I have always wondered how an AK acts in a KaBoom situation.  I have seen pictures of guns that protect the shooter when they explode (AR-15 and FAL) and guns that are just scarry when they go (the M1A / M-14 comes to mind here).  Anyway, does anyone have any data or pictures?    

Think return spring and guide expelled into eye socket.


Never heard of it happening, but IF an AK ever KB'd, that probbly would happen

I don't think any gun protects the user when it explodes.  

Scooby223:
Some guns are better than others in this situation.  With the M-16, the U.S. Army has never had a serious injury when the rifle exploded.  An M-14, on the other hand, can take your hand off.  An FAL explodes about like an AR (or so the footage on DSA's website showed), though I don't know about how it did in service in this situation.

notso,
That's what I was thinking - man, that would suck!!!  I just haven't seen anything on the subject and I am curious like that.

I'd rather have an AK explode on me than an SKS. At least the AK doesn't have a removable metal shroud protruding right in front of one's eye. [BD]

I think the recoil spring setup impacting you would be virtually impossible.  It's not coming out of that rear trunion no matter what happens with the action up front IMO.  The top cover might provide some nice shrapnel to tear up your eyes or something though.  I think that would be pretty likely if the thing blew up out of battery or something.  Nothing of any substance between that area and your face...

Would be an interesting study to see exactly what happens in an AK kaboom.

good thing AK's don't Kaboom.

ive heard of 2 M1a kabooms.

both shot the magazine out of the gun, the mag got stuck in the dirt on one, and on the other it sheered into a guys leg.

I kb'd an ak about 10 years ago.  I was shooting a model 84 that belonged to a friend, and I was using his reloads.  He had put a cracked case in the mag.  It cooked off, as well as 3 others in the mag while shooting rapid fire.  The top cover flew up and stopped 4 inches from my face.  Brass flew everywhere, however the top cover completly shielded me from being hit by anything.  On a side not my uncle standing 40 feet behind me to the left took a piece of brass to the cheak that required day surgery to remove.  I have been told that top cover is not needed, and can see why that is said.  However after that occurance, I would never consider shooting one with out it.  Saved my life IMHO.  The top cover had brass stuck all the way through it.  None hit me.  Course thats .223, a real ak may act dif.