably harder than the 5.56 NETO and is able to punch cleanly through most seemingly solid materials and armor. There is a raider saying, after all: “Ignore 5.56. Respect 7.62.”

Though incredibly durable and incredibly versatile, the AKMB does have its shortcomings in the modern day. It has only seen proliferation in Stalliongrad and cities engaging in trade with the city. You’ll be hard-pressed to find anything like it in the Capital Wastes and beyond, although many of the parts are interchangeable between it, the AKM, and even the AKb2 that predates it and Wastelander AKSL “Axle”. Its kick is also as famous- or infamous- as its durability, and it only fires at a factory cyclic rate of 600 RPM.

The AKMB won’t let you down, though. When other guns would crack and corrode, wear and tear, Izmash’s creations and Kalashneighkov’s innovations will chug on and chug strong. It’s a weapon a long time coming, and if the Axle is any indication, it still has a long time to go. A death machine born in the cold heat of Stalliongrad’s factories, this bullpup…

… has a mean bite.

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: www.wikipedia.com

world.guns.ru

The Specialists Ltd.

MP44.nl

The Fallout Wiki

Military Today