When Hugo Schmeisser’s presence in the Russian design center when the AK-47 was being
designed the Russians and Russophiles all lose their cookies. On the other side many claim Schmeisser
was likely the designer. From what I can see neither was. It ignores the presence of Kurt Horn and
Karl Barnitzke. Kurt Horn is the designer behind the MG42 – a weapon more significant than any
Schmeisser designed.
Schmeisser. Was ill and, from Soviet records, uncooperative. They kept reducing his pay due to
non-cooperation. Unlikely he was the designer.
Kalishnikov. Had no significant design success before or after. This rules him out. Those wishing
to hang on to the idea that Kalishnikov was responsible need to ignore the German designers being
there. That simply isn’t possible. German teams behind 3 of the 4 German assault rifle designs were
there. One team being the designers of the MG42. For those insisting on Kalishnikov the question is
“what do you think those Germans were doing?” No answer is generally available. They weren’t
sewing socks. It’s not denegrating the Russian skills. Simonov was likely the most talented at the time
and his SKS-45 was the “main chance” gun adopted while those Germans were brought in,
independently, after Germany’s defeat. Simonov, and the SKS, bear a similarity to the Germans and
the Gewehr 43 in so many ways. Russia had no tactical imperative for an assault rifle. The SKS used
existing plant. The Russians weren’t as advanced in metal stamping (the first AK-47s suffered from
that lack of capability). “Why design a gun to use metal stamping when you clearly do not have the
ability to make it?” Does one believe Kalashnikov made that decision or Werner Gruner – a doctorate
level engineer specializing in metal stamping?