AS-44

Lore & Background

In 1942, Soviet forces encountered the German Mkb-42(H) assault rifle and were impressed, prompting development of their own intermediate cartridge. By summer 1943, the Soviet M43 7.62×41mm cartridge was created, and design competitions for new weapons began. Alexey Sudayev, already known for the PPS submachine gun, delivered the first and fourth models of his AS-44 for tests in May 1944. The AS-44 met competition requirements, and an experimental batch was manufactured at the Tula Arms Factory in spring 1945. During summer 1945, these were tested in the Moscow, Leningrad, Central Asian, and Transcaucasian military districts. The tests found the AS-44 reliable but less accurate and long-ranged than the Mosin-Nagant rifle; when fired from its integrated bipod, its range and accuracy surpassed submachine guns in Soviet service. However, it was overweight at 5.6 kg, and accuracy without the bipod was considered inferior. Despite positive evaluations, it was not approved for mass production. Further modifications were planned for early 1946, but Sudayev became ill and died on August 17, 1946, ending development.

Sudayev built seven different prototypes with varying features. The layout resembled the later AK-47, with a fixed wood stock, wood handguard, wood pistol grip, curved detachable 30-round magazine, hooded post front sight, tangent notch rear sight, dust cover, bayonet mount, heat shield, flash suppressor, and metal bipod. The AS-44 used stamped components to reduce costs and speed production. The first prototype was selective fire with cocking handle and safety/selector on the left. The first six prototypes used a tilting bolt. The second prototype had a revised gas chamber, cocking handle moved to the right, collapsible wooden pistol grip, and fire selector and safety inside the trigger guard. The third prototype was fully automatic without a fire selector, had a modified dust cover with safety notches, and a muzzle brake with three ports per side. The fourth, fifth, and sixth prototypes lacked a muzzle brake, had safety and selector on the left, and included bipod and bayonet mounts. In October 1945, Sudayev presented a lightened version called the OAS. The seventh prototype used a gas-delayed blowback action; though lighter due to deletion of the bipod, its recoil, accuracy, and durability were negatively affected.

Reader's Guide

The AS-44 represents a significant step in Soviet assault rifle development, directly responding to the German Mkb-42(H) and the need for an intermediate-cartridge weapon. Its design influenced the layout and features that would later appear in the AK-47, including the fixed wood stock, curved magazine, and stamped construction. The AS-44's testing revealed both strengths—reliability and effectiveness from a bipod—and weaknesses, particularly weight and accuracy without the bipod. The death of Alexey Sudayev in 1946 halted further refinement, preventing the AS-44 from entering mass production. Its legacy lies in being a direct predecessor to the Kalashnikov design that won the competition in 1947. The AS-44 demonstrated the viability of the intermediate cartridge and the tilting bolt system in Soviet service, and its development contributed to the eventual adoption of the AK-47. The series remains a notable example of wartime prototyping and the impact of a designer's untimely death on a weapon's future.

Did You Know?

• The AS-44 was designed by Alexey Sudayev, who also designed the successful PPS submachine gun.
• The AS-44 used stamped components to reduce production costs and speed production.
• The first six prototypes used a tilting bolt, a system pioneered by the Czechoslovak ZB vz. 26 machine gun.
• Sudayev died on August 17, 1946, preventing further modifications and trials of the AS-44.