July 17, 2014
By G&A Online Editors
Kalashnikov Concern to its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) specially designated nationals (SDN) , effectively ceasing importation of Kalashnikov Concern Products to the U.S. The SDN is a list of foreign individuals, groups and entities with whom U.S. persons are generally prohibited from conducting business.
The addition of Kalashnikov Concern to the SDN list is part of a larger effort established by Executive Order (E.O.) 13662 to place Ukraine-related sanctions on specified sectors of the Russian economy. The Treasury Department announced the changes to the list , which includes a number of other Russian businesses and organizations, on their website.
Although the move halts further importation of all Kalashnikov Concern Products, individuals can still sell and trade existing firearms normally. Per the Treasury Department's FAQ page :
"If a U.S. person is in possession of a Kalashnikov Concern product that was bought and fully paid for prior to the date of designation (i.e., no payment remains due to Kalashnikov Concern), then that product is not blocked and OFAC sanctions would not prohibit the U.S. person from keeping or selling the product in the secondary market, so long as Kalashnikov Concern has no interest in the transaction. New transactions by U.S. persons with Kalashnikov Concern are prohibited, however, and any property in which Kalashnikov Concern has an interest is blocked pursuant to OFAC's designation of Kalashnikov Concern on July 16, 2014. If a U.S. person has an inventory of Kalashnikov Concern products in which Kalashnikov Concern has an interest (for example, the products are not fully paid for or are being sold on consignment), we advise that U.S. person to contact OFAC for further guidance on handling of the inventory. [7-16-2014]"
The situation for dealers, especially those who may not own the products outright, is less clear. Again, from the Treasury Department's FAQ page:
"If a U.S. person has an inventory of Kalashnikov Concern products in which Kalashnikov Concern has an interest (for example, the products are not fully paid for or are being sold on consignment), we advise that U.S. person to contact OFAC for further guidance on handling of the inventory. [7-16-2014]"
Izhmash and Izhevsk . The companies produce and import a number of AK-style and other firearms, including the popular Saiga rifles and shotguns.
It is unclear how long these sanctions will be in effect and if the Kalashnikov Concern could be removed from the SDN list at a later date.
Look for Guns & Ammo's Book of the AK47 soon for more coverage.
Russian AKMS This is the underfolding-stock variant of the Soviet AKM. Chambered in 7.62x39mm, it is built on a stamped-steel receiver and has a metal stock based upon the German MP-40 submachine gun. It is fitted with a hammer-forged, chrome-lined, 16.1-inch barrel; laminated-wood furniture; synthetic pistol grip; and slant-cut compensator. This particular rifle was built using parts Israel captured from the Palestinian Liberation Organization during the Lebanon conflict of the 1980s.
Polish PMKM Chambered in 7.62x39mm, this is the closest clone of the Russian AKM in the world. It has a stamped-steel receiver, laminated-wood stock set, beavertail fore-end, synthetic pistol grip and slant-cut compensator, and it is pictured with a Polish bayonet and oil bottle.
Polish PMKMS underfolder This is the stamped-steel-receiver version of the PMKM with underfolding stock. Chambered in 7.62x39mm, it has an AKM-type beavertail fore-end and a slant-cut compensator. It is pictured here with a Polish bayonet.
Polish Tantal WZ88 Chambered in 5.45x39mm, the Tantal is distinctive in that it features three-round-burst capability in addition to Semi and Auto. It also has a unique selector switch on the left side of the receiver (inlay) and folding stock for added mobility. It is fitted with night sights and a distinctive muzzlebrake with a grenade-launcher attachment. It also has Bakelite handguards and a side-folding metal stock that collapses to the right of the receiver.
Romanian PM md. 63 First produced in 1963, the PM md. 63 was Romania's first AK variant and was chambered in 7.62x39mm. It is almost identical to the Russian AKM but has a chromium-plated bolt, chamber and piston. Also, it is fitted with an AK-47-style barrel nut and a wooden pistol grip.
Romanian PM md. 65 The first underfolder from Romania, the PM md. 65 is identical to the original PM md. 63. Chambered in 7.62x39mm, it is built on a stamped-steel receiver and has a vertical foregrip.
Romanian AIM-G In 1989 Romania formed the 700,000-strong Patriotic Guard. They were equipped with semiauto-only PM md. 63 rifles that had a 'G ' engraved on the left side of the rear sight. This is the most popular version of the Romanian rifles, as more than 20,000 have been imported to the U.S. It is chambered in 7.62x39mm and fitted with a distinctive wooden vertical foregrip.
Romanian AIMS 74 This 5.45x39mm variant of the PM md. 65 has a vertical grip on the lower handguard and a side-folding metal stock. The stock collapses to the right side of the receiver. An AK-74-type muzzlebrake is fitted to reduce felt recoil.
Yugoslavian M92 Chambered in 7.62x39mm, this short-barrel AK has been used by Yugoslavian special forces. Built on a stamped-steel receiver, it has a two-position rear sight (inlay) mounted to the topcover, an underfolding stock and an expansion-chamber muzzle device.
Yugoslavian M70-B1 Chambered in 7.62mm, this is the rifle that is issued to the Yugoslav army. Built on a heavier, 1.5mm-thick, RPK-type receiver, it has wooden furniture, a rubber buttpad, a gas shut-off valve and grenade-launcher sights. It can accept a thread-on grenade launcher (inlay). It is shown with an M52P3 anti-personnel land mine and some practice grenades.
Hungarian AKM-63 First produced in 1963, the AKM-63 is a full-size rifle with a wood stock and a metal fore-end with a vertical wood foregrip to help control recoil during automatic fire. There is no upper handguard. Only about 1,100 of these were imported, so they are one of the rarest AK variants on the U.S. market.
Hungarian AMD-65 Chambered in 7.62x39mm, this short, 12.6-inch-barrel rifle has the same foregrip as the AKM-63. A side-folding wire stock is fitted to make it more maneuverable in confined spaces such as armored vehicles and tanks. The shorter sight radius and barrel make this a less accurate rifle than the AKM-63, but the overall handiness offsets the loss in accuracy. Note the 20-round magazine.
East German MPi-KMS72. This side-folder is chambered in 7.62x39mm and was produced at the Ernst Thaelman factory in East Germany. With a wire stock, Bakelite grip and upper handguard, it was originally issued to airborne troops and mechanized infantry units.
Chinese Type 56 The Chinese introduced a stamped-receiver variant of the Type 56 after China and the Soviet Union split. Because of this, the stamped-receiver model seen here was reverse-engineered without Soviet technical assistance. Two unique features of the Type 56 are the fully enclosed front sight and the folding cruciform bayonet. Also note the distinctive Chinese rivet pattern at the front of the receiver. It is estimated that 10 to 15 million Type 56 rifles have been produced since the 1950s.
Chinese AKS Chambered in 7.62x39mm, this stamped-steel-receiver AKS has a side-folding Phenolic stock set (inlay). It is one of the rarest of the Chinese guns in the U.S.
Chinese AK-47S A semiauto version of the milled-receiver 7.62x39mm Type 56, it is the closest copy of the Russian AK-47 Type 3 that China ever made. Type 56 production was set up by the Soviets, who supplied machinery and technical assistance.
Russian AKM Khyber Pass clone The Khyber Pass is the region between Pakistan and Afghanistan where the majority of trade routes are located. These rifles are normally made by gunsmiths in dirt-floor markets using whatever parts they can find. This rifle is chambered in 7.62x39mm and has an AKS-74-type side-folding stock. This is also the model that the late Osama bin Laden is seen shooting in several videos.
Egyptian ARM Chambered in 7.62x39mm, the 'Maadi ' (as some call it) was massively imported into the U.S. by Steyr-Daimler-Puch of New Jersey in the early 1980s. Built on a stamped receiver, the Maadi is a very close clone of the Russian AKM. This one has a side-folding wire stock.
Iraqi Tabuk Carbine Chambered in 7.62x39mm, this Iraqi Kalashnikov version was produced at the Al-Qadissiya establishments. Based on the Yugoslav M70B2, it has a stamped, RPK-type receiver; wooden furniture; rubber buttpad; gas shut-off valve; rifle grenade-launcher sight; and slant muzzlebrake. This model is capable of launching rifle grenades. A common sight in Iraq, many were captured by U.S. forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Iraqi Tabuk DMR Chambered in 7.62x39mm, the semiauto-only Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR) version of the Iraqi Tabuk features a barrel that is 23.6 inches long and a 4x24mm scope (a Russian PSO-1 is seen here, but Romanian LPS Type 2s and Yugoslav ZRAKs are also encountered) for engaging targets out to intermediate distances. It is often mistaken for the larger, more powerful 7.62x54R-chambered sniper rifles. It is essentially an accurized, scoped RPK.
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