70 years ago in Izhevsk was born a famous domestic gunsmith, the creator of the unique AN-94 machine gun Gennady Nikolayevich Nikonov.
While still studying at an industrial technical school, he became interested in the manufacture of underwater guns. For the creation of one of the samples, the young designer received a second degree diploma at the All-Union exhibition of technical creativity held in Perm.
Nikonov's professional career began in 1969 at the legendary Izhmash (now part of the Kalashnikov concern - RT ), with which he linked his life. In the early years of his work, he participated in the creation of sports air rifles to replace the German models.
In 1975, Nikonov received his higher education, and the following year, the designer successfully completed the development of a multiply-charged hunting rifle with a powerful Izyubr cartridge.
Also in the mid-1970s, Nikonov participated in the creation of a new experimental rifle "Biathlon" with a locking mechanism that provided fast reloading. Upgraded versions of Izhmash rifles are still produced for Russian athletes.
- Gennady Nikonov
- © topwar.ru
"Surpass the standard assault rifle"
Nikonov became truly widely known thanks to his participation in the competition of the USSR Ministry of Defense for the creation of a scheme for increasing the effectiveness of fire for promising machine guns. Research and development work (R&D) under the name "Abakan" was opened in the late 1970s at leading Soviet arms factories.
The military considered various ways to eliminate the "generic" disadvantage of the Kalashnikov assault rifle - low accuracy of fire in bursts from unstable positions.
Eminent engineers of the Tula Central Design and Research Bureau of Sports and Hunting Weapons (TsKIB SOO) Igor Yakovlevich Stechkin and German Alexandrovich Korobov became Nikonov's rivals. They presented to the competition the experimental machines TKB-0146 and TKB-0111, respectively.
“The dream of fame did not warm me. The designers (participants in the competition of the Ministry of Defense. - RT ) were given a quite definite task - to surpass the standard machine gun in efficiency by 1.5-2 times ... The military waited for a new model, fiddled, adjusted, in general, did not allow them to relax, "he recalled subsequently Nikonov.
In 1979, the Izhevsk designer developed an experimental NA-2 assault rifle, which served as a test platform for testing the system with the accumulation of the recoil impulse. It lies in the fact that when firing, the barrel and the gas vent mechanism roll back into the body of the weapon.
Thus, the energy from the recoil, which is formed after shooting, goes into the shoulder of the fighter, and the barrel practically does not deviate from its original position. This scheme significantly improves the accuracy of weapons when firing in short bursts. The fighter feels recoil only after the first two shots, and the barrel starts tossing up from the third round.
The weight of the NA-2 assault rifle was approximately 3.9 kg. The weapon was designed according to the "bullpup" layout, in which the trigger was brought forward and located in front of the magazine and the firing mechanism. The experienced machine gun had a pistol grip deflected forward, which provided the convenience of changing the magazine.
- Experienced assault rifle NA-2
- © kalashnikov.media
However, in the process of improving his brainchild, Nikonov decided to abandon the bullpup layout. The final version of the machine, which received the code AN-94, was made according to the traditional scheme, where the trigger is located behind the store.
As stated on the website of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the mass of an empty Nikonov assault rifle was 3.82 kg (with a loaded magazine and an optical sight - 4.4 kg), a magazine capacity - 30 rounds, an effective firing range - 800 m, an initial bullet velocity - 900 m / from.
High firing accuracy from the "Abakan" was achieved not only due to the implementation of the system with the accumulation of the recoil momentum, but also due to the installation of a thin front sight.
In the materials of the Kalashnikov concern, it is reported that the AN-94 inherited from the prototype of the 1979 model the most important advantage over the other assault rifles - an ultra-fast rate of fire in short bursts. This figure is estimated at 1.8 thousand rounds per minute (the usual rate is 600 rounds per minute).
Armament tester of the Kalashnikov concern, Alexander Krasnopyorov, notes that the manner of firing from the AN-94 is radically different from that of the AK family. In particular, a fighter must pull the trigger of a Nikonov assault rifle in a relaxed state, without resisting recoil.
This feature is also highlighted by US Special Forces veteran Larry Vickers, who has run his own weapons blog on YouTube in recent years. According to his own feelings, when shooting in a more relaxed state, the spread of bullets from the AN-94 is halved and is five centimeters or less, which is an impressive indicator for a machine gun.
In his video blog, Vickers praised the engineering innovations used to create the AN-94, and explained that the rate of fire of the assault rifle allows you to get a certain advantage in battle.
According to Vladimir Onokoy, Kalashnikov Media's technical consultant, the AN-94 is "one of the most interesting and unusual examples of modern Russian small arms." According to the specialist, a burst of two shots occurs so quickly that "the eye does not have time to notice it."
Worthy competitor to Kalashnikov
In Russia, the AN-94 went through a full cycle of state tests and entered service in the mid-1990s. However, as noted in "Kalashnikov", the unique machine gun was not widely used among the troops due to the complexity of the design. From open sources it follows that now some special forces and individual army units are armed with the brainchild of Nikonov.
According to experts, the AN-94 deserves the highest marks for the accuracy of shooting and the novelty of the implemented technical solutions. However, the Izhevsk machine gun turned out to be expensive to manufacture and a structurally complex product. For this reason, he is in demand primarily in special formations.
“The second shot from the AN-94 occurs before the recoil goes to the shoulder and takes the weapon away. This is a truly unique weapon, I have never seen anything like that. But for a conscript, such a machine gun is definitely not suitable. For example, it will be very difficult for him to remember the assembly and disassembly scheme of the AN-94. This is a sophisticated weapon, "said reserve officer Vladimir Kurta, a fire training teacher in an interview with RT.
Military observer Viktor Baranets praised the AN-94 for its high accuracy and poor recoil. In a commentary on RT, the expert called Nikonov's brainchild a worthy competitor to the AK-74M.
“At first, the army was not enthusiastic about the AN-94. Then our special units of the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs took him for a test. After a while, the Nikonov assault rifle nevertheless appeared in the army, but at the special forces, and the soldiers never regretted having such a weapon in their hands, ”Baranets said.
The design solutions embodied in the AN-94 formed the basis for Nikonov's doctoral dissertation, which he successfully defended in 2000.
On May 14, 2003, the famous designer died in Izhevsk. In memory of him in 2009, a museum fund was created in the Central State Archives of Udmurtia.
From the point of view of Viktor Barantz, for his contribution to the development of domestic small arms, Gennady Nikonov can be put on a par with such eminent designers as Mikhail Kalashnikov, Igor Stechkin, Vasily Degtyarev, Evgeny Dragunov and Alexey Sudaev.
“The number of AN-94s produced is relatively small, and by this indicator it cannot be compared with the AK. But in a number of tactical and technical characteristics, the brainchild of Nikonov still surpasses some of the Kalashnikov samples. This is undoubtedly an outstanding shooting product, ”Baranets summed up.