RK 62
Standard issue Finnish assault rifle based on the AK-47 design.
The RK 62, also known as the 7.62 RK 62 or commercially as the M62, is an assault rifle produced by Valmet and Sako. It serves as the standard-issue infantry weapon for the Finnish Defence Forces.
Development of a Finnish assault rifle chambered in the Soviet 7.62×39mm intermediate cartridge started in the 1950s. Several foreign designs were examined, with the Soviet AK-47 being the most influential. Valmet engineer Lauri Oksanen designed the RK 62 between 1957 and 1962, basing it on the Polish licensed version of the AK-47. In October 2025, the Finnish Defence Forces announced plans to replace the RK 62 with a 5.56×45mm rifle by the end of the decade, as part of a broader shift to NATO-standard calibers for all small arms.
The RK 62 fires the same 7.62×39mm cartridge as the AK-47. A total of 350,000 M62 rifles were jointly produced by Valmet and Sako from 1965 to 1994. The rifle features a three-pronged flash suppressor and a groove for a specially designed knife bayonet that can also serve as a standalone combat knife. A distinctive trait of Valmet rifles, including the M62 and its variants, is this open-ended, three-pronged flash suppressor with a bayonet lug on its lower side. Besides reducing muzzle flash, the suppressor can quickly cut barbed wire when the muzzle is pushed onto a strand and a round is fired.
The most significant improvement over standard AK variants lies in the sights and barrel quality. While most AKs mount the rear sight on the gas piston housing, the RK 62 places it on the rear of the receiver cover, equipped with tritium-illuminated night sights. This doubles the sight radius, enhancing accuracy, which is further aided by a hammer-forged match-grade chrome-moly barrel. The rifle often achieves accuracy better than one minute of arc. It uses a diopter "peep" sight that flips over to reveal an open tritium-enhanced rear night sight; the front sight also has a night-operation mode. The gas tube is dovetailed into the front trunnion and is a single-diameter tube, unlike the AK/AKM’s star-shaped cross-section. The gas piston has a cog-shaped ring on its stem behind the piston head, matching the tube diameter and acting as a guide within the tube; notches in the ring allow excess gases to vent behind the piston head and guide. This design reduces part count and simplifies manufacturing and assembly.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- Finland
- Is Ranged
- Yes
- Service
- 1965–present
- Wars
- War in Afghanistan
- Designer
- Lauri Oksanen / Valmet
- Design Date
- 1962
- Manufacturer
- Valmet, SAKO
- Production Date
- 1965–1994
- Number
- 350,000+
- Variants
- RK 95 TP
- Weight
- 3.5 kg empty (RK 62) / 3.27 kg empty (RK 62 76)
- Length
- 940 mm with fixed or extended stock · 710 mm with stock folded
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The development of a Finnish assault rifle in 7.62×39mm Soviet intermediary cartridge began in the 1950s. Various foreign models were looked at, the Soviet AK-47 being the most important. The RK 62 was designed in 1957–1962 by Valmet engineer Lauri Oksanen and is based on the Polish licensed version of the Soviet AK-47 design. Between 1965 and 1994, 350,000 M62 rifles were produced jointly by Valmet and Sako.
The RK 62 uses the same 7.62×39mm cartridge as the AK-47. One of its most distinctive features is the open-ended, three-prong flash suppressor with a bayonet lug on its lower side; the end can quickly cut barbed wire by pushing the muzzle onto a strand of wire and firing a round. The biggest single improvement over most AK variants is the sight system: the rear sight is mounted on the rear of the receiver cover with tritium illuminated night-sights, doubling the sight radius and enhancing accuracy. The rifle uses a 'peep' diopter sight, flipped over to reveal the open tritium enhanced rear night sight. The gas tube is dove tailed into the front trunnion and is a single-diameter tube, with a cog-shaped ring on the piston stem that acts as a guide and allows excess gasses to vent. A port in the shoulder pad allows storing items in the tubular buttstock. All RK variants are designed to withstand the extreme environmental conditions of Northern Europe.
Reader's Guide
The RK 62 has been the standard issue infantry weapon of the Finnish Defence Forces since its adoption, replacing earlier prototypes and serving through decades of service. Its design, based on the Polish licensed version of the Soviet AK-47, incorporates significant improvements in accuracy and reliability, particularly through its diopter sight system and hammer-forged match barrel, which can frequently achieve less than one minute of arc. The rifle's three-prong flash suppressor and bayonet lug are distinctive, and its gas system design influenced the IMI Galil. The FDF has modernized existing RK 62 rifles since August 2015, introducing telescoping stocks, mounting rails, and improved selector switches under the RK 62 M series. In October 2025, the FDF announced plans to replace the RK 62 with a 5.56×45mm rifle by the end of the decade as part of a switch to NATO-standard calibres for all small arms.
Did You Know?
- The RK 62's three-prong flash suppressor can cut barbed wire by pushing the muzzle onto a strand and firing a round.
- The gas piston has a cog-shaped ring that acts as a guide within the gas tube, reducing parts and simplifying manufacturing.
- The RK 62's sight radius is doubled compared to most AK variants, enhancing accuracy.
- A port in the shoulder pad allows storing items such as the cleaning kit in the tubular buttstock.
More in Assault Rifles, Part 3 1-24
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