That’s why you see lots of AKs with iron sights and cans.
That and AKs top cover rails are crap for mounting optics. The standard set for mounting on an AK is a very high side mount that isn’t exactly optimal for more than a dot with a very iffy radi
Oh we’ve all seen the ridiculous things the PLAGF if capable of.
Mounting suppressors widely isn’t a new thing it started years ago in the U.S..
That logic only applies Recon or Special Operations where stealth matters. In an assault it dosen't make any sense aswell as for patrols where detection matters. Plus I can imagine the logistical and maintance nightmare.
No. Modern Suppressor manufacturing has changed.
A lot of Suppressors used in the past were “washer” based. Basically a cylindrical tube with rubber gaskets precut down the line. The bullet would literally pass through each gasket by contact. This slowed the gas and the bullet. But the gasket had a limited lifespan. Both by shelf life and by the fact you were shooting through it. After a few dozen shots you had to replace the gaskets.
Now some weapons started using more of a muffler type design. Inside the cylinder are baffles and chambers these are made of metal. Like your car’s muffler they trap the gas as it travels behind the bullet. The problem was that manufacturing such was difficult. The Soviet solution was to create a fairly quiet bullet already so that they didn’t need a complicated suppressor. Literally they spot welded washers into the can at angles and by using special 9x39 or 7.62x39 or 5.45x39mm ammo it was fairly quiet.
However more modern CNC and even Additive manufacturing means that the cans are easier to build with more sophisticated baffles and chambers made of light weight yet long durability material. They don’t wear out many have lifespans now that last as long as the host barrel.
With the Rise of drones and night observation equipment proliferating signature management is an even more crucial aspect of modern warfare. Primarily the aim is to reduce muzzle flash.
no, this has absolutely been proved out in Ukraine, both sides are throwing as many suppressors on as possible to try to reduce the units signatures. The US is sending millions of suppressors to Ukraine for just this purpose.
Even before that the U.S. DOD started looking into widespread Suppressor use for infantry as far back as a decade ago.
This seems like a pretty situation specific pic, like CQB type operations in buildings judging by the trucks behind them.
The advantage of a Can if actually being issued isn’t just in CQB. It’s also at range. In fact if anything more so.
Signature management is increasingly the name of the game.
