As Taliban takes over, some swap iconic AK-47s for made-in-America rifles

[free]

From Reuters:

By Tim Kelly

TOKYO, Aug 17 (Reuters) - The Russian Kalashnikov AK-47 and its derivatives have long been the assault rifle of choice for militant groups because of their rugged design, but some Taliban fighters are trading them in for captured U.S. guns as Afghanistan's government collapses.

Video and pictures published by the Taliban on Twitter and elsewhere show fighters carrying M4 carbines and M16 rifles discarded by Afghan army units. Other images show Taliban forces capturing abandoned government vehicles.

The U.S. guns are more accurate and have greater range than the their AK-47s, but on their own may not deliver much added capability on the battlefield.

"Some of the hardware might be useful to have if looking to intimidate rival warlords, but that's about it," said Grant Newsham, a retired United States Marine Corps colonel. "They've done rather well with what they already had."

Still, the image of U.S.-made weapons in the hands of the Taliban as it sweeps aside the Afghan National Army - funded with billions of dollars from the U.S. government over the past two decades - is a propaganda coup for the militants.

Many of the AK-47s in Afghanistan are copies, but some were left over from the 10-year Soviet occupation that ended in 1989. First manufactured just after the end of World War Two, based on a German design, the assault rifle has since become common around the world in the arsenals of governments and insurgent groups.

The American weapons could be in service with the Taliban for years because of plentiful ammunition supplies. The 5.56mm round it fires is available to civilian gun owners in the United States.

"The Russians crank out millions of rounds of AR 5.56 NATO each year for the U.S. market under the brand names of Tula, Wolf, and Red Army just to name a few," said another retired U.S. Marines officer, who asked not to be identified because his current employer does not allow him to talk to the media.

"I suspect the Taliban's allies will have no trouble supplying parts for just about any infantry system," he added.

(Reporting by Tim Kelly. Editing by Gerry Doyle)

 

[mac1911]

From Reuters:

By Tim Kelly

TOKYO, Aug 17 (Reuters) - The Russian Kalashnikov AK-47 and its derivatives have long been the assault rifle of choice for militant groups because of their rugged design, but some Taliban fighters are trading them in for captured U.S. guns as Afghanistan's government collapses.

Video and pictures published by the Taliban on Twitter and elsewhere show fighters carrying M4 carbines and M16 rifles discarded by Afghan army units. Other images show Taliban forces capturing abandoned government vehicles.

The U.S. guns are more accurate and have greater range than the their AK-47s, but on their own may not deliver much added capability on the battlefield.

"Some of the hardware might be useful to have if looking to intimidate rival warlords, but that's about it," said Grant Newsham, a retired United States Marine Corps colonel. "They've done rather well with what they already had."

Still, the image of U.S.-made weapons in the hands of the Taliban as it sweeps aside the Afghan National Army - funded with billions of dollars from the U.S. government over the past two decades - is a propaganda coup for the militants.

Many of the AK-47s in Afghanistan are copies, but some were left over from the 10-year Soviet occupation that ended in 1989. First manufactured just after the end of World War Two, based on a German design, the assault rifle has since become common around the world in the arsenals of governments and insurgent groups.

The American weapons could be in service with the Taliban for years because of plentiful ammunition supplies. The 5.56mm round it fires is available to civilian gun owners in the United States.

"The Russians crank out millions of rounds of AR 5.56 NATO each year for the U.S. market under the brand names of Tula, Wolf, and Red Army just to name a few," said another retired U.S. Marines officer, who asked not to be identified because his current employer does not allow him to talk to the media.

"I suspect the Taliban's allies will have no trouble supplying parts for just about any infantry system," he added.

(Reporting by Tim Kelly. Editing by Gerry Doyle)

This article had to point out US civilians can get 5.56 NATO ammo and russia makes it for US? Strange little addition to the.
Hey look st all the US gear the US gave to Afghanistan ….

 

[76Too]

My surprised face

 

[Boris]

Many of the AK-47s in Afghanistan are copies, but some were left over from the 10-year Soviet occupation that ended in 1989. First manufactured just after the end of World War Two, based on a German design, the assault rifle has since become common around the world in the arsenals of governments and insurgent groups.

conveniently forgetting that MOST AKs were actually purchased in countries like Egypt and Syria under fake identities to supply terrorists resistance fighters. Trust me, all those AKs didn't come from Russia, but squarely paid by CIA, may be not with tax payer money, but no doubt who paid for them.

Also, forgetting China. China is in.

 

[ReluctantDecoy]

The M4 is more accurate because of the sniper button.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o7S3YV_dFs

 

[MisterHappy]

Well, at least there will be ammo for them.....

 

[SKumar]

All those AKs have the full auto sear too

 

[92G]

"Some of the hardware might be useful to have if looking to intimidate rival warlords, but that's about it," said Grant Newsham, a retired United States Marine Corps colonel. "They've done rather well with what they already had."

utter bullshit. Yeah I’m sure they’re no more dangerous switching from ancient ass 47’s to mk12 and M16’s with optics, nods, etc. Oh ok. That clown Newsham is a grade A idiot.

 

[Boris]

All those AKs have the full auto sear too

well they are AKs, that's their natural state of being. More correctly, it's we who have to be content with neutered semi autos 'cause apparently that would be too much freedom.

 

[mikeyp]

The M4 is more accurate because of the sniper button.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o7S3YV_dFs

 

[SHOCKNAWE]

At one time I had 11 AK’s in the safe, I sold them all and now have X amount of AR’s in the safe

 

[GaryO]

If any of those afghan warlords want to flood the American market with Egyptian made AKs, I'd be in the market for a couple.

 

[Yazz]

If any of those afghan warlords want to flood the American market with Egyptian made AKs, I'd be in the market for a couple.

I'm holding out for a tank!

 

[alx]

… it is a novelty for them. Will wear off and they will be back to their regular (AK) programming… if anybody knows the locals’ weapon maintenance habits he would know that any AR platform is doomed over there.

I am more concerned if the taliban got a hold of any number of shoulder fired guided missiles and they find their way to other parts of the clusterf*** region.

 

[Arto]

Do they have an ammo shortage caused by the doofus in the White House too?

 

[Picton]

At one time I had 11 AK’s in the safe, I sold them all and now have X amount of AR’s in the safe

I bought about five of them, having vowed never to own an AR (because I never liked it when I hauled it around).

Few years later, though I still love 7.62x39, my Vz58 gets all my love and, shockingly, I now own an SP1. I still hate how dirty it gets, but the ergonomics are a well-remembered breath of fresh air after years of AK safeties.

 

[Zappa]

Many of the AK-47s in Afghanistan are copies, but some were left over from the 10-year Soviet occupation that ended in 1989. First manufactured just after the end of World War Two, based on a German design, the assault rifle has since become common around the world in the arsenals of governments and insurgent groups.

Mikhail would vehemently disagree with that statement^

 

[Randy Lahey]

Of course they are, we just left behind thousands of M60s, etc. Thank God all that delightful ordinance didn’t come back home to be sold as surplus. :/

 

[Dr_Scholl]

The M4 is more accurate because of the sniper button.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o7S3YV_dFs

Did anyone else notice he's wearing 2 watches?

 

[PappyM3]

Did anyone else notice he's wearing 2 watches?

His right wrist doesn’t have a watch. It’s a Suunto M-9 compass. They’re great for hiking or field use. Not quite as accurate as a big ol’ lensatic compass, but accurate enough for spot azimuth checks or sanity checking the point man.

No idea why he’s wearing one in a workshop though.

 

[SHOCKNAWE]

I bought about five of them, having vowed never to own an AR (because I never liked it when I hauled it around).

Few years later, though I still love 7.62x39, my Vz58 gets all my love and, shockingly, I now own an SP1. I still hate how dirty it gets, but the ergonomics are a well-remembered breath of fresh air after years of AK safeties.

I never owned a Vz58 or SP1. I had a type 56s-1, 2 MAK’s, Sammy, SLR 107, SLR 104, 3 Wasr, and 2 Saiga’s. Literally the night before Maura acted up I was still living in Mass and saw a beautiful 16 inch Vepr on the wall at Gartman Arms in North Attleboro, I had it in hand and was going to add it to the collection for definitely under a thousand, I want to say like $800 but can remember but decided I was getting a little tired of the AK so I didn’t. That would have been a money maker. The Type 56 I randomly saw on 4 Seasons website and it was listed at $900, I called and they said it just came in and the guy wanted it sold so they held it for me, I scooped it up and put it on AK files the next day for $1600 and it sold within an hour for $1550

 

[Thirwell1216]

I've been seeing a ton of 240's on the news. Seems like the PKM is taking a backseat these days as well.

Taliban propaganda showcases US weapons and radios as captured war spoils

The pictures may depict a trend of U.S. military weapons supplied to the Afghan military falling into Taliban hands.

www.militarytimes.com

 

[VetteGirlMA]

I saw pictures last night and the Taliban managed to snap up quite an arsenal, a real arsenal, of US military weapons that were apparently abandoned in the retreat. This makes our country look like freaking idiots. The Chinese are laughing their a**es off watching us look like fools.

 

[amm5061]

Most of that shit will be nothing but broken, useless trash in a few years. You can't beat that shit around and not maintain it quite the way you can with AKs.

The more technological stuff like the drones won't be maintainable and they'll just sell it to China, most likely.

 

[ReluctantDecoy]

His right wrist doesn’t have a watch. It’s a Suunto M-9 compass. They’re great for hiking or field use. Not quite as accurate as a big ol’ lensatic compass, but accurate enough for spot azimuth checks or sanity checking the point man.

No idea why he’s wearing one in a workshop though.

That guy seems to love middle eastern gun stuff and often reports from over seas (well, pre covid) where a compass might actually come in handy. Though, good point about why he's still wearing one back in the states. Force of habit?

He should look into one of these:

 

[Admin]

Do they have an ammo shortage caused by the doofus in the White House too?

I am willing to bet they have warehouses with pallets upon pallets of 5.56 there. Probably a lot of 77gr too. Millions of rounds.

 

[bigbravehog]

I saw pictures last night and the Taliban managed to snap up quite an arsenal, a real arsenal, of US military weapons that were apparently abandoned in the retreat. This makes our country look like freaking idiots. The Chinese are laughing their a**es off watching us look like fools.

This makes Biden look like freaking idiots. The Chinese are laughing their a**es off watching Democrats look like fools.

Fixed it

 

[ReluctantDecoy]

This makes Biden look like freaking idiots. The Chinese are laughing their a**es off watching Democrats look like fools.

Fixed it

This goes all the way back to Charlie Wilson in the 80's, and as such encompasses every president since. And regardless of party affiliation of whoever is Commander and Chief, we as a whole look like idiots because it was a no-win situation to begin with. Idiots for getting involved, idiots in pulling out.

 

[GaryO]

I just saw a video of the Taliban and they all had American rifles but it looked like they still had those giant ak mags strapped to them. I have to wonder how many of them that grabbed the rifles didn't grab the magazines that go with them.

 

[bigbravehog]

This goes all the way back to Charlie Wilson in the 80's, and as such encompasses every president since. And regardless of party affiliation of whoever is Commander and Chief, we as a whole look like idiots because it was a no-win situation to begin with. Idiots for getting involved, idiots in pulling out.

that part of the world has been a shitshow for thousands of years.