Akmr

[Raellus]

What do you think about the AKMR described in various incarnations of T2K? Is it a part of your T2K universe; do you use it in your campaign?

As far as I know, the AKM was never rechambered for the Soviet's 5.45mm cartridge in any significant number. This is the premise behind the AKMR, as desribed in canon.

In my mind, it makes more sense- short term, at least- to keep manufacturing 7.62mm S for the existing stock of Red Army and WTO AKMs than it does to recall all of those weapons and rechamber them. For that reason, I don't use the AKMR in my T2K U. Instead, deep reserve Soviet army units, and other WTO nations still use the original AKM. The Poles have introduced their own AK-74 clone, the Wz 88 Tantal in 5.45mm but many of their units still use the AKM.

Your thoughts?

[kato13]

So many things could have changed in the modified history, that I could see a push towards standardizing the small arms ammunition. The Soviet Union is quite a bit richer in my games (It has to be to survive IMO) so I could see them investing in that.

So I voted yes.

[jester]

I say yes, it is found, since 90% of the parts are interchangeable, all it really takes is a barrel swap if I recall right.

Now, in my T2K playing, I just keep stocks of both weapons available. A unit either has AKMs or the AK-74, with more regular and modern units having the 74 as its universal weapon, although some units do preffer to keep or return to the 47.

I view the AKMR on par with the M16EZ's mentioned. It was made from spare parts or weapons that were sent back to the armory for repair and refitting. Basicaly used weapons that may be worn out and given a new barrel. These often are found in the hands of partisans and other irregular forces, although I tend to give irregular forces usualy loyal to the Russians with older weapons like the SKS and Mosin/Nagant or the M-44 carbine and the assorted PP series submachineguns.

Once I even threw a T-55 at my players.

But say a unit that was formed after the bombs fell when Ivjesk <spelling> was nuked and the Russians industrial capacity was damaged I could see them being issued with AKMR's from arsenal rebuilt weapons mainly due to a lack of resources. It does seem logical since eastern bloc ammo tends to be more corosive when barrels become worn, why not give them a new barrel and convert it to the new round. Anyhow that is the logic in my campaign, as well as who would get them.

[natehale1971]

In my T2k setting the Soviets and Warsaw Pact nations adopted alot of policies to get their economy to recover from all the problems that Gorby inherited and tried to fix, and in our world caused their society to collapse. Looking at what the PRC has done, and been making great strides at catching up with the west. In my setting Danilov adopted policies just like the PRC has done in our world. This allowed the Warsaw Pact and its memberstates economies to bounce back and actually become a threat to the West. So much so that when the Sino-Soviet war broke out, the West would throw so much support to the Chinese. All of the other USSR-PRC border disputes that had happened in the past was all but ignored by the west. But why did the US and their allies get so involved with this one?

That's why my campaign had the West throw so much support behind the PRC during the Sino-Soviet War... The PRC might have been a major violator of human rights, and taken the place of the USSR in financing the support of leftwing groups in Africa, Central America and South America since the USSR had stopped funding them in an effort to save their money to invest into policies to save their own economy.

[Raellus]

If all it takes is a barrel swap...

That changes my stance, considerably. If that's really the case, then the AKMR is welcome in my T2K U.

[Legbreaker]

There's probably a bit more than just the barrel - magazines, magazine wells, bolt heads, etc.
However, the barrel is almost certainly the most difficult part of it.

[jester]

Lets not forget how frugal the russians are, they simply modified their existing 7.62X54 round to the 7.62X39 round.

The 5.54 round is a fat lil bugger that is necked down. I will concede that the bolt face may need to be changed and maybe the magazine, not completely sure on that however.

But the mag well, the AK doesn't have one, its a clip/clamp type afare. But none the less, getting an almost new rifle for such small changes that could be farmed out to smaller shops is still quite easy, when to get a new weapon the simple swapping out of a barrel, and replacing the bolt/boltface or even bolt carrier group is still a pretty easy thing, especialy if you are doing it to weapons that will be going back to the factory to be rebuilt or stand for depot level repairs.

Magazines can be issued at the unit anytime before or after the new weapons are issued. The bolt face could be issued to the troops too either before or after, where they can swap them in all of a minute. The hard part is the barrel, that would require a barrel wrench, a vice, torque guages and a headspace guage and check.

[.45cultist]

Originally Posted by jester

I say yes, it is found, since 90% of the parts are interchangeable, all it really takes is a barrel swap if I recall right.

Now, in my T2K playing, I just keep stocks of both weapons available. A unit either has AKMs or the AK-74, with more regular and modern units having the 74 as its universal weapon, although some units do preffer to keep or return to the 47.

I view the AKMR on par with the M16EZ's mentioned. It was made from spare parts or weapons that were sent back to the armory for repair and refitting. Basicaly used weapons that may be worn out and given a new barrel. These often are found in the hands of partisans and other irregular forces, although I tend to give irregular forces usualy loyal to the Russians with older weapons like the SKS and Mosin/Nagant or the M-44 carbine and the assorted PP series submachineguns.

Once I even threw a T-55 at my players.

But say a unit that was formed after the bombs fell when Ivjesk <spelling> was nuked and the Russians industrial capacity was damaged I could see them being issued with AKMR's from arsenal rebuilt weapons mainly due to a lack of resources. It does seem logical since eastern bloc ammo tends to be more corosive when barrels become worn, why not give them a new barrel and convert it to the new round. Anyhow that is the logic in my campaign, as well as who would get them.

Yes, and I had older m16's receiving newer 1-9 and 1-7 barrels to accept NATO ammo.

[Mohoender]

I agree with kato when he says that everything is possible. Nevertheless, I don't use it but simply because I'm leasy and like to keep my suitcase a bit lighter when moving around.

[pmulcahy11b]

I think the AKMR and M-16EZ are some of those things that give T2K a unique flavor. Though I'm not sure that "AKMR" is correct nomenclature for the Russians -- I would think that "AKMM" would be more proper, or maybe AKM-84 or AKM-94 (depending on the timeline you are using).

[Raellus]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

I think the AKMR and M-16EZ are some of those things that give T2K a unique flavor. Though I'm not sure that "AKMR" is correct nomenclature for the Russians -- I would think that "AKMM" would be more proper, or maybe AKM-84 or AKM-94 (depending on the timeline you are using).

I guess you're right. The AKMR (along with the EZ, the LAV-75, etc.) does T2K a unique flavor. I've had a change of heart.

[Abbott Shaull]

You know if the barrel are replaceable, then making the AKMR or whatever you want to call it, seem reasonable after the rest of the receiver and related parts have been modified to fire the 5.45 round.

Looking at from two view points, if I was using the original timeline, this weapon would be on par with the M16EZ. Something thrown out there that many people who don't much knowledge on weapons would accept.

On the other hand, with the collapse of the Soviet Union and Communism in Europe, and depending on what canon timeline you accept, or if you have a home brewed one. In many cases, I can see the AKMs being re-chambered to the 5.45 round, or in the cases of such nations such as Poland, Baltic States, and so on, being re-chambered for 7.62N or 5.56N or any round in between.

The Weapon is machine stamped so there is lot of room to tweek things. I can see it as cost saving measure to get reserve units weapons that are common to what the regular forces are using. Since several countries from the former Warsaw Pact, made money in trading their former Soviet based gear. Of course some of these purchasers were former allies in the pact, like the case of the Poles and I think the Czech purchasing former East German Army armor combat vehicles, but many of the small weapons in these countries made a rapid switch to NATO standards. The reserve of Pact ammo could bring in needed cash. The price of accurancy these weapons would suffer would be almost negated, since NATO members would sell their used weapons cheaply, to help get members on the same sheet off music to speak of.

Just some thoughts.

[kcdusk]

If you wanted to modify a rifle. Or even many rifles (ie set up a shot in Krakow) then either having gunsmith skill or finding someone who has it ("Day of the jackel" like) could be an interesting story line.