i full truth...

there are type I (original stamped 1949 production) ak's still found in daily use around the world. these 50+ year old ak's were recently pictured in the hands of afghan forces...both northern alliance and taliban. so much for 'durability' and the soviet mastery of metalsmithing.

there was never a problem of durability documented (talk, yes. hard evidence of failures...no).

and, of course, the soviets had developed and fielded soveral sheet metal weapons prior to the kalashnikov, in addition to thousands of other riveted sheet metal products.

i still am of the opinion that the burgeoning soviet aerospace and missile programs of the early 1950's was in need of precision tool and die makers and the small arms industry was ordered to use the existing overcapacity of conventional machining methods.