AK-50

Last updated
AK-50
Type Semi automatic anti-materiel rifle
Place of originUnited States
Production history
DesignerBrandon Herrera
ManufacturerThe AK Guy Inc.
Unit cost$6,999 (estimated)
Specifications
Mass32 pounds (14.5 kg) (estimated)
Barrel  length20 inches (508 mm)
28 inches (711 mm)
Cartridge .50 BMG
Action Gas operated rotating bolt
Feed system10-round detachable box magazine

The AK-50 is a prototype Kalashnikov anti-materiel rifle created by The AK Guy Inc. The first example was revealed to the public in 2016 and the weapon has been in active development since.

Contents

History

The rifle's design faced several problems in its earliest stages. Due to an undersized gas port, the rifle could not eject spent casings, preventing it from properly cycling the next round in the magazine. Herrera said that in the development process, "fixing one problem leads to the discovery of other issues. And this is a continuous process until the design is finally perfected and the gun works flawlessly." [1]

In 2016, a model AK-50 was displayed at SHOT Show, and though this model lacked any moving parts, it served as a basic silhouette for the weapon, and is the only completed AK-50 that has been shown to the public. [2]

In 2017, the V1 AK-50's bolt, bolt carrier, and receiver were completed, and the weapon successfully fired its first round. [3] [4]

In 2020, Brandon uploaded a video to his YouTube channel, showcasing a prototype breechloading version of the AK-50, with the gas piston removed. In a later video, he claimed that he would be receiving all the parts needed to complete the first "ghetto prototype" within the first few weeks of 2021. [5]

In May 2021, in response to complaints that the AK-50 still was not done, Brandon "decided to jokingly offer a treat to his impatient fans" by building an AK in .50 Beowulf, which he called the 'AK-50 Lite'. [6]

In June 2021, a video was uploaded to Brandon Herrera's YouTube channel recording the first test firing of the V2 AK-50 prototype. During this test, the rifle successfully fired and ejected eight rounds consecutively. The rifle performed very well after tweaks to the bolt carrier were made to allow the gun to cycle. "This janky junkyard AK-50 prototype had already performed and done more than any AK-50 prototype so far has ever done." In total, the rifle fired 68 rounds. [7] In early July 2021, Herrera uploaded a follow up video to his YouTube channel explaining what happened with the AK-50 during the test fire and how they fixed some of the gun's problems. [8]

In mid July 2021, Herrera uploaded another test fire video entitled "Firing Round #69", a reference to the internet meme. The Rifle failed to cycle numerous times because several components were lightly welded or soldered and often broke in an attempt to allow for easy interchangeability of components. The rifle fired 16 rounds in the video, for a new total of 84 rounds. [9]

Design

Though not designed by Kalashnikov Concern, internally the AK-50 is mostly identical to a regular Kalashnikov rifle, utilising the same long-stroke piston gas operated rotating bolt design. The AK-50 is compatible with a standard AK stock, pistol grip and trigger group, [10] and uses Barrett M82 magazines. [11]

Designer

The AK-50 was created by Brandon Herrera (a.k.a. The AK Guy), [12] a firearm designer and YouTuber from Fayetteville, North Carolina who specialises in Kalashnikov rifles. [13] His decision to build the AK-50 started "as a joke", but after people told him that it was impossible, he wished to prove them wrong. Herrera dropped out of law school at Campbell University to become a gunsmith. [14] Brandon's YouTube channel features gun-related content, including updates on the progress of the AK-50. As of 2020, his channel had a total of 110,000,000 views. [15]

Related Research Articles

The AK-47, officially known as the Avtomat Kalashnikova, is a gas-operated assault rifle that is chambered for the 7.62×39mm cartridge. Developed in the Soviet Union by Russian small-arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov, it is the originating firearm of the Kalashnikov family of rifles. After more than seven decades, the AK-47 model and its variants remain the most popular and widely used rifles in the world.

IMI Galil Family of Israeli automatic rifles

The IMI Galil is a family of Israeli-made automatic rifles chambered for the 5.56×45mm NATO or 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges. Originally designed by Yisrael Galili and Yakov Lior in the late 1960s, the Galil was first produced by the state-owned Israel Military Industries and are now exported by the privatized Israel Weapon Industries.

AK-74 Variant of AK-47/AKM

In the early 1970s the Soviet weapons-designer Mikhail Kalashnikov developed the AK-74 as an assault rifle to replace the earlier AKM. It uses a smaller 5.45×39mm cartridge, replacing the 7.62×39mm chambering of earlier Kalashnikov-pattern weapons.

StG 44 German World War II assault rifle

The StG 44 is a German selective-fire assault rifle developed during World War II by Hugo Schmeisser. It is also known by its early designations as the MP 43 and MP 44. The StG 44 was an improvement of an earlier design, the Maschinenkarabiner 42(H).

PP-19 Bizon Submachine gun

The PP-19 Bizon is a 9x18mm Makarov submachine gun developed in 1993 by the Russian company Izhmash, designed by a team of engineers headed by Victor Kalashnikov. Alexei Dragunov, youngest son of Yevgeny Dragunov, was also a member of the design team.

ArmaLite AR-10 Battle rifle

The ArmaLite AR-10 is a 7.62×51mm NATO battle rifle developed by Eugene Stoner in the late 1950s and manufactured by ArmaLite, then a division of the Fairchild Aircraft Corporation. When first introduced in 1956, the AR-10 used an innovative straight-line barrel/stock design with phenolic composite and forged alloy parts resulting in a small arm significantly easier to control in automatic fire and over 1 lb (0.45 kg) lighter than other infantry rifles of the day. Over its production life, the original AR-10 was built in relatively small numbers, with fewer than 10,000 rifles assembled. However, the ArmaLite AR-10 would become the progenitor for a wide range of firearms.

The RPK is a Soviet 7.62×39mm light machine gun, developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in the early 1960s, in parallel with the AKM assault rifle. It was created to standardize the small arms inventory of the Soviet Army, where it replaced the 7.62×39mm RPD light machine gun. The RPK continues to be used by the armed forces of countries of the former Soviet Union and certain African and Asian nations. The RPK is also manufactured in Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia.

Type 81 assault rifle Assault rifleBattle rifle (CS/LR14 export model) Semi-automatic rifle (NR-81S and other civilian export models)

The Type 81 is a Chinese-designed second-generation, selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle based on Kalashnikov and SKS actionsadopted by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) and has been in service since the mid-1980s. It is a small arms family that consist of the Type 81, the Type 81-1 and the Type 81 LMG.

Saiga-12 Russian shotgun

The Saiga-12 is a shotgun available in a wide range of configurations, patterned after the Kalashnikov series of rifles and named after the Saiga antelope. Like the Kalashnikov rifle variants, it is a rotating bolt, gas-operated gun that feeds from a box magazine. All Saiga-12 configurations are recognizable as Kalashnikov-pattern guns by the large lever-safety on the right side of the receiver, the optic mounting rail on the left side of the receiver and the large top-mounted dust cover held in place by the rear of the recoil spring assembly.

The RK 95 TP, officially 7.62 RK 95 TP and commercially known as the M95, is a 7.62×39mm Finnish assault rifle adopted in relatively small numbers by the Finnish Defence Forces in the 1990s. The RK 95 TP originally featured many improvements including a fire control selector and a muzzle device that enabled the firing of rifle grenades, the attachment of a suppressor, or bayonet.

TKB-408 Bullpup assault rifle

The TKB-408Korobov was a bullpup assault rifle prototype by Soviet designer German A. Korobov presented in 1946. The TKB-408 was submitted to a set of official trials conducted in 1946 to select an assault rifle for the Red Army. The Soviet Army commission found it unsatisfactory, with the trials eventually selecting Mikhail Kalashnikov's AK-47.

Comparison of the AK-47 and M16 Comparison of the worlds most common rifles

The two most common rifles in the world are the Soviet AK-47 and the American M16. These Cold War-era rifles have been used in conflicts both large and small since the 1960s. They are used by military, police, security forces, revolutionaries, terrorists, criminals and civilians alike and will most likely continue to be used for decades to come. As a result, they have been the subject of countless comparisons and endless debate.

AK-107 Assault rifle

The AK-107 is a Russian 5.45×39mm assault rifle developed from the AK-100-series. It features a "balanced" operating system, similar to that used in the AEK-971. In this case, the designation AK does not indicate Avtomat Kalashnikova but Alexandrov/Kalashnikov. The revised designation indicates the incorporation of a new gas system, designed by Youriy Alexandrov, for Kalashnikov-pattern rifles.

The Saiga semi-automatic rifles are a family of Russian semi-automatic rifles manufactured by Kalashnikov Concern, which also manufactures the original AK-47 and its variants, Saiga-12 shotguns and Dragunov sniper rifle. Saiga rifles are a sport version of the Kalashnikov rifle, and are marketed for hunting and civilian use. They are sometimes referred to as Saiga Sporters.

Assault rifle Military rifle type

An assault rifle is a selective-fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles were first put into mass production and accepted into widespread service during World War II. The first assault rifle to see major usage was the German StG 44, a development of the earlier Mkb 42. While immediately after World War II, NATO countries were equipped with battle rifles, the development of the M16 rifle during the Vietnam War prompted the adoption of assault rifles by the rest of NATO. By the end of the 20th century, assault rifles had become the standard weapon in most of the world's armies, replacing full-powered rifles and sub-machine guns in most roles. Some of the most successful assault rifles include the AK-47, M16, IMI Galil and Heckler & Koch G36.

The AN-94 is a Russian assault rifle. The initials stand for Avtomat Nikonova model of 1994, after its chief designer Gennadiy Nikonov, who previously worked on the Nikonov machine gun.

The AK-12 is a Russian assault rifle chambered in 5.45×39mm designed and manufactured by the Kalashnikov Concern, making it the fifth generation of Kalashnikov rifles.

Maschinenkarabiner 42(H) Assault rifle

The Maschinenkarabiner 42(H) or MKb 42(H) was an early German assault rifle that was designed in 1940-41 by Hugo Schmeisser working for C. G. Haenel Waffen und Fahrradfabrik during World War II. The MKb 42(H), along with the less successful Maschinenkarabiner 42(W) designed by Walther Waffenfabrik AG, were predecessors of the later Sturmgewehr 44 or StG 44 assault rifle.

RPL-20 Light machine gun

The RPL-20 is a prototype light machine gun developed by Kalashnikov Concern for the Russian Military. Though designed in response to feedback following the purchase and testing of the company's magazine-fed RPK-16 light machine gun, the RPL-20 is an entirely new design, utilizing an open-bolt, belt-fed action in lieu of the closed-bolt, magazine fed operation typical to Kalashnikov-pattern weapons. It is anticipated to serve as a squad automatic weapon in Russian military use, supplementing the heavier-caliber PK machine guns currently used for suppressive fire while still providing a higher practical rate of fire than is possible with RPK-based weapons. The RPL-20 was unveiled at the Army-2020 event in late August, 2020.

Larry Allen Vickers is a retired Delta Force soldier, firearms instructor, and author. He is the founder of Vickers Tactical, and co-founder of the International Pistol Defense Association and Firearms Training Association.

References

  1. ↑ Hrachya, H (15 May 2018). "AK-50 Project: Progress and Current Status". The Firearm Blog.
  2. ↑ Miles (21 January 2016). "[SHOT 2016] AK50 prototype". The Firearm Blog.
  3. ↑ Hrachya, H (June 2017). "AK-50 Successfully Fires its First .50 BMG Round". The Firearm Blog.
  4. ↑ "VIDEO: First Official Test Fire of the Long-Awaited AK-50". Tactical Life.
  5. ↑ Herrera, Brandon. "IT'S FINALLY OVER". YouTube.
  6. ↑ O, Giorgio (2021-05-21). "AK-50? Not Quite! AK-50 Lite by Brandon Herrera". The Firearm Blog. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  7. ↑ Herrera, Brandon. "Test Firing The AK-50". Brandon Herrera – via YouTube.
  8. ↑ Herrera, Brandon. "AK-50: What Went Wrong?". Brandon Herrera – via YouTube.
  9. ↑ Herrera, Brandon. "AK-50 Update - Firing Round #69". Brandon Herrera – via YouTube.
  10. ↑ Bowan, Spike (10 December 2015). "Introducing the AK-50: Pushing the AK Platform to the limits*Update*". Tactical Shit.
  11. ↑ Humphries, Michael. "AK-50: An Exclusive Sneak Peek at The AK Guy's New .50 BMG". Tactical Life.
  12. ↑ Eger, Chris. "A SOMEWHAT SLANTED VIEW OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AK GUYS AND AR GUYS (VIDEOS)". Guns.com.
  13. ↑ "About". The AK Guy.
  14. ↑ Baates, Graham. "Q&A With the 'AK Guy' and a Look at His Successful, Sub-$1,000 AKG-47". Tactical Life.
  15. ↑ "Brandon Herrera". Archived from the original on 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.