A.K.A 47: What if Kalashnikov's rifle wasn't popular?

When we play with history, we tend to toss around events, battles, and powerful figures like marbles, speculating on the ripples caused by flicking them left and right. However, we rarely consider the role of equipment such as the AK47 rifle. This rude weapon wrote as much history as Communism itself, and outlived its masters (and maker) to become the embodiment of war.

Thus, the question of the day; if Mikhail Kalashnikov somehow failed to design his masterpiece, or certain circumstances limited the AK47's use within Russia, what other firearm could have risen to the occasion and armed the world?

After WWII, an engineer by the name of Vorgrimler continued work on a delayed-blowback rifle based on the STG 45. This project became the CETME rifle, the papa rifle to the more famous G3. Initially he wanted to use a shorter "kurz" round, but I think that bureaucratic meddling forced him to eventually adopt the more powerful 7.62 NATO round. While the result was a decent battle rifle, it became less useful as an assault rifle since it was hard to control on full auto.

If they had just gone ahead with an intermediate round instead, I suspect that it would have been much more successful as an assault rifle and seen much wider use and production. But I'm not sure if we're talking Kalashnikov levels of success.

Its an interesting question though.

Tamerlane said:

Thus, the question of the day; if Mikhail Kalashnikov somehow failed to design his masterpiece, or certain circumstances limited the AK47's use within Russia, what other firearm could have risen to the occasion and armed the world?

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Over a hundred million AK-47 rifles and unlicensed derivatives have been produced. Presumably whatever else the Soviets choose will be popular, but Western weapons might be more popular as well. The FN FAL and Heckler & Koch G3 come to mind, as well as the AR-15 series (and perhaps its 7.62 mm development, the AR-16).

Possibly the TKB-517 becomes the new "AK" in the late 50's.

One of these takes its place: http://www.tactical-life.com/exclusives/assault-rifle-of-the-week-9/?scrape=true

Well if Korobov had been able to ruggedise and sell his TKB-408 to the Generals the Soviets might have had a real winner on their hands, because AKAIK the only other nation working on bullpup weapons at the time was Britain.

IIRC Avtomat Bulkina was the only design that made the final cut along with the Kalashnikov. Bulkin's rifle was a little more accurate and a little less reliable under extreme conditions, but basically acceptable for the Red Army.

Richard V said:

IIRC Avtomat Bulkina was the only design that made the final cut along with the Kalashnikov. Bulkin's rifle was a little more accurate and a little less reliable under extreme conditions, but basically acceptable for the Red Army.

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If that's correct then the Bulkin would probably have been selected as the best option available.