Assault rifle AP-15: characteristics and photos

Rifle AP-15 (AR-15) - semi-automatic rifle of American production. Is a descendant of such weapons as AR-10 and M-16. Details in the article.

A bit of history

The world-famous M-16 rifle became as popular as the Kalashnikov assault rifle. Meanwhile, in the fifties in the west, it was decided to move to the smaller caliber of the cartridge (from 7.62 to 5.56). Then Eugene Stoner took as his basis AR-10 with a caliber of 7.62, and in 1958 the light saw a novelty from the company Armalite Division called AR-15. The assault rifle AP-15 had a caliber of 5.56 and was able to break through a standard army helmet.

Stoner suggested using plastic and aluminum alloys in order to make the novelty much easier in comparison with its predecessors. This was the result of the rifle AP-15. The capacity of the store (due to the reduction in the caliber of the cartridge) was increased.

Unusual design

The AP-15 rifle (photo below) was manufactured by their ultra-light alloys. A special feature of the design was the presence of an "ear" for carrying the weapon over the bolt mechanism. At the same location of the targeting devices. The application is located on the same line as the barrel.

In the middle of 1958, tests were carried out, during which errors were revealed: low accuracy of firing, as well as frequent misfires.

As a result, it was decided to send the sample for revision, but to another design bureau - the company Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company, which, in turn, completely crippled the aforementioned Armalite Division in the future.

Vietnam

AP-15 small-caliber rifles in the amount of thousands of copies were purchased from Colt and exported to the south of Vietnam in 1962. The purpose of procurement was one: to test a new sample in real combat conditions.

By the way, the same Eugene Stoner, who left the Armalite Division and moved to the "Colts", was working on the revision of the weapon.

The results were very deplorable. In the conditions of combat, the rifle behaved very picky. Unsuccessfully matched gunpowder threw out too many gases during combustion. They, in turn, formed a mass of burning, which accumulated inside, which led to a jam in the cartridge casings. They had to be removed with the help of a ramrod. At the same time, Vietnamese, armed with "Kalash", did not experience such difficulties. And periodically brought the rifle AP-15 led to a rupture of the trunk and lethal outcomes on the battlefield.

Conclusions and improvements

After the unsuccessful experience of the Vietnamese campaign, the designers revised the operating conditions for the new weapon. The AP-15 rifle was made with chrome exterior surface of the barrel, which increased the resistance to rust, another type of ammonia was chosen for the production of ammunition, and the standard oiler for the gun was replaced with a specially selected viscous oil designed for aggressive environmental conditions. In particular, to conduct battles in the tropical climate of Vietnam.

TTX AR-15

In 1958, weapons began to be classified in the US as civilian. This is the status of the rifle AP-15. The characteristics were as follows:

• Weight varied from 2.27 to 3.9 kg, depending on the number of cartridges in the store;
• Length of the product reached 991 mm;
• While the length of the barrel was 508 millimeters according to the standard;
• Cartridge of 5.56 mm caliber or .338 Specter according to the NATO classification;
• The rate of assault rifle ranged from 700 to 950 rounds per minute;
• The initial speed of the bullet is 975 m / s;
• The target range of the weapon is 400-600 meters.

XM16E1, or the revival of M-16

Further in the US arms industry there were all kinds of permutations from 1963 to 1967. First, Colt received an order for a large batch of M-16 and a small XM16E1, then the XM-ok was refused, using technical documentation as a means to fill the gaps between the disarmed samples and not yet adopted new ones.

Technically, the XM16E1 model included positive qualities from both M-16 and AR-15. As a result, in 1967, this model of the rifle, but under the marking M16A1 with a cartridge of the caliber of 5.56, was put into service.

In addition, around the world began to mass produce weapons samples based on the model of Eugene Stoner under different names. Virtually all of them are clones of AP-15.

The Hammer Rifle. Russia

Domestic hunting fans have long preferred to use for their hobby not carbines such as "Saiga", and Western models. They are based on the rifle AP-15. Russia produces carbines called "Vepr-15", which is also called "Molot" in honor of the manufacturing plant in Vyatka.

Weapons have gained popularity due to low cost in comparison with the samples of competitors. Nevertheless, thanks to a design similar to the AR-15, it is possible to install an additional body kit.

Domestic designers do not disclose details of the ratio of foreign parts in the "Vepr" to domestic, but it is known that the trunk is chrome plated, as originally established by Colt after the "Vietnamese tests." On the one hand, this is good, on the other - not very, since it is problematic to replace such a detail.

The sample also won the sympathy of hunters due to a more balanced balance and weight compared to models based on the Kalashnikov assault rifle. And the world market is just full of samples of weapons on the basis of AR-15.

Rifle AP-15 "Schmeisser". Germany.

The term "Schmeisser" is associated in many people with the MP-40 submachine gun of the Second World War. But this weapon has its own history and its own design subtleties.

Nevertheless, the weapon innovator Hugo Schmeisser deserved the title of one of the most ingenious weapons designers of the twentieth century. The company that bears his name produces semi-automatic rifles with the AP-15 marking for sporting purposes, as well as for hunting.

The company is famous for the fact that all components are manufactured exclusively in Germany, which guarantees the glorified German quality of products. And its own quality assessment system promotes an early interaction with a potential buyer.

Heckler & Koch

Another weapon company in Germany, based on the rifle AP-15. The model is marked HK416. The name reflects the transitive principle of compatibility with the NATO standards such as M-16 and M-14. The assault rifle is similar to the AR-15 only externally. Functionally, it is closer to German models such as G36.

Undoubted advantages of the product are:

• Versatility: there are many options for attaching the body kit, which allows you to adapt the weapon to any conditions of combat.
• High accuracy of shooting, as well as accuracy - thanks to these indicators can be used as a sniper rifle, the main thing - to install an optical sight.
• Soft recoil - thanks to the design of the butt, borrowed from the M-16, a comfortable handle that allows the weapon to comfortably "sit" the arm.
• High resistance to corrosion.

Disadvantages:

• The rifle has an excessive rate of fire (850 rounds per minute), because of this very quickly the ammunition ends (which forces the soldier to carry with them a large stockpile), quickly overheats, shooting in turns is difficult - the trunk is diverted to the side (especially for short-barreled specimens).

"Orsis"

Another domestic weapon model, based on the western AR-15, is the self-loading hunting carbine ORSIS AS-15.

First of all, it is worth noting that initially J. Stouner himself did not pay proper attention to the evacuation of gases. They were thrown out only through the hole in the trunk. Such measures led to the formation of powder burn and jamming of the cartridge case.

Therefore, many companies that decided to clone the AR-15, produce products with a gas piston, in view of the fact that this method of removing powder gases is more reliable and cost-effective.

Moscow company Promtehnologiya has developed this carbine on the same basis, using a caliber of 5.56. It is noteworthy that the barrel of the weapon is manufactured by the company itself, and is not supplied from abroad.

In addition, the trunk is cut in steps of 203 millimeters, which allows the use of weighted bullets. The design provides for the use of a standard by modern standards telescopic stock, so that you can adapt weapons, based on the hunter's complexion.

The length of the arms is 870 mm, and the weight is almost 4 kg (3.95, to be precise).

Due to the presence of Picattyni slats, a tactical body kit and optical sights of various types are provided.

Attack of the Clones

It should be noted that the AP-15 rifle has a common fate with the Kalashnikov rifle. In many countries of the world, weapons are produced, based on the principle of work invented by Eugene Stoner:

• In Georgia, NTC "Delta" produces a model called G5;
• Israel produces semi-automatic rifles Gilboa 14.5 (company Silver Shadow);
• A Colt branch in Canada produces a non-piston version called Diemaco C7 / C8 - apparently, they like classics or found a way to fight the fire from used gunpowder;
• Along the same path went and the Chinese corporation Norinco with the model Norinco CQ 5.56;
• United Arab Emirates produce weapons, which were given the name of a wild cat - Caracal CAR 816;
• Even the Korean company Daewoo, a well-known car manufacturer, has an assortment of Daewoo K2;
• In Russia, in addition to "Orsis" and "Boar", there is also Skat GM-15;
• Designers from Taiwan did call their creation T65 / T86 / T91 - it's unclear whether the gun, or the tank, or the plane;
• Ukraine - a product called Zbroyar Z-15;
• But in the Philippines there are two designers and, accordingly, two samples - UDMC F5-PVAR and Ferfrans SOAR P;
• Montenegro - Tara TM4;
• Czech Republic - LUVO LA-16 from LUVO Arms;
• And concludes the list of Switzerland with their Astra StG4.

Conclusion

As the long-standing history shows, technological progress does not stand still. This also applies to weapons business. Every year new species are invented. One item overshadows its performance by another. Errors are taken into account, corrected. And the positive sides - are being finalized to eventually bring out an ideal quality sample that can pass all the tests and be accepted for service.

Once Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov came up with a system that formed the basis for the world-famous line of machines. Eugene Stoner came up with his own, which also became legendary and spawned a whole gun line.

Perhaps, and now somewhere someone will come up with something unique, something unimaginable earlier. After all, technological progress does not stand still. A new time creates new technologies and generates new ideas.

In mass culture, and to this day, disputes about what is steeper: the AK-74 or still M-16, have not ceased. Some argue that "Kalash rails breaks through", while others retort "aha, and the turn - the aircraft carrier sinks". Few people think that the M-16 will also break the rail, even less - that these disputes are meaningless.

Just two geniuses of a global scale have made their fundamental contribution to the arms industry, immortalizing their names.