RK-62

Rk 62
Rk 62 76
Type	Assault rifle
Place of origin	Finland
Service history
In service	1965–present
Used by	Finnish Defence Forces
Production history
Designer	Valmet
Designed	1962
Manufacturer	Valmet, SAKO
Produced	1962–1994
Number built	350,000+
Variants	Valmet M76, Rk 95 Tp
Specifications
Weight	3.5 kg empty 4.3 kg with 30 rounds
Length	940 mm with fixed or extended stock / 710 mm with stock folded
Barrel length	418 mm
Cartridge	7.62×39mm
Caliber	7.62mm
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	700 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	715 m/s
Effective firing range	300 m
Feed system	30-round detachable AK magazine
Sights	Aperture rear sight on a sliding tangent with flip tritium night sight, forward hooded post, 470 mm sight radius

The Rk 62 (also 7.62 RK 62 and M62; Rynnäkkökivääri 62 or "assault rifle 62") is an assault rifle manufactured by Valmet and Sako. It is the standard issue infantry weapon of the Finnish Defence Forces.

The Rk 62 was designed in 1962 and is based on the Polish licensed version of the Soviet AK-47 design. The Rk 62 uses the same 7.62×39mm cartridge as the AK-47. Between 1965 and 1994 350,000 M62 rifles were produced jointly by Valmet and Sako. It is the basis of the IMI Galil, an Israeli-made assault rifle with many similarities.

The Rk 62 has a three-pronged flash suppressor, and a groove for a specially designed knife bayonet, which can be used alone as a combat knife. The Rk 95 Tp is a more modern, improved version of the Rk 62. One of the most distinctive features of the Valmet rifles, including the M62 and all subsequent variations, is the open-ended, three prong flash suppressor with a bayonet lug on its lower side. In addition to the flash suppression, the end can quickly cut barbed wire by pushing the muzzle onto a strand of wire and firing a round - noisy but effective.

In August 2015 the Finnish Defence Forces announced that they will gradually modernize existing RK 62 rifles. The old tubular butt and leather sling will be replaced with a telescopic stock and tactical sling. An option for mounting a top rail for telescopic sights and night vision devices will be added to all rifles; likewise the barrel will get an attachment point for tactical lights and lasers. The upgraded model will be known as RK 62M.

The development of a Finnish assault rifle began in the 1950s. Various foreign models were looked at, the Soviet AK-47 being the most important. The first version was called the Rk 60. It was produced in 1960 at the Valmet factory in Tourula and was internally almost a copy of the AK-47. It featured a metallic buttstock, a plastic handguard and pistol grip but lacked the trigger guard (it was hoped that it would make firing this weapon easier in cold Finnish winter when soldiers wore warm mittens). The very first prototypes, closely modeled after Polish licence made AKs, had tinted birchwood stocks. After testing by the military, the Rk 60 was slightly modified (trigger guard was reinstated) and adopted as the 7.62 Rk 62.

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Wikipedia