Yemen

Colloquial Names and Prices on the Yemeni Gun Market

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In this article a Yemeni writer looks at some of the general trends in Kalashnikov-patterned rifles within Yemen, going over serval models and some of the intricacies that exist within them. Note that although prices are given in US Dollars, the majority of the market uses Yemeni or Saudi Rials for payment.

Before 2015 the majority of our AKs were of Russians, Polish, Hungarian, Chinese, and Bulgarian origin. But in 2015 the Houthis invaded the coastal city of Aden and at that time an Arab coalition was created to support the southern resistance. When this fighting began

From the Arab alliance, the Saudis and United Arab Emirates forces supplied the southern resistance with airdrops.

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Krinkology: For Every Saudi, There is a Yemeni…

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This image of a Yemeni Houthi, armed with a Zastava 7.62x39mm M92, what appears to be a Makarov, and a traditional Jambiya knife tucked into his belt has made numerous waves throughout Houthi social media over the previous several months. The rifle has a more or less standard Kalashnikov pattern sling, and as the stock unfolded.

The photograph itself of the man dressed in red has been circulated with a number of sayings attached to it as a sort of meme, some religious, but most appear to be Yemeni nationalist slogans. For example, in this iteration-

Translated from Arabic, this reads-

For every sick person, there is a cure

For every poor person, there is a God to make him rich

For every Saudi, there is a Yemeni to teach him how to behave

This version from a Twitter user–

Many of the photographs are being spread through the use of Instagram, with the different sayings attached to the pictures.

This one from Imgrum-

 

Krinkology is a unique SR post that exemplifies what the site stands for, in discussing the indigenous manufacture, trade, and use of small arms and light weapons within the MENA and Central Eurasian regions. Specifically, Krinkology examines the usage of short barrel Kalashnikov pattern rifles within popular culture and on the battlefield.

Sudanese AR10 in the wild, Yemen edition

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This photograph was recently found on social media and features a local Yemeni man posing with an 7.62x51mm NATO AR10 next to his friend with what appears to be a modified 7.62x39mm RPK (due to the compensator) mounted with a 45 round magazine. The AR10 in question appears to be one of the largest contracts that Armlite produced of AR10s, which was the Sudanese contract of approximately 2500 rifles in the 1950s. This inference is taken from the proximity of Sudan to Yemen, so it must be stated that this is only a guess as to it’s origins and not a complete conclusion. If we could have seen the rear sight, that would remove all doubt, depending on whether or not the graduations are in Arabic numerals.

This is a little bit about it from Wikipedia-

Firearms historians have separated AR-10 production under the A.I. license into at least three basic identifiable versions, along with various sporting, carbine, and other experimental designs and calibers. The three main variants have been termed the Sudanese model, the Transitional, and the Portuguese model AR-10. A.I. built all of these rifles, beginning with the Sudanese model AR-10. The Sudanese version derives its name from the sale of approximately 2,500 AR-10 rifles of to the government of Sudan in 1958. The Sudanese model was equipped with a very lightweight, fluted steel barrel fitted with a trim, prong-style flash suppressor, a bayonet lug, lightweight fiberglass furniture, and sight graduations in Arabic.[21][22] The Sudanese model weighed only 3.3 kg (7.3 lb) with an empty magazine.[21] The price, including cleaning kit and four magazines, was US $225 per rifle.[23] All AR-10s, whether produced by ArmaLite or by A.I., used the same Stoner-designed 20-round lightweight aluminum ‘waffle’ magazine with pressed-in, corrugated sides, intended to be discarded in combat once emptied.[24]

This particular rifle appears to be in excellent condition considering that it is most likely 60 years old and has existed in a very rough part of the world when it comes to firearms care and maintenance. The young man looks to have affixed a canvas sling to the rifle, in addition to embedding a circular metal piece in the stock, also wrapping something around the buttstock by the rear sight and charging handle.

Weight 3.29–4.05 kg (7.25–8.9 lb) w/o magazine
Length 1,050 mm (41.3 in)
Barrel length 528 mm (20.8 in)
Cartridge 7.62×51mm NATO

.308 Winchester
Action Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire 700 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity 820 m/s (2,690 ft/s)
Effective firing range 600m/656yd (ca 700m/765 1/2yds with A.I. 3.6× telescopic sight)
Feed system 20-round detachable box magazine
Sights Adjustable aperture rear sight, fixed post front sight