#KalashnikovConcern

Lately, they’ve been leaked images and videos of the Kalashnikov Concern’s new pump action rifle. We’ve covered all that information previously. Recently, the company has published an official news release and a video announcing the release of the KSZ-223 rifle. They’ve also uncovered more design details. So the information is now official, hence reliable. Without further ado, let’s watch the video first:

The Firearm Blog would like to extend its thanks to reader and contributor Giorgio, who lent his journalistic services to us at this years IDEX conference in Abu Dhabi in February. Thanks, Giorgio!

According to Russian newspaper “ Izvestia“, Kalashnikov Concern has registered the shape of the AK-47 rifle. The company was recently granted exclusive rights for the 3D shape of the iconic AK-47. They’ve registered the rights for 21 product categories out of 45 possible. The mentioned categories include such products as firearms, paintball guns, airsoft guns, knives, perfume, keychains, night lights, toys etc.

Kalashnikov Concern in partnership with “Kontinental Shooting League” (part of IPSC) held a practical pistol shooting competition called “Kalashnikov Cup”.

Thanks to Lionel for sending these picture to us.

This coverage of Army 2016 will be covering some of the precision rifles that are being introduced, apart from the SVK, which Nathaniel F. is writing about. If you aren’t tracking, Kalashnikov Concern is introducing a number of precision rifles at the expo, the first time many of these designs have been unveiled in public. The company released this press release about the VSV-338 precision rifle-

The AK-12 is dead. Long live the AK-12! That’s the song Kalashnikov Concern is singing this week at the recent ARMY 2016 expo in Moscow, Russia. The radical AK-12 prototypes that have dominated Kalashnikov’s press over the past two years are gone, replaced by a more conservative rifle – also called “AK-12” – based on the Concern’s previous AK-400 prototypes. The new rifle addresses the Russian Army’s concerns regarding the AK-12’s cost and issues in fully automatic fire, an anonymous source told TFB, and is expected to be much cheaper to build than the previous model. It incorporates many of the same improvements developed for the previous AK-12 model, but improves the strength and resilience of some of the components.

Nothing like a clean AK. The AK-104 “shorty” in 7.62×39, a popular tool of trade among Russian LE Special Forces.

Now I’m no knowledgable business guru, but Jane’s  is reporting that the state owned company that had a stake in Izhevsk, Rostec (which by the way, did you know Kalashnikov Concern also makes boats?) has now sold 51% to a company called  Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company. The report states that UMMC previously bought up to 49% of Kalashnikov Concern, in addition the report specifically mentions Alexei Krivoruchko, who is the CEO of Kalashnikov Concern, and who seems to be also connected to the UMMC company. Something that could be happening is that with the sanctions, Kalashnikov Concern could be diversifying its ownership and interests into separate sectors in order to prepare for any financial disaster. Similar to how H&K has a civilian side, and a Defense/LE side with H&K Defense. So if one part of the company suffered a lawsuit or financial disaster, it wouldn’t affect the other part.

Kalashnikov Concern has made an effort to rebrand itself following its consolidation, and spurred by the US sanctions of 2014, that prevent the importation of the Concern’s products to the lucrative American civilian market. VICE News, online offshoot of VICE Magazine, has traveled to Moscow to cover the rebranding, interviewing Alexey Krivoruchko, the Concern’s CEO, as well as Grigor Badalyan, Director of Brand Consulting for Apostol Media Group, which consulted for the Concern’s rebranding effort:

The AK-12 rifle, slated to be adopted by the Russian Army in some capacity late this year, has been delayed in production until 2016. According to Russian news media sources, the rifle will undergo a series of improvements of an unspecified type. From military-informant.com: