They ask if the AK-12 will be as popular as the AK-47, and talk about how the AK-12 is intended to revive Russia’s declining small arms industry. I doubt the AK-12 will find much of a market outside of Russia, since it basically the same rifle, only with a better selector and rail. If you’re the military of a wealthy nation, you can afford German, Austrian, Belgian or American rifles. If you’re not, how important to you is rail and a better selector? And then there’s the Chinese arms industry.
But I think the real news here is, NPR is covering the firearms industry?
And fairly sympathetic, too!
it remains to be seen if this is due to any great post Heller sea change, or if it is only because it does not involve American interests and American weapons.
The AK attained it’s huge numbers due to the politics/economics of the USSR and the exigencies of the Cold War, neither or which applies now, more than it did for it’s design (which outside of simplicity and reliability is pretty much crap.) It will likely take YEARS until the Russian military manages to fund and supply itself let alone produce these for foreign sales…and the US market really isn’t possible due to import restrictions and the fact that equivalent/better US made options for all of the “upgrades” are already available and are pretty much required due to 922(r).
From the halls of Academia,
to the shores of Russian seas,
we will proudly wave the banner
of the Ðародный комиÑÑариат внутренних дел!
The AK is an integral part of the Lefty-identity and proudly waved on Power-to-the-Peeps flags – and NPR is Academic-Halls Lefty. The AK has a ply-wood stock, the NPR has a woody for Lefty and buys stock in Soviet-era belief systems.
They just want to reassure their listenership that all is Ok in the Workers Paradise. NPR only hates evil AmeriKKKan black bullet-hose assault rifles with shoulder-things that go up.
“intended to revive Russia’s declining small arms industry”
You know, reversing a lot of the import bans would do the trick overnight.
Huh. Well I’ll be.