AKMSU
The AKMSU (Russian: АКМСУ) is the name attributed to a compact carbine derived from the Soviet AKM, chambered in 7.62×39mm. The carbine was commonly thought to be a Soviet prototype weapon, but evidence suggests that the carbine was not actually of Soviet origin, and was instead a custom-made weapon misattributed as a Soviet weapon.
AKMSU
- Field
- carbine.
- Region
- Pakistan.
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q1999493 · wikipedia · AKMSU
In this article
Origins
Origins
The carbine that would later be attributed with the name AKMSU was first received by the British Ministry of Defense Pattern Room collection in June 1986. The Pattern Room closed in September 2005, and their entire collection was gifted to the Royal Armouries in Leeds, England, where the AKMSU resides to this day. Following the Pattern Room's reception of the carbine, the carbine would be documented in several English and Russian publications, and the name AKMSU was later attached to the weapon. Alongside the name, the weapon was also attributed with history that describe it as a Soviet prototype weapon, made in either 1959 or 1975. Despite the description of these sources, no Russian armory documentation exists for the weapon, strongly suggesting that AKMSU was not a Soviet weapon. The true origin of the AKMSU is uncertain, though it has been suspected to be a one-off "Khyber Pass Copy" from Pakistan's Khyber Pass region, an area known for diverse and unique weapon production in small shops.
Design
Design
The AKMSU is composed of a Chinese manufactured Type 56-1 receiver combined with a 1977 dated AKM trunnion. Its other custom parts include a muzzle brake, which is required for the correct functioning of the rifle and contains an expansion chamber to correctly cycle the rifle. The muzzle brake has many grooves machined into it for increased heat dispersion. It also has a custom hand guard.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Pakistan.
Country
AKMSU is associated with Pakistan.
Country
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q1999493: AKMSU
General reference · Wikidata
reference work
- “AKMSU”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article AKMSU, revision 1330750039 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Centrefire automatic rifle - Kalashnikov 'AKM SU' - about 1977. royalarmouries.org.
- 2.Onokoy, Vladimir. The legend of AKMSU – mysterious AK that never was. The Firearm Blog. 10 August 2018.
- 3.Isby, David C. Weapons and tactics of the Soviet Army. Jane's Publishing Company Limited. 415. 1988. 0710603525.
- 4.Johnston, Gary Paul; Nelson, Thomas B. The World's Assault Rifles. Ironside International Publishers. 751, 753. 2010. 978-0935554007.
- 5.Благовестов, А.И. и другие. Стрелковое оружие. Попурри. 276–277. 1999. 985-438-366-0.
- 6.Монетчиков, С. Б. История русского автомата. Атлант. 170. 2005. 5-98655-006-4.
Bibliography printed in the source article · 1
- Peterson, Philip. Standard Catalog of Military Firearms: The Collector's Price and Reference Guide. Lola: Gun Digest Books, 2007.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority record
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Militaria
6,095 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- AKDAS AlcorTerminology
- Akeron MPTerminology
- Akhgar (missile)Terminology
- AklysTerminology
- akrafenaTerminology
- AKS-74UTerminology
- Al HusseinTerminology
- Al-FaoTerminology
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