AK-47: Difference between revisions
Content deleted Content added
No edit summary |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
The '''ham and cheese sandwich''' is a common type of [[sandwich]] in the United States. It is made by putting cheese and sliced ham between two [[Sliced bread|slices of bread]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Soups & Sandwiches: Soups and Sandwiches|author=Jean Pare|publisher=Company's Coming Publishing Limited|year=1987|id=ISBN 9780969069560}}, p. 138: "Insert slices of ham and cheese between 2 slices of buttered bread or toast. Add lettuce along with mayonnaise and/or mustard."</ref> The bread is sometimes toasted and vegetables like [[lettuce]], [[tomato]] or [[dill pickle]] slices can also be included. [[Mayonnaise]], [[butter]], and/or [[Mustard (condiment)|mustard]] are also common. |
|||
{{Infobox Weapon |
|||
|name=AK-47<ref>Table data are for AK-47 with Type 2/3 receiver</ref> |
|||
|image=[[Image:AK-47 type II Part DM-ST-89-01131.jpg|300px]] |
|||
|caption=A Type 2 AK-47, the first machined receiver variation |
|||
|origin={{flag|Soviet Union}} |
|||
|type=[[Assault rifle]] |
|||
|is_ranged=yes |
|||
|service=1949–present |
|||
|used_by=See ''[[AK-47#Users|Users]]'' |
|||
|designer=[[Mikhail Kalashnikov]] |
|||
|design_date=1944–1946 |
|||
|manufacturer=[[Izhevsk Mechanical Works|Izhmash]] |
|||
|production_date= |
|||
|number= |
|||
|variants=See ''[[AK-47#Variants|Variants]]'' |
|||
|weight={{kg to lb|4.3|abbr=on|precision=1|wiki=yes}} with empty magazine |
|||
|length={{mm to in|870|abbr=on|precision=1|wiki=yes}} fixed wooden stock<br /> {{convert|875|mm|abbr=on|1}} folding stock extended<br /> {{convert|645|mm|abbr=on|1}} stock folded |
|||
|part_length={{convert|415|mm|abbr=on|1}} |
|||
<!-- Ranged weapon specifications --> |
|||
|cartridge=[[7.62x39mm|7.62x39mm M43]] |
|||
|action=[[Gas-operated reloading|Gas-operated]], [[rotating bolt]] |
|||
|rate=600 rounds/min |
|||
|velocity={{convert|715|m/s|0|lk=on|sp=us|abbr=on}} |
|||
|range=100–800 sight adjustments m |
|||
|feed=30-round detachable box [[Magazine (firearm)|magazine]], also compatible with 40-round box or 75-round [[drum magazine]]s from the [[RPK]] |
|||
|sights=Adjustable [[iron sights]], {{convert|378|mm|abbr=on|1}} sight radius |
|||
}} |
|||
Typical styles of cheese used in this sandwich are [[american cheese|American]], [[cheddar cheese|Cheddar]] (yellow or white), [[Swiss cheese|Swiss]], or other medium-firm cheeses. |
|||
The '''AK-47''' (contraction of Russian: ''Автомат Калашникова образца 1947 года''; ''Avtomat Kalashnikova obraztsa 1947 goda''; "Kalashnikov's automatic rifle model of year 1947") is a [[7.62x39mm|7.62 mm]] [[assault rifle]] developed in the [[Soviet Union]] by [[Mikhail Kalashnikov]] in two versions: the fixed stock AK-47 and the '''AKS-47''' (S—''Skladnoy priklad'') variant equipped with an underfolding metal shoulder stock. |
|||
Sliced bread, presliced cheese, and presliced cooked ham are very readily available in U. S. supermarkets and as a result ham and cheese sandwiches are extremely quick and easy to prepare. They are a common component of a [[lunch|brown bag lunch]] (a lunch prepared in the morning, taken to school or work, and kept until lunchtime without refrigeration. This is reasonably safe, although without refrigeration, ham and cheese sandwiches will eventually spoil). American refrigerators are often stocked with them, and ham and cheese sandwiches are a common element of hastily prepared, impromptu home meals. Thus, in a detective novel we read: |
|||
Design work on the AK began in 1944. In 1946 the rifle was presented for official military trials, and a year later the fixed stock version was introduced into service with select units of the [[Red Army]] (the folding stock model was developed later). The AK-47 was officially accepted by the [[Soviet Armed Forces]] in 1949. It is also used by the majority of the member states of the former [[Warsaw Pact]]. The AK-47 was also used as a basis for the development of many other types of individual and crew-served firearms. |
|||
:Bosch went into the the kitchen and got a beer out and made a ham and cheese sandwich. He stood by the sink eating and drinking and trying to organize things about the case in his head.<ref>Michael Connelly, ''The Black Echo,'' p. 200 2001</ref> |
|||
It was one of the first true assault rifles and, due to its durability, low production cost and ease of use, remains the most widely used assault rifle in the world - so much so that more AK-type rifles have been produced than all other assault rifles combined.<ref name="poyer">Poyer, Joe. ''The AK-47 and AK-74 Kalashnikov Rifles and Their Variations''. North Cape Publications. 2004.</ref><ref name="weaponomics" /> |
|||
Ham and cheese sandwiches are ubiquitous in U.S. culture. They are among the items one would expect to see offered in any situation involving a choice of a two or three kinds of sandwich: refrigerated [[vending machine]]s that dispense prepared sandwiches, [[Food truck|lunch trucks]], airport food counters, etc. In the U.S. they are frequently included among assortments of sandwiches ordered, e.g. for a working lunch in a business conference room. |
|||
==History== |
|||
===Design background=== |
|||
During [[World War II]], the [[Germans]] developed the [[assault rifle]] concept, based upon research that showed that most firefights happen at close range, within 300 meters. The power and range of contemporary rifle cartridges was excessive for most small arms firefights. As a result, armies sought a cartridge and rifle combining [[submachine gun]] features (large-capacity magazine, selective-fire) with an intermediate-power cartridge effective to 300 meters. To reduce manufacturing costs, the [[7.92x57mm Mauser]] cartridge case was shortened, the result of which was the lighter [[7.92x33mm Kurz]]. |
|||
[[Image:Grilled ham and cheese 014.JPG|thumb|left|A grilled ham and cheese sandwich, in a [[cast iron]] [[Cooking pan|frying pan]]]] |
|||
The resultant rifle, the [[Sturmgewehr 44]] (StG44) was not the first with these features; its predecessors were the Italian [[Cei-Rigotti]] and the [[Imperial Russia|Russia]]n [[Fedorov Avtomat]] design rifles. The Germans, however, were the first to produce and field sufficient numbers of this assault rifle to properly evaluate its combat utility. Towards the end of the war, they fielded the weapon against the Soviets; the experience deeply influenced Soviet military doctrine in the post-war years {{Fact|date=August 2008}}. |
|||
A variant sometimes served in restaurants is the [[grilling|"grilled"]] ham and cheese sandwich. Both sides of the bread slices are coated in butter, and then the sandwich is assembled. The sandwich is then [[Frying|fried]] (rarely actually grilled) in a [[Sautéing|sauté]] pan, occasionally turning the sandwich over, until both sides are a golden-brown. Alternatively, [[toast]]ed ham and cheese sandwiches can be made using a [[sandwich toaster]]. |
|||
[[Mikhail Kalashnikov]] began his career as a weapon designer while in a hospital after being wounded during the [[Battle of Bryansk]].<ref name="foxnews1">[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,288456,00.html AK-47 Inventor Doesn't Lose Sleep Over Havoc Wrought With His Invention]</ref> After tinkering with a submachinegun design, he entered a competition for a new weapon that would chamber the 7.62x41mm cartridge developed by Elisarov and Semin in 1943 (the 7.62x41mm cartridge predated the current [[7.62x39mm|7.62x39mm M1943]]). A particular requirement of the competition was the reliability of the firearm in the muddy, wet, and frozen conditions of the Soviet frontline. Kalashnikov designed a carbine, strongly influenced by the American [[M1 Garand]], that lost out to the Simonov design that would later become the [[SKS]] battle rifle. At the same time, the Soviet Army was interested in developing a true assault rifle employing a shortened M1943 round. The first such weapon was presented by [[Aleksei Sudaev|Sudayev]] in 1944; however in trials it was found to be too heavy.<ref>Bolotin, D.N, "Soviet Small-Arms and Ammunition", pp 68.</ref> A new design competition was held two years later where Kalashnikov and his design team submitted an entry. It was a gas-operated rifle which had breech-block mechanism similar to his 1944 carbine and curved 30-round magazine. |
|||
Similar to this sandwich is the ham-and-cheese [[quesadilla]], which uses a [[tortilla]] instead of bread. The [[Monte Cristo sandwich]] is a ham and cheese sandwich that is made with [[Swiss cheese]] and then battered in [[egg (food)|eggs]] and fried. Similarly, the [[Croque Monsieur]] is a French version of the Monte Cristo, with any sort of cheese. |
|||
Kalashnikov's rifles (codenamed AK-1 and -2) proved to be reliable and the gun was accepted to second round of competition along with designs by A.A Demetev and F. Bulkin. In late 1946, as the guns were being tested, one of Kalashnikov's assistants, Aleksandr Zaytsev, suggested a major redesign of AK-1, particularly to improve reliability. At first, Kalashnikov was reluctant, given that their rifle had already fared better than its competitors; however eventually Zaytsev managed to persuade Kalashnikov. The new rifle was produced for a second round of firing tests and field trials. There, Kalashnikov assault rifle model 1947 proved to be simple, reliable under a wide range of conditions with convenient handling characteristics. In 1949 it was therefore adopted by the Soviet Army as '7.62mm Kalashnikov assault rifle (AK)'.<ref>Bolotin, pp 69-71.</ref> |
|||
[[Image:HamAndCheese.jpg|right|thumb|150px|An unusual variant: a fried ham and cheese sandwich (served with potato chips)]] |
|||
===Design concept=== |
|||
As recalled by ballpark concessionaire [[Harry Stevens]] in a 1924 interview, in 1894 ham and cheese sandwiches were the only food items sold in New York [[baseball park]]s, [[hot dog|frankfurters]] not being introduced until fifteen years later.<ref>[[The New York Times]], [[April 13]], [[1924]], p. XX2: ''Ball Fans Must Eat: Harry Stevens, Caterer to the Sport World, Talks of Outdoor Appetites''</ref> |
|||
The AK-47 is best described as a hybrid of previous rifle technology innovations: the double locking lugs and unlocking raceway of the [[M1 Garand rifle|M1 Garand]]/[[M1 carbine]],<ref>{{ cite journal|url=http://www.ak-47.net/ak47/galil.html |title=IMI Galil |publisher=AK-47.net|author=J.F.S. |month=July |year=1983 |journal=Soldier of Fortune |accessdate=2008-10-19}}</ref> the trigger and safety mechanism of the [[John Browning]] designed [[Remington Arms|Remington]] Model 8 rifle,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.remington.com/library/history/firearm_models/centerfire/model_8.asp |title=Firearm Model History - Remington Model 8 |publisher=Remington.com |date= |accessdate=2008-10-19}}</ref> and the gas system and layout of the StG44. Kalashnikov's team had access to all of these weapons and had no need to "reinvent the wheel",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/06/world/main3025193.shtml?source=RSSattr=World_3025193 |title=AK-47 Inventor Says Conscience Is Clear, Mikhail Kalashnikov Blames Politicians For Millions Of Deaths Involving His Assault Rifle |publisher=CBS News |date=July 6, 2007 |accessdate=2008-10-19}}</ref><ref>Ezell, Edward Clinton (1986). The AK-47 Story: Evolution of the Kalashnikov Weapons. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 0-8117-0916-7.</ref> though he denied that his design was based on the German Sturmgewehr 44 assault rifle despite [[circumstantial evidence]] to the contrary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.powercustom.com/AKPages/MikhailKalashnikov.htm |title=Mikhail Kalashnikov |author=VAL SHILIN |coauthor=CHARLIE CUTSHAW |publisher=Power Custom |accessdate=2008-10-19}}</ref> Kalashnikov himself observed: ''"A lot of [Soviet Army soldiers] ask me how one can become a constructor, and how new weaponry is designed. These are very difficult questions. Each designer seems to have his own paths, his own successes and failures. But one thing is clear: before attempting to create something new, it is vital to have a good appreciation of everything that already exists in this field. I myself have had many experiences confirming this to be so."''<ref>Bolotin, pp 64.</ref> |
|||
An Englishwoman, writing in 1923 of her passage through [[Ellis Island]] on a trip to the U.S., noted: |
|||
===Receiver development history=== |
|||
:I was in fear and trembling, having heard so many tales of the abuse aliens receive there.... The attendants were very kind and not at all rough with us. It was the noon hour... in a little while porters came along with baskets of very good ham and cheese sandwiches and coffee for the grown-ups and milk for the babies.<ref>[[The New York Times]], [[July 1]], [[1923]], p. XX8, ''Letters to the Editor: Experience at Ellis Island''</ref> |
|||
[[Image:AKMS and AK-47 DD-ST-85-01270.jpg|thumb|AKMS on a Type 4B receiver (top), with a Type 2A]] |
|||
[[Richard E. Byrd]] took ham and cheese sandwiches on his 1926 polar flight as did 1927 [[transatlantic flight|transatlantic fliers]] Chamberlin and Levine.<ref> [[The New York Times]], [[June 29]], [[1927]], p. 2, ''Fliers' Menus More Varied Than That on Earlier Trips.'' In addition to sixteen ham and cheese sandwiches, Byrd took sixteen chicken sandwiches, four roast chickens, one gallon of coffee, and one quart of tea. ([[Charles A. Lindbergh|Lindbergh]] carried ham sandwiches).</ref> |
|||
There were many difficulties during the initial phase of production. The first production models had stamped sheet metal [[receiver (firearms)|receivers]]. Difficulties were encountered in welding the guide and ejector rails, causing high rejection rates.<ref>Poyer, 8</ref> Instead of halting production, a heavy machined receiver was substituted for the sheet metal receiver.<ref name="Poyer_9">Poyer, 9</ref> This was a more costly process, but the use of machined receivers accelerated production as tooling and labor for the earlier [[Mosin-Nagant]] rifle's machined receiver were easily adapted. Partly because of these problems, the Soviets were not able to distribute large numbers of the new rifle to soldiers until 1956. During this time, production of the interim [[SKS]] rifle continued.<ref name="Poyer_9" /> |
|||
Once manufacturing difficulties had been overcome, a redesigned version designated the [[AKM]] (M for "modernized" or "upgraded" — in Russian: ''Автомат Калашникова Модернизированный Avtomat Kalashnikova Modernizirovanniy'') was introduced in 1959.<ref name="Ezell_36">Ezell, 36</ref> This new model used a stamped sheet metal receiver and featured a slanted [[muzzle brake]] on the end of the [[gun barrel|barrel]] to compensate for [[Muzzle (firearm)|muzzle]] rise under recoil. In addition, a hammer retarder was added to prevent the weapon from firing out of battery (without the bolt being fully closed), during rapid or automatic fire.<ref>Poyer, 11</ref> This is also sometimes referred to as a "cyclic rate reducer", or simply "rate reducer", as it also has the effect of reducing the number of rounds fired per minute during automatic fire. It was also lighter than the previous model, at roughly one-third lighter.<ref name="Ezell_36" /> Both licensed and unlicensed production of the Kalashnikov weapons abroad were almost exclusively of the AKM variant, partially due to the much easier production of the stamped receiver. This model is the most commonly encountered, having been produced in much greater quantities. All rifles based on the Kalashnikov design are frequently referred to as AK-47s in the West, although this is only correct when applied to rifles based on the original 3 receiver types.<ref name="Poyer_2">Poyer, 2</ref> In most former Eastern Bloc countries, the weapon is known simply as the "Kalashnikov". The photo above at right illustrates the differences between the Type 2 milled receiver and the Type 4 stamped, including the use of rivets rather than welds on the stamped receiver, as well as the placement of a small dimple above the magazine well for stabilization of the magazine. |
|||
== Origins == |
|||
In 1978, the Soviet Union began replacing their AK-47 and AKM rifles with a newer design, the [[AK-74]]. This new rifle and cartridge had only started being exported to eastern European nations when the Soviet Union collapsed, drastically slowing production of this and other weapons of the former Soviet bloc. |
|||
The origin of the ham and cheese sandwich has been debated for a number of years by culinary intellectuals. The leading theory as to who first started to produce a ham, cheese and bread dish is mentioned in ''The Larousse Gastronomique 1961''. Here it notes that an 18th century Irish immigrant to England called Patrick Connolly who sold a bread dish which: |
|||
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; margin:auto;" |
|||
|- |
|||
! Receiver type |
|||
! Description |
|||
|- |
|||
! Type 1A/B |
|||
| Original stamped receiver for AK-47. -1B modified for underfolding stock. A large hole is present on each side to accommodate the hardware for the underfolding stock. |
|||
(this naming convention continues with all types) |
|||
|- |
|||
! Type 2A/B |
|||
| Milled from steel forging. |
|||
|- |
|||
! Type 3A/B |
|||
| "Final" version of the milled receiver, from steel bar stock. The most ubiquitous example of the milled-receiver AK-47. |
|||
|- |
|||
! Type 4A/B |
|||
| Stamped AKM receiver. Overall, the most-used design in the construction of the AK-series rifles. |
|||
|} |
|||
"Combined the remains of pig, cured and sliced with a topping of Leicester cheese and a kiss of egg yolk sauce (a form of mayonnaise)in a round bread roll. The dish was rather unimaginatively known as a Connolly and is still sometimes referred to as this in some parts of the midlands in the UK." |
|||
==Features== |
|||
[[Image:Afghan AKS-47.jpg|thumb|An Afghan National Police instructor using an AKS]] |
|||
[[Image:RK 54 Finnish Assault Rifle.jpg|thumb|The RK 54 – the [[Finland|Finnish]] designation for the AK-47 - is used by the reserve forces.]] |
|||
The main advantages of the Kalashnikov rifle are its simple design, fairly compact size and adaptation to [[mass production]]. It is inexpensive to manufacture, and easy to clean and maintain; its ruggedness and reliability are legendary.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20070325171640/http://www.strategypage.com/dls/articles/20030423.asp An AK for Every Market by James Dunnigan April 23, 2003]</ref><ref name="reuters">{{cite web | url=http://blogs.reuters.com/oddly-enough/2007/06/14/mimes-fighting-to-be-heard/ | title=Soldiers from special force unit “COE” take part in a military training exercise at the military base, near Managua | first=Oswaldo | last=Rivas | publisher=Reuters | datepublished=2007-06-13 | accessdate=2008-12-09}}</ref> The AK-47 was initially designed for ease of operation and repair by glove-wearing Soviet soldiers in Arctic conditions. The large gas piston, generous clearances between moving parts, and tapered cartridge case design allow the gun to endure large amounts of foreign matter and fouling without failing to cycle. This reliability comes at the cost of accuracy, as the looser tolerances do not allow for precision and consistency. Reflecting Soviet infantry doctrine of its time, the rifle is meant to be part of massed infantry fire, not long range engagements. The average service life of an AK-47 is 20 to 40 years depending on the conditions to which it has been exposed.<ref name="weaponomics">{{ cite web | title = Weaponomics: The Economics of Small Arms | url = http://www.csae.ox.ac.uk/workingpapers/pdfs/2006-13text.pdf }}</ref> |
|||
The notched rear tangent [[iron sight]] is adjustable, and is calibrated in hundreds of meters. The front sight is a post adjustable for elevation in the field. [[Windage]] adjustment is done by the armory before issue. The battle setting places the round within a few centimeters above or below the point of aim out to about 250 meters (275 yd). This "[[point-blank range]]" setting allows the shooter to fire the gun at any close target without adjusting the sights. Longer settings are intended for area suppression. These settings mirror the [[Mosin-Nagant]] and [[SKS]] rifles which the AK-47 replaced. This eased transition and simplified training. |
|||
The prototype of the AK-47, the AK-46, had a separate fire selector and safety.<ref name="popeneker">Popeneker, Maxim & Williams, Anthony. ''Assault Rifle'' The Crowood Press Ltd. (2005) ISBN 1-86126-700-2.</ref> These were later combined in the production version to simplify the design. The fire selector acts as a dust cover for the charging handle raceway when placed on safe. This prevents intrusion of dust and other debris into the internal parts. The dust cover on the M16 rifle, in contrast, requires manual closure. |
|||
The [[caliber|bore]] and [[Chamber (weaponry)|chamber]], as well as the gas piston and the interior of the [[pneumatic cylinder|gas cylinder]], are generally [[chromium]]-plated. This plating dramatically increases the life of these parts by resisting corrosion and wear. This is particularly important, as most military-production ammunition during the 20th century contained corrosive mercuric salts in the primers, which mandated frequent and thorough cleaning in order to prevent damage. [[Chrome plating]] of critical parts is now common on many modern military weapons. |
|||
===Operating cycle=== |
|||
To fire, the operator inserts a loaded [[magazine (firearm)|magazine]], moves the selector lever to the lowest position, pulls back and releases the charging handle, aims, and then pulls the [[trigger (firearms)|trigger]]. In this setting, the firearm fires only once (semi-automatic), requiring the trigger to be released and depressed again for the next shot. With the selector in the middle position (full-automatic), the rifle continues to fire, automatically cycling fresh rounds into the chamber, until the magazine is exhausted or pressure is released from the trigger. As each bullet travels through the barrel, a portion of the gases expanding behind it is diverted into the gas tube above the barrel, where it impacts the gas piston. The piston, in turn, is driven backward, pushing the bolt carrier, which causes the bolt to move backwards, ejecting the spent round, and chambering a new round when the recoil spring pushes it back.<ref name="army">Department of the Army. Operators Manual for AK-47 Assault Rifle. 203d Military Intelligence Battalion</ref> |
|||
===Disassembly=== |
|||
Dismantling the rifle involves the operator depressing the magazine catch and removing the magazine. The charging handle is pulled to the rear and the operator inspects the chamber to verify the weapon is unloaded. The operator presses forward on the retainer button at the rear of the receiver cover while simultaneously lifting up on the rear of the cover to remove it. The operator then pushes the spring assembly forward and lifts it from its raceway, withdrawing it out of the bolt carrier and to the rear. The operator must then pull the carrier assembly all the way to the rear, lift it, and then pull it away. The operator removes the bolt by pushing it to the rear of the bolt carrier; rotating the bolt so the camming lug clears the raceway on the underside of the bolt carrier and then pulls it forward and free. When cleaning, the operator will pay special attention to the barrel, bolt face, and gas piston, then oil lightly and reassemble.<ref name="army"/> |
|||
===Ballistics=== |
|||
The standard AK-47 or AKM fires a [[7.62x39mm]] [[cartridge (weaponry)|round]] with a muzzle velocity of {{convert|710|m/s}}. Muzzle energy is {{convert|2010|J|ftlbf}}. Cartridge case length is {{convert|38.6|mm}}, weight is {{convert|18.21|g|gr}}. Projectile weight is normally {{convert|8|g|gr}}. The AK-47 and AKM, with the 7.62×39mm cartridge, have a maximum effective range of around {{convert|400|m}}. |
|||
==Variants== |
|||
Kalashnikov variants include: |
|||
[[Image:AK 47.JPG|thumb|right|1952 AK-47]] |
|||
*'''AK-47 1948–51, 7.62x39mm''' — The very earliest models, with the Type 1 stamped sheet metal receiver, are now very rare. |
|||
*'''AK-47 1952, 7.62x39mm''' — Has a milled receiver and wooden [[Stock (firearm)|buttstock]] and handguard. Barrel and chamber are chrome plated to resist corrosion. Rifle weight is {{kg to lb| 4.2|abbr=on|precision=1|wiki=yes}}. |
|||
*'''AKS-47''' — Featured a downward-folding metal stock similar to that of the German [[MP40]], for use in the restricted space in the [[BMP-1|BMP]] infantry combat vehicle, as well as by paratroops. |
|||
*'''[[RPK]], 7.62x39mm''' — Squad automatic rifle version with longer barrel and [[bipod]]. |
|||
*'''[[AKM]], 7.62x39mm''' — A simplified, lighter version of the AK-47; Type 4 receiver is made from stamped and riveted sheet metal (see schematic above). A slanted muzzle device was added to counter climb in automatic fire. Rifle weight is {{kg to lb| 3.1|abbr=on|precision=1|wiki=yes}} due to the lighter receiver. |
|||
*'''AKMS, 7.62x39mm''' — Folding-stock version of the AKM intended for [[airborne forces|airborne]] troops. Stock may be either side- or under-folding |
|||
*'''[[AK-74]] series, [[5.45x39mm]]''' – See [[AK-74|main article]] for details. |
|||
*'''[[AK-101]]''' series |
|||
*'''[[AK-103]]/[[AK-104]]''' series |
|||
*'''[[AK-107|AK-107/AK-108]]''' series |
|||
===Production outside of the Soviet Union/Russia=== |
|||
Military variants only. |
|||
{| class="wikitable" border="1" style="text-align:left" |
|||
|- |
|||
! Country !! Variant(s) |
|||
|- |
|||
! rowspan="2" |[[Albania]] |
|||
| Unknown. Others |
|||
|- |
|||
| Tip C (Type C) Sniper Rifle |
|||
|- |
|||
! rowspan="9" |[[Bulgaria]] |
|||
| AKK (Type 3 AK-47), AKKS (Type 3 with side-folding buttstock) |
|||
|- |
|||
| AKKMS (AKMS) AKKN-47 (fittings for NPSU night sights) |
|||
|- |
|||
| AK-47M1 (Type 3 with black polymer furniture) |
|||
|- |
|||
| AK-47MA1/AR-M1 (same as -M1, but in 5.56 mm NATO) |
|||
|- |
|||
| AKS-47M1 (AKMS in [[5.56x45mm NATO]]), AKS-47MA1 (same as AKS-47M1, but semi-automatic only) |
|||
|- |
|||
| AKS-47S (AK-47M1, short version, with East German folding stock, laser aiming device) |
|||
|- |
|||
| AKS-47UF (short version of -M1, Russian folding stock), AR-SF (same as -47UF, but 5.56 mm NATO) |
|||
|- |
|||
| AKS-93SM6 (similar to -47M1, cannot use grenade launcher) |
|||
|- |
|||
| [[RPK|RKKS]], AKT-47 (.22 rimfire training rifle) |
|||
|- |
|||
! [[Bhutan]] |
|||
| AK-7 |
|||
|- |
|||
! [[China]] |
|||
| [[Type 56 assault rifle|Type 56]], [[Type 81 assault rifle|Type 81]] |
|||
|- |
|||
! [[East Germany|German Democratic Republic]] |
|||
| MPi-K (AK-47), MPi-KS (AKS), MPi-KM (AKM), MPi-KMS-72 (AKMS), KK-MPi Mod.69 (.22-Lr select-fire trainer); |
|||
|- |
|||
! [[Egypt]] |
|||
| AK-47, [[Misr assault rifle]] (AKM), Maadi |
|||
|- |
|||
! [[Hungary]] |
|||
| [[AK-63]]D/E (AMM/AMMSz), [[AKM-63]], [[AMD-65]], AMD-65M, AMP, NGM 5.56 |
|||
|- |
|||
! [[Iraq]] |
|||
| [[Tabuk Sniper Rifle]], Tabuk Assault Rifle (AKM/AKMS), Tabuk Short Assault Rifle |
|||
|- |
|||
! [[India]] |
|||
| AK-7 |
|||
|- |
|||
! [[Iran]] |
|||
| KLS (AK-47), KLF (AKS), KLT (AKMS) |
|||
|- |
|||
! [[Finland]] |
|||
| [[RK 62]], [[RK 95 TP]] |
|||
|- |
|||
! [[Nigeria]] |
|||
| OBJ-006.<ref>[http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200610/02/eng20061002_308128.html Nigeria to mass-produce Nigerian version of AK-47 rifles.] Retrieved on October 5, 2008.</ref> |
|||
|- |
|||
! [[North Korea]] |
|||
| Type 58A (Type 3 AK-47), Type 58B (stamped steel folding stock), Type 68A (AKM-47) [[Type 68 (North Korea)|Type 68B]] (AKMS) |
|||
|- |
|||
![[Pakistan]] |
|||
| [[Reverse Engineering|Reverse engineered]] by hand and machine in Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal areas |
|||
|- |
|||
![[Poland]] |
|||
| pmK/kbk AK (name has changed from pmK - "pistolet maszynowy Kałasznikowa" to the kbk AK - "karabinek AK" in mid 1960s) (AK-47), pmK/kbk AK, [[kbkg wz. 1960]], kbk AKM (AKM), kbk AKMS (AKMS), [[kbk wz. 1988 Tantal]] based on the 7.62 mm [[AKMS wz. 1981|kbk AKMS wz. 81]]), [[kbs wz. 1996 Beryl]] |
|||
|- |
|||
! rowspan="3" |[[Romania]] |
|||
| [[PM md. 63]] (AKM), [[PM md. 65]] (AKMS), [[PM md. 63|PM md. 90]] (AKMS), collectively exported under the umbrella name [[AIM (rifle)|AIM or AIMS]] |
|||
|- |
|||
| [[PA md. 86]] (AK-74), exported as the [[AIM (rifle)|AIMS-74]] |
|||
|- |
|||
| PM md. 90 short barrel (AK-104), PA md. 86 short barrel (AK-105) exported as the [[AIM (rifle)|AIMR]] |
|||
|- |
|||
! [[Serbia]] <br />Former [[SFRY|Yugoslavia]] |
|||
|[[M64]] (AK-47 with longer barrel), [[M64A]] (grenade launcher) |
|||
[[M64B]] (M64 w/ folding stock), M66, [[Zastava M70|M70]], [[M70A]], [[M70B1]], [[M70AB2]], [[Zastava M76]],[[Zastava M77|M77]], [[Zastava M92|M92]], [[Zastava M21|M21]] |
|||
|- |
|||
! [[Vietnam]] |
|||
| Chinese Type-56 |
|||
|- |
|||
![[Venezuela]] |
|||
| License granted, factory under construction<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.upi.com/International_Security/Industry/Analysis/2007/08/15/defense_focus_venezuelas_kalashnikovs/1273/ |title=Defense Focus: Venezuela's Kalashnikovs |publisher=UPI.com |author=MARTIN SIEFF |date=August 15, 2007 |accessdate=2008-10-19}}</ref> |
|||
|} |
|||
Certainly more have been produced elsewhere; but the above list represents known producers and is limited to only military variants. An updated AKM design is still produced in Russia. |
|||
===Derivatives=== |
|||
[[Image:AK-47 and Type 56 DD-ST-85-01269.jpg|thumb|[[Type 56]] and AKS-47]] |
|||
The basic design of the AK-47 has been used as the basis for other successful rifle designs such as the [[Finland|Finnish]] [[Rk 62|Valmet 62/76]] and [[Sako RK 95 TP]], the [[Israel]]i [[IMI Galil|Galil]], the Indian [[INSAS rifle|INSAS]] and the Yugoslav [[Zastava M76]] and M77/82 (not to be confused with the [[M82 Barrett rifle|Barrett M82]]) rifles. Several [[bullpup]] designs have surfaced such as the Chinese [[Norinco Type 86S]], although none have been produced in quantity. Bullpup conversions are also available commercially. |
|||
{{further|[[list of weapons influenced by the Kalashnikov design]]}} |
|||
===Licensing=== |
|||
Russia has repeatedly claimed that the majority of manufacturers produce AK-47 without a proper [[license]] from [[IZH]].<ref>{{ cite web | title = Восточная Европа захватила рынок продаж автоматов Калашникова | url = http://www.lenta.ru/news/2006/06/13/rifles/ | publisher = Lenta.ru | accessdate = 2006-07-19 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite web | title = 'Ижмаш' подсчитал контрафактные автоматы Калашникова | publisher = Lenta.ru | url = http://lenta.ru/news/2006/04/15/fake | accessdate = 2006-07-19 }}</ref> The [[Izhevsk]] Machine Tool Factory acquired a patent in 1999, making manufacture of the Kalashnikov rifle system by anyone other than themselves illegal.<ref name="Poyer_2" /> However, nearly one million AK-47 assault rifles are manufactured illegally each year.<ref name="foxnews1"/> |
|||
==Illicit trade== |
|||
Throughout the world, the AK and its variants are among the most commonly smuggled small arms sold to governments, rebels, criminals, and civilians alike, with little international oversight.{{Fact|date=November 2008}} In some countries, prices for AKs are very low; in [[Somalia]], [[Rwanda]], [[Mozambique]], [[Democratic Republic of the Congo|Congo]] and [[Ethiopia]], prices are between $30–$125 per weapon, and prices have fallen in the last few decades due to mass counterfeiting. [[Moisés Naím]] observed that in a small town in [[Kenya]] in 1986, an AK-47 cost fifteen cows but that in 2005, the price was down to four cows indicating that supply was "immense".<ref>[http://www.cceia.org/resources/transcripts/5279.html Carnegie Council. ''ILLICIT: How Smugglers, Traffickers, and Copycats Are Hijacking the Global Economy''. Moisés Naím, Joanne J. Myers. November 9, 2005]</ref> The weapon has appeared in a number of conflicts including clashes in the [[Balkans]], [[Iraq]], [[Afghanistan]], and Somalia.<ref name="ControlArms">"The AK-47: The World's Favourite Killing Machine." ControlArms Briefing Note. Internet, available from http://www.controlarms.org/en/documents%20and%20files/reports/english-reports/the-ak-47-the-worlds-favourite-weapon/at_download/file, accessed 11/02/2008.</ref> |
|||
After the Soviet retreat from [[Afghanistan]], the Soviet Army left quantities of weapons including AKs which were subsequently used in the civil war between [[Taliban]] and [[Northern Alliance]] and were also exported to [[Pakistan]]. The gun is now also made in [[Pakistan]]'s semi-autonomous areas. It is widely used by tribes in Africa like the [[Hamer people|Hamar]], amongst others.{{Fact|date=November 2008}} |
|||
The World Bank estimates that 75 million AK-47s are available worldwide, out of 100 million Kalashnikov family weapons and 500 million total firearms.<ref>[http://www-wds.worldbank.org/servlet/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2007/04/13/000016406_20070413145045/Rendered/PDF/wps4202.pdf Worldbank. Post-Conflict Transitions Working Paper No. 10. ''Weaponomics: The Global Market for Assault Rifles''. Phillip Killicoat, Economics, Oxford University. April 2007]</ref> Mikhail Kalashnikov addressed the United Nations in 2006 at a conference aimed at solving the problem of illicit weapons, saying that he appreciated the AK-47's role in state-sponsored defense but that counterfeit weapons carrying his name in the hands of "terrorists and thugs" caused him regret.<ref>[http://www.un.org/events/smallarms2006/pdf/rc.6-e.pdf United Nations. ''United Nations Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.'' New York, 26 June-7 July 2006]</ref> |
|||
==Legal status== |
|||
{{main|AK-47 legal status}} |
|||
The legal status of the AK-47 varies in different localities. |
|||
==Cultural influence== |
|||
[[Image:Coat of arms of Mozambique.png|thumb|right|[[Coat of arms of Mozambique]], showing an AK-47]] |
|||
During the [[Cold War]], the Soviet Union, Communist China and the United States supplied arms and technical knowledge to numerous client-state countries and rebel forces. While the United States used the relatively expensive [[M14 rifle|M-14]] battle rifle and [[M16 Rifle|M16]] assault rifle during this time, it generally supplied older surplus weapons to its allies. The low production and materials costs of the AK-47 meant that the USSR could produce and supply client states with this rifle instead of sending surplus munitions. As a result, the Cold War saw the mass export, sometimes free of charge, of AK-47s by the Soviet Union and Communist China to pro-communist countries and groups such as the [[Nicaragua]]n [[Sandinistas]] and [[Vietcong]]. The AK design was spread to over 55 national armies and dozens of paramilitary groups. |
|||
The proliferation of this weapon is reflected by more than just numbers. The AK is included in the [[flag of Mozambique]] and its [[coat of arms]], an acknowledgement that the country's rulers gained power in large part through the effective use of their AK-47s.<ref>Michael R. Gordon, "Burst of Pride for a Staccato Executioner: AK-47" ''The New York Times'', March 13, 1997.</ref> It is also found in the coat of arms of [[Zimbabwe]] and [[East Timor]], the revolution era [[coat of arms of Burkina Faso]], the [[flag of Hezbollah]], and the logo of the [[Iran]]ian [[Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps]]. "Kalash", a shortened form of "Kalashnikov", is used as a name for boys in some African countries.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} |
|||
Western cultures, especially the United States, have seen the AK-47 most often in the hands of nations and groups the United States condemns; first the Soviet Army, then its Communist allies during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. During the 1980s, the Soviet Union became the principal arms dealer to countries embargoed by the United States, including many Middle Eastern nations such as Syria, Libya and Iran, who were willing to ally with the USSR against U.S. interests. After the fall of the Soviet Union, AK-47s were sold both openly and on the black market to any group with cash, including drug cartels and dictatorial states, and most recently they have been seen in the hands of terrorist factions such as the [[Taliban]] and [[Al-Quaida]] in [[Afghanistan]] and [[Iraq]]. The AK-47 has thus garnered a reputation in Western nations as a symbol of anti-Americanism, and has gained a stereotypical role as the weapon of the enemy. In the United States, movie makers often arm criminals, gang members and terrorist characters with AKs. |
|||
In 2006, Colombian musician and peace activist [[Cesar Lopez|César López]] devised the ''[[escopetarra]]'', an AK converted into a guitar. One sold for US$17,000 in a fundraiser held to benefit the victims of [[anti-personnel mines]], while another was exhibited at the United Nations' [[Conference on Disarmament]].<ref name="BBC">{{ cite news | title = Escopetarras: disparando música | last = Latorre | first = Héctor | date = 2006-01-24 | accessdate = 2007-01-31 | publisher = BBC World | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/misc/newsid_4644000/4644028.stm }}</ref> |
|||
==Kalashnikov Museum== |
|||
The Kalashnikov Museum (also called the AK-47 Museum) opened on November 4, 2004 in [[Izhevsk]], a city in the [[Ural Mountains]] of Russia. The museum has focused backward in time. It chronicles the official biography of General [[Mikhail Kalashnikov|Kalashnikov]], from his childhood to proletarian hero. The Museum Complex of Small Arms of M. T. Kalashnikov, a series of halls and multimedia exhibitions devoted to the AK-47 assault rifle and its offspring. The museum complex has been drawing on average 10,000 visitors a month. The museum serves as Russia's monument to an infantry weapon and to the workers who have made it for 61 years. {{cquote|It presents the guns and their history with civic pride and a revived sense of national confidence. Think of Izhesvk as the Detroit of Slavic small arms. The exhibitions, ranging from static displays of weapons to plasma-screen video presentations showing the guns' use in recent decades, reflect a laborer's affection for what has long flowed from nearby foundries and assembly lines. Much of the material is also viewed through the life of Gen. Mikhail T. Kalashnikov, the man credited with designing the weapon in secret trials in 1947, and who still lives a few blocks away. Were you to substitute automobiles for firearms and add a bit of military décor, this might be a museum celebrating Henry Ford.<ref>Chivers, C.J. http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/02/18/travel/18heads.html The New York Times 2007-2-18</ref>}} |
|||
"We emphasize the peaceful side of this story," said Nadezhda Vechtomova, the museum director. "We are trying to separate the weapon as a weapon of murder from the people who are producing it and to tell its history in our country." |
|||
==Users== |
|||
{{div col|3}} |
|||
*{{flag|Afghanistan}} |
|||
*{{flag|Albania}} |
|||
*{{flag|Algeria}} |
|||
*{{flag|Armenia}} |
|||
*{{flag|Bangladesh}} |
|||
*{{flag|Bhutan}} |
|||
*{{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}} |
|||
*{{flag|Bulgaria}} |
|||
*{{flag|Cambodia}} |
|||
*{{flag|Cameroon}} |
|||
*{{flag|Cape Verde}} |
|||
*{{flag|Chad}} |
|||
*{{flag|China}} |
|||
*{{flag|Croatia}} |
|||
*{{flag|Cuba}} |
|||
*{{flag|Cyprus}} |
|||
*{{flag|Germany}} |
|||
*{{flag|Honduras}} |
|||
*{{flag|Hungary}} |
|||
*{{flag|Indonesia}} |
|||
*{{flag|India}} |
|||
*{{flag|Iraq}} |
|||
*{{flag|Iran}} |
|||
*{{flag|Kenya}} |
|||
*{{flag|Laos}} |
|||
*{{flag|Lebanon}} |
|||
*{{flag|Libya}} |
|||
*{{flag|Macedonia}} |
|||
*{{flag|Mongolia}} |
|||
*{{flag|Montenegro}} |
|||
*{{flag|Mozambique}} |
|||
*{{flag|Namibia}} |
|||
*{{flag|Nicaragua}} |
|||
*{{flag|Nigeria}} |
|||
*{{flag|North Korea}} |
|||
*{{flag|Pakistan}} |
|||
*{{flag|Philippines}}: Used only by Santiago City Police.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cityofsantiago.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=99999999|title=City Government Arms Local Police|accessdate=2008-12-10|publisher=Santiago City, Philippines}}</ref> |
|||
*{{flag|Poland}} |
|||
*{{flag|Romania}} |
|||
*{{flag|Serbia}} |
|||
*{{flag|Sierra Leone}} |
|||
*{{flag|Russia}} |
|||
*{{flag|Turkey}} |
|||
*{{flag|Slovenia}} |
|||
*{{flag|Sri Lanka}} |
|||
*{{flag|Sudan}} |
|||
*{{flag|Syria}} |
|||
*{{flag|Ukraine}} |
|||
*{{flag|Vietnam}} |
|||
*{{flag|Yemen}} |
|||
{{div col end}} |
|||
==See also== |
|||
* [[List of Russian Weaponry]] |
|||
* [[List of weapons influenced by the Kalashnikov design]] |
|||
==Notes== |
==Notes== |
||
<references/> |
|||
[[Category:Sandwiches]] |
|||
{{refs|3}} |
|||
[[Category:American sandwiches]] |
|||
[[Category:British sandwiches]] |
|||
==References== |
|||
{{refbegin|2}} |
|||
<!-- this source might be useful later* {{cite journal |
|||
| author = Fackler et al. |
|||
| year = 1984 |
|||
| title = Wounding potential of the Russian AK-74 assault rifle |
|||
| journal = Journal of Trauma-Injury Infection & Critical Care |
|||
| volume = 24 |
|||
| pages = 263–6 |
|||
}}--> |
|||
* Cutshaw, Charlie; Shilin, Valery. ''Legends and Reality of the AK: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the History, Design, and Impact of the Kalashnikov Family of Weapons''. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, 2000 (paperback, ISBN 1-58160-069-0). |
|||
* {{cite book |
|||
| last = Ezell |
|||
| first = Edward Clinton |
|||
| year = 1986 |
|||
| title = The AK-47 Story: Evolution of the Kalashnikov Weapons |
|||
| location = Mechanicsburg, PA |
|||
| publisher = Stackpole Books |
|||
| isbn = 0-8117-0916-7 |
|||
}} (Before his death, Ezell was the curator of military history at the [[Smithsonian Museum]].) |
|||
* {{cite book |
|||
| last = Ezell |
|||
| first = Edward Clinton |
|||
| coauthors = R. Blake Stevens |
|||
| year = 2001 |
|||
| title = Kalashnikov: The Arms and the Man |
|||
| location = Cobourg, ON |
|||
| publisher = Collector Grade Publications |
|||
| isbn = 0-88935-267-4 |
|||
}} |
|||
* {{cite book |
|||
| title = [[Guinness Book of Records|Guinness World Records 2005]] |
|||
| isbn = 1-892051-22-2 |
|||
}} |
|||
* Hodges, Michael. ''AK47: the Story of the People's Gun''. London: Sceptre, 2007 (hardcover, ISBN 0340921048). |
|||
* Kahaner, Larry. ''AK-47: The Weapon that Changed the Face of War''. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2006 (hardcover, ISBN 0-471-72641-9). |
|||
* Kalashnikov, Mikhail. ''The Gun that Changed the World''. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2006 (hardcover, ISBN 0-7456-3691-8; paperback, ISBN 0-7456-3692-6). |
|||
*{{cite book |
|||
| last = Poyer |
|||
| first = Joe |
|||
| year = 2004 |
|||
| title=The AK-47 and AK-74 Kalashnikov Rifles and Their Variations (Paperback) |
|||
| location = Tustin, CA |
|||
| publisher = North Cape Publications |
|||
| isbn = 1-882391-33-0 |
|||
}} |
|||
*{{cite book |
|||
|title = Small Arms of the World |
|||
|isbn = 0-88029-601-1 |
|||
}} |
|||
* Walter, John. ''Kalashnikov (Greenhill Military Manuals)''. London: Greenhill Books, 1999 (Hardcover, ISBN 1-85367-364-1). |
|||
{{refend}} |
|||
==External links== |
|||
{{wikiquote}} |
|||
{{commons}} |
|||
<!--==========================({{NoMoreLinks}})============================ |
|||
| PLEASE BE CAUTIOUS IN ADDING MORE LINKS TO THIS ARTICLE. WIKIPEDIA | |
|||
| IS NOT A COLLECTION OF LINKS NOR SHOULD IT BE USED FOR ADVERTISING. | |
|||
| | |
|||
| Excessive or inappropriate links WILL BE DELETED. | |
|||
| See [[Wikipedia:External links]] & [[Wikipedia:Spam]] for details. | |
|||
| | |
|||
| If there are already plentiful links, please propose additions or | |
|||
| replacements on this article's discussion page, or submit your link | |
|||
| to the relevant category at the Open Directory Project (dmoz.org) | |
|||
| and link back to that category using the {{dmoz}} template. | |
|||
=========================({{NoMoreLinks}})=============================--> |
|||
* [http://www.izhmash.ru/eng/product/akm.shtml Manufacturer's official site] |
|||
* [http://kalashnikov.guns.ru/ AK Site – Kalashnikov Home Page] |
|||
* [http://www.nazarian.no/images/wep/284_US_Army_AK47.pdf Nazarian's Gun's Recognition Guide (MANUAL) AK 47 Manual (.pdf)] |
|||
* [[s:AK-47 Operator's Manual|US Army Operator's Manual for the AK-47 Assault Rifle]] |
|||
{{AK47 derivatives}} |
|||
[[Category:7.62 mm firearms]] |
|||
[[Category:Assault rifles]] |
|||
[[Category:Cold War infantry weapons]] |
|||
[[Category:Cold War weapons of the Soviet Union]] |
|||
[[Category:Weapons of Russia]] |
|||
[[Category:1947 introductions]] |
|||
[[Category:Military equipment of Yugoslavia]] |
|||
[[Category:Kalashnikov derivatives]] |
|||
[[Category:Russian inventions]] |
|||
[[Category:Vietnam War weapons]] |
|||
[[pt:Misto-quente]] |
|||
{{Link FA|id}} |
|||
[[ |
[[es:Sandwich mixto]] |
||
[[ar:إيه كي-47]] |
|||
[[ast:AK-47]] |
|||
[[az:AK-47]] |
|||
[[bn:একে-৪৭]] |
|||
[[bg:АК-47]] |
|||
[[ca:AK-47]] |
|||
[[cs:AK-47]] |
|||
[[da:AK-47]] |
|||
[[de:AK-47]] |
|||
[[et:AK-47]] |
|||
[[es:AK-47]] |
|||
[[eo:AK-47]] |
|||
[[eu:AK-47]] |
|||
[[fa:کلاشنیکف]] |
|||
[[fr:AK-47]] |
|||
[[gl:AK-47]] |
|||
[[ko:AK-47]] |
|||
[[hi:एके47]] |
|||
[[hr:AK-47]] |
|||
[[id:AK-47]] |
|||
[[is:AK-47]] |
|||
[[it:AK-47]] |
|||
[[he:AK-47]] |
|||
[[kn:ಎಕೆ - ೪೭]] |
|||
[[ku:AK-47]] |
|||
[[lt:AK-47]] |
|||
[[hu:AK–47]] |
|||
[[mk:АК-47]] |
|||
[[ml:എ.കെ-47]] |
|||
[[ms:AK-47]] |
|||
[[nl:AK-47]] |
|||
[[ja:AK-47]] |
|||
[[no:AK-47]] |
|||
[[nn:AK-47]] |
|||
[[om:AK-47]] |
|||
[[pl:Karabinek AK]] |
|||
[[pt:AK-47]] |
|||
[[ro:AK-47]] |
|||
[[ru:АК-47]] |
|||
[[sq:AK47]] |
|||
[[simple:AK-47]] |
|||
[[sk:AK-47]] |
|||
[[sl:AK-47]] |
|||
[[sr:АК-47]] |
|||
[[fi:AK-47]] |
|||
[[sv:AK-47]] |
|||
[[ta:ஏகே-47]] |
|||
[[th:เอเค 47]] |
|||
[[vi:AK-47]] |
|||
[[tr:AK-47]] |
|||
[[uk:Автомат Калашникова]] |
|||
[[ur:اے۔کے 47]] |
|||
[[yi:AK-47]] |
|||
[[zh-yue:AK-47]] |
|||
[[zh:AK-47]] |
|||
[[wuu:AK-47]] |
|||
Revision as of 00:54, 14 December 2008
The ham and cheese sandwich is a common type of sandwich in the United States. It is made by putting cheese and sliced ham between two slices of bread.[1] The bread is sometimes toasted and vegetables like lettuce, tomato or dill pickle slices can also be included. Mayonnaise, butter, and/or mustard are also common.
Typical styles of cheese used in this sandwich are American, Cheddar (yellow or white), Swiss, or other medium-firm cheeses.
Sliced bread, presliced cheese, and presliced cooked ham are very readily available in U. S. supermarkets and as a result ham and cheese sandwiches are extremely quick and easy to prepare. They are a common component of a brown bag lunch (a lunch prepared in the morning, taken to school or work, and kept until lunchtime without refrigeration. This is reasonably safe, although without refrigeration, ham and cheese sandwiches will eventually spoil). American refrigerators are often stocked with them, and ham and cheese sandwiches are a common element of hastily prepared, impromptu home meals. Thus, in a detective novel we read:
- Bosch went into the the kitchen and got a beer out and made a ham and cheese sandwich. He stood by the sink eating and drinking and trying to organize things about the case in his head.[2]
Ham and cheese sandwiches are ubiquitous in U.S. culture. They are among the items one would expect to see offered in any situation involving a choice of a two or three kinds of sandwich: refrigerated vending machines that dispense prepared sandwiches, lunch trucks, airport food counters, etc. In the U.S. they are frequently included among assortments of sandwiches ordered, e.g. for a working lunch in a business conference room.
A variant sometimes served in restaurants is the "grilled" ham and cheese sandwich. Both sides of the bread slices are coated in butter, and then the sandwich is assembled. The sandwich is then fried (rarely actually grilled) in a sauté pan, occasionally turning the sandwich over, until both sides are a golden-brown. Alternatively, toasted ham and cheese sandwiches can be made using a sandwich toaster.
Similar to this sandwich is the ham-and-cheese quesadilla, which uses a tortilla instead of bread. The Monte Cristo sandwich is a ham and cheese sandwich that is made with Swiss cheese and then battered in eggs and fried. Similarly, the Croque Monsieur is a French version of the Monte Cristo, with any sort of cheese.
As recalled by ballpark concessionaire Harry Stevens in a 1924 interview, in 1894 ham and cheese sandwiches were the only food items sold in New York baseball parks, frankfurters not being introduced until fifteen years later.[3]
An Englishwoman, writing in 1923 of her passage through Ellis Island on a trip to the U.S., noted:
- I was in fear and trembling, having heard so many tales of the abuse aliens receive there.... The attendants were very kind and not at all rough with us. It was the noon hour... in a little while porters came along with baskets of very good ham and cheese sandwiches and coffee for the grown-ups and milk for the babies.[4]
Richard E. Byrd took ham and cheese sandwiches on his 1926 polar flight as did 1927 transatlantic fliers Chamberlin and Levine.[5]
Origins
The origin of the ham and cheese sandwich has been debated for a number of years by culinary intellectuals. The leading theory as to who first started to produce a ham, cheese and bread dish is mentioned in The Larousse Gastronomique 1961. Here it notes that an 18th century Irish immigrant to England called Patrick Connolly who sold a bread dish which:
"Combined the remains of pig, cured and sliced with a topping of Leicester cheese and a kiss of egg yolk sauce (a form of mayonnaise)in a round bread roll. The dish was rather unimaginatively known as a Connolly and is still sometimes referred to as this in some parts of the midlands in the UK."
Notes
- ^ Jean Pare (1987). Soups & Sandwiches: Soups and Sandwiches. Company's Coming Publishing Limited. ISBN 9780969069560., p. 138: "Insert slices of ham and cheese between 2 slices of buttered bread or toast. Add lettuce along with mayonnaise and/or mustard."
- ^ Michael Connelly, The Black Echo, p. 200 2001
- ^ The New York Times, April 13, 1924, p. XX2: Ball Fans Must Eat: Harry Stevens, Caterer to the Sport World, Talks of Outdoor Appetites
- ^ The New York Times, July 1, 1923, p. XX8, Letters to the Editor: Experience at Ellis Island
- ^ The New York Times, June 29, 1927, p. 2, Fliers' Menus More Varied Than That on Earlier Trips. In addition to sixteen ham and cheese sandwiches, Byrd took sixteen chicken sandwiches, four roast chickens, one gallon of coffee, and one quart of tea. (Lindbergh carried ham sandwiches).