I am an American GI stationed in Germany, and just came back from a three week trip to Russia. The main purpose of the trip was to see some of my wife's (Russian from Estonia)relatives, but I did make sure and see some AK related stuff while I was there.

While I was in Moscow and Siberia (where wife's relatives are)I stopped in a few gunshops to look around. They had allot of neat stuff. There seems to be the whole AK-100 series in Saiga (semi) form. I also saw a very intresting VEPR; it was set up as a true RPK. Straight backed receiver, full length barrel, bipod and black plastic clubfoot stock. This one was in .223 . All the gun stores had allot of MMGs (dewatts) for sale, but no parts or stock sets.

One of the days in Moscow, we made a day trip to the Tula gun museum. Met up with Andrei Kouznetsov (Andyarts;I started to help send out his packages)there.  They had allot of intresting AKs there, but not as many as I would of liked.  

AK display


AK-47 type I underfolder

AKM with balkalite stock



Chrome plated Krink


I also made a two and a half day trip to Izhvesk. Met up with Mikhail Kovalov (gun dealer guy). The first day (half day) we went to the Izhmash museum. The director of the museum showed us everything from the first flintlocks to the AN-94. We also were allowed to take some of them out of the display case and fondle them/take pictures. After, we were invited to stay to have some snacks and vodka.

Izhmash AK display:

Mikhail and I with AN94s



AN94 display (current model and the prototypes)


The next day we went to the shooting range. Shot the whole day all different kinds of weapons. Fired the RPK74, AKS-74U, AK-74M with cobra and 60 rd mag(quad stack), SVD, VAL silent assualt rife, Bison, KEDR, Stechkin, Makarov, PSM, PMS suppressed pistol, and two different 9 mils (including the new Russian service pistol.)

Me firing the KEDR (didnt really care for it; Sights were terrible, and kept jamming)


line up of guns


Wife with Kalashnikitty shirt and Bison


VAL silent assualt rifle (one of my favorites)


The next day I spent picking out different stock sets and such to buy from Mikhail. Some will be for sale later. Some of the more intresting stuff was a wood/laminate side folding stock, and a 74 set with rubber covered buttplate (came on a used, beat up stock set)

The next day we flew out to St.Petersburg. Suprisingly, Mikhail Kalashnikov was at the airport and waiting for the same plane. My wife asked him for a photo, but he said "No, what for?"(wife said he acted like a snob).

St.Petersburg was boring from the AK side. Only AKs I saw were AK-47 #1, and a Krink with a suppressor and the that silent grenade launcher deal.

While in St.Petersburg, I also bought myself an MMG (dewatt, legal in Germany)AK-74. No problems checking it in at the airport, though every security person wanted to look and make sure it was deactivated.

I will post more pics of different stuff later.

Awesome!!  Thanks for sharing!  Great pics and writeup.  Can't wait to read more.

VERY cool.

very nice, thanks for all the pics. are the russians supprised how much we Americans are in love with the ak?john

Excellent trip report.  I give you an "A+" for all the pics.

Thanks!

KF

Awesome.

If I am correct, the 5.45mm quadstack is in the AN-94 you are holding in the pic with Mikhail. Surely you snuck one in eh? :)

Very, very nice!
Surpised that the Russians have a chromed pimp Krink in their museum.
Thanks for the post.

Entirely too cool! Outstanding pics.

Very cool.

Wow, that must have been awesome!  I hate to say it after all the pics you already posted, but hurry up and post more!  

I really want to see this wood/laminate side folder.  Is it like an AK-100 series folder only wood? That would be sweet IMO.  

Also, I like the look of the AN-94 with the clubfoot stock, it kinda works with the profile.  

Here are some more pics. This is all for now, might have some more when I get actual film pictures done.

AK-107/108 ancestor (cant remember the name)


At the Izhmash museum. Director (some designer who worked with Kalashnikov)said that this was a long time in the making, and Kalashnikov was not very helpful in the design. The new gas system eliminates recoil.

AK-47 type II at Izhmash museum.

AK-74 Plum at Tula

AK74 w/GP30

Weird port firing weapon prototype

Plum RPKS-74

AN-94

Bison

M-M machine pistol

AK-74M with Cobra and 60rd mag

60 rd mag (1 of 6)

AK74M trunnion markings

Bison

RPK-74

new Russian 9mm pistol, PMS suppressed pistol, PSM (5.45)

AKS-74U

Display of different prop guns

THANK YOU.

All I can say is .

Congrats on having such a fantastic adventure!

Great pics!

LOL - first the Kalashnikitty in Kuwait in front of a MOAB, and now in Russia - schweet!  AK47.nutz can't say THAT about their ripoff shirts, can they?

So, did anyone have any funny reactions to the shirt?

this should be a permanent sticky!!!!
you the man, thanks to you and the misses for being considerate enough to take and post the pics. i bet you were like a kid in a candy store. hell that beats a personal tour of the NYSE.
i cant stop looking at them over and over and over again.......

ohhhhhh

ahhhhhh

Well Done!

Thanks for sharing!!

Hey, what was the "real" Russian ammo like? Was it pretty much Wolf/Barnaul, or was it different?

I found one more pic
Museum in Mosocw, has everything from Migs to German WWII tanks.


Real Russian ammo comes in the green spam can. If you loose the little opener tool, you get hours of fun trying to break into it with your bayonet.

Also, posted pics of the Bison in another topic

Stottman,
Very nice pics fom Russia!
If you like museums. There is one in Indianapolis, In. It is in the Veteran's
Momemmorial Building. Has most WW2 weaponry and milled AK47s from V.N. Complete and well worth a look, if your around here!!

Stottman - may I, with your permission, download these pics for my own archives?  Just in case I lose this link, or Hunt101.com goes out of business...

Again, thanks again for sharing.  Those are awesome pics.

Feel free to do whatever for the pics. I am not here to make any money of them, just share.

Anyone else notice this?

how much did those things cost?  How much for a standard ak?  just curious

WOW! I saw this post at work and came straight home to put these pictures in my archives. Soo cool. It looks like you had a great time, and I hope this doesn't sound offensive but your wife is beautiful, and she likes guns! You're a lucky man.

Magnificent pics, love the teeshirt.

What is the "hole" in the receiver below the trunnion rivits?

Sundance thats the catch for the folding stock.

Great pictures and what a great experince !!

Quoted: LOL - first the Kalashnikitty in Kuwait in front of a MOAB, and now in Russia - schweet!  AK47.nutz can't say THAT about their ripoff shirts, can they? So, did anyone have any funny reactions to the shirt?

Hey !!  You said Kalashnikitty......

nice pixs man.  i want to go to fairfax, va to check out the nra museum.  i haven't been there yet, but i heard it has many good guns.  i hope they meant real guns like ak47, browning, m1 garand, m14, tommy, fal, cetme, and many others and not just some bolt action and a few shotgun.  you know how bubba like to call real guns when he meant just hunting guns.

Quoted: Anyone else notice this? www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid80/p765208259e38a14a87f2a707baed1e57/fb09fb05.jpg

I don't want to sound gay,...but I noticed that as well.

Where can I get some of those "Kalashnikitty" t-shirts???

Any help will be appreciated.

I gotta get over there...Very Nice.

Very nice pictures.  Enjoyed them a lot

thanks for sharing

Never mind

Wheres all the pics?  Only one I was able to view was the kalashnikitty shirt one.

same here

I can't see any of the pics :(

Looks like hunt101 is down again, maybe one of the others that saved the pics can repost them? I'd love to see them and I know others would too!

Blackops_1.

Me too!!!

GEE,,, When I was in Russia, I only had one pointed at me....  have

We had a "nice" conversation and I left.