Valmet RK 62
| Valmet 62 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| general information | |
| Civil name: | Valmet 62 |
| Military designation: | RK 62 ( Rynnäkkökivääri , Finnish: assault rifle ) |
| Country of operation: | Finland |
| Developer / Manufacturer: | Valmet |
| Manufacturer country: | Finland |
| Production time: | 1962 to 1994 |
| Model variants: | RK 60/62/76/95 |
| Weapon Category: | Assault rifle |
| Furnishing | |
| Overall length: | 914 mm |
| Weight: (unloaded) | 4.31 kg |
| Barrel length : | 420 mm |
| Technical specifications | |
| Caliber : | 7.62 × 39 mm (M43) |
| Possible magazine fillings : | 30 cartridges |
| Ammunition supply : | Curve magazine |
| Cadence : | 650 rounds / min |
| Number of trains : | 4th |
| Twist : | right |
| Closure : | Turret lock |
| Charging principle: | Gas pressure charger |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Valmet RK 62 is the standard rifle in the Finnish armed forces .
history
After the Second World War , Finland was obliged to dismantle its arms industry; In addition, the strength of the armed forces and the procurement of new defense technology were strictly regulated. It was not until the end of the 1950s that modernization of the armament of the Finnish army began. Instead of developing a new rifle for the army, the military decided to have an assault rifle made based on the proven Soviet model AK-47 . Russian rifles had a long tradition among the troops before that; the Mosin-Nagant was the standard rifle in the Finnish army for several decades. A license to replicate the AK was acquired and their ammunition was also taken over. The contract went to the state-owned industrial company Valmet .
technology
The changes to the original design included a flash hider and the extension of the line of sight. The muzzle damper has prong-like extensions, the sharp edges of which can be used to cut wires. The rear sight was not mounted on the barrel extension, but further back on the housing cover. The grain, on the other hand, was placed away from the barrel muzzle on the attachment of the gas pressure discharge.
The reasons for choosing the Kalashnikov system were not just based on the political influence of the Soviet Union. The extreme cold in particular places special demands on the ballistics, whereby the M43 cartridge has proven to be well suited. Contrary to the trend towards smaller calibers, the Finnish military has therefore continued to use these ammunition to this day.
Of the many replicas of the AK worldwide, the Valmet 62 is one of the higher quality models due to the special manufacturing standards. Aspects of his sophisticated technology were later picked up by Israeli designers and found in the Galil rifle.
See also
Web links
- Valmet Rk. 62/76/95 (Finland) ( Memento from August 26, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
- www.valmetweapons.com: Valmet Weapons Systems (engl.)