On one winter day my friend left his rifle against my heavy offroad trucks front wheel. I didn't notice that and when I drove away both of the rear wheels went over the rifle :D The rifle didn't show any external damage and we decided not to tell anybody :D And when we had next shooting day it also worked just fine so it's a quite strong rifle.
I served Finnish Military with military version of this rifle. Super accurate, did shoot my golden shooting medal with it. Everybody who says this is no good doesn`t know what they are talking about.
The comments of being no-good likely stem from the conscription system. Some rifles are well taken care of by people who both know and care to do so, while others are beat to shit and driven over with transport vehicles.
How many different rifles have you compared this to? It's kinda easy to get biased on RK62 when it's literally the only assault rifle you've shot. Also the Finnish army shooting tests are made the rifle's capabilities in mind. If I remember correctly the test where you could achieve the shooter-medals was done from 150 meters. If one would've used a longer and larger calibre bolt action rifle like M/39 for an example, the distance would have been increased. So getting a golden shooters medal in the Finnish army with Finnish RK62 doesn't really tell anything about the rifles quality. RK62 rifles seem to be from the high end quality wise but the calibre itself (7,62x39) makes the rifle rather hard to control compared to western assault rifles that use a less powerfull cartridge.
@@TunkkisI don't really agree with this. On average each conscript handles the rifle around half a year and each time the rifle changes it's user, a gunsmith checks, maintains and fixes the gun. So there usually really isn't time for the conscript to damage the gun so much. Of course sometimes you see an idiot driving over the gun with a truck but that's extremely rare and usually reported. Most of the negative feedback comes from the states where there are guys who have much more experience with different kinds of guns. Vast majority of the Finnish conscripts haven't even shot a gun before military service.
I used the full auto version of this when i did my military service in the Finnish military. They are incredible accurate guns and they almost never jams.
Tube stock on RK-62 is hollow and accessible from buttplate. Conscripts were trained to smoke their cigarettes inside the tube so IR cameras don't pick up the heat from it. Almost counts as sauna.
A few additions and RK-tastic trivia: -The lanyard loop on the mags is by official doctrine used to distinguish for example tracer mags by touch in the dark, by tying knots of string on it. The loop is still present on the modern polymer ones. -The Finnish Army did in fact issue a folding stock version to Rangers, MPs and such. -Although the mag itself is interchangeable with Russian mags, the Finnish mag is NOT compatible with Russian AK's. I now this is true with the current polymer ones, not sure of the old steel mags. A very... winter war-esque design in my mind. - The flash hider doubles as an awkward barb wire cutter. Stupid design, but eh. -I also believe there is an integrated folding rear night sight, not an add-on one, not sure what those are. -If you buy one, I'd recommend you use match-grade ammo. Finnish defence force standard issue ball is match grade Lapua, and that's what these were designed to shoot. I hear the barrel may somehow deteriorate badly from cheap ammo, but this is just hearsay.
I don't know where you got the fact that the mags are not interoperable. I have shot the RK95, RK62, bulgarian Arsenal SAR and East-German MpiKMS all with FDF steel mags, FDF polymer mags, russian and chinese steel mags, bulgarian polymer mags and even the Magpul AK PMAG. A lot. They all work. Only AK mags in Finland that won't work, are the Izmash/Saiga civilian polymer mags which have a different feed ramp design on purpose.
Interesting fact: Even after the Warsaw Pact moved on to the AK-74 with its 5.45mm round, Finland stuck with its AK-47 variants with the 7.62mm round. The larger calibre was considered better for forest warfare since the bullets deflect less from hitting tree branches, and forest warfare seldom happens at distances where the better long-range accuracy of 5.something round rifles matters.
Today, on the day of the 100th anniversary of the October coup d'etat, Erik, think on what Americans - and even Russians - really (REALLY) know about Finnish Civil War. Same thing with this beauty - Ian "kinda" presents the point of view from the USA. No offence, just different mole-hill. :)
When I left I swore I'd forget that rifle, the barracks, the weather and everything in between, I was so done with being stuck there. I can still remember the cold wind in our close-order drill, the way our barrack smelled, and that god damned serial number.
Indeed, my service rifle even was this bicycle handle / cheese grater model, though obviously automatic. Best weapon I've ever shot and also the only one ✌
"Forgotten Weapons" is certainly a focus of this channel, but he doesn't just cover forgotten weapons. He also covers mechanically interesting weapons (his recent VZ-61 video) or weapons that are simply uncommon outside their native lands.
Yea our Grand grand dads kicked ass in the winter war, its a shame even that Finland basically won, we had a huge amount of war debt to Russia. So it was more like +-=0
The one Valmet I've always wanted... at todays prices of over $6k for the last one I saw sell for on GunBroker, I'll likely never own one. This and the FAMAS are two rifles I so desperately want to own and never will.
I'd trade my selection of current rifles for one Valmet. As an AK man and simp of Finland and the 1980s, it's the only right choice. Tube folder. Mags are crazy rare and expensive here
Valmet also perfected the stamping process (and unlike Soviet and other stamped AK's, the stamped RK's are fully compatible with the milled variants in regard to their internals) in the 1970's, but due to FDF accuracy and compatibility requirements (all parts had to be 100% interchangeable with the milled RK 62 and both had to reach the same level of accuracy) the resulting stamped RK 62 76 was actually more expensive to produce than the milled RK 62. The RK 62 76 was lighter and faster to produce though, but it also started losing accuracy earlier than the milled RK 62, as the stamped receiver flexed and stretched more in long-term usage.
stamped RK's were never put in to real service by the FDF. If i remember correctly they got some rifles in 1977, 79 and 81 and declared then not ''good enough'' in 1983-84 and converted most rifles to semi-auto only and sold them to reservist.
military models stock is a nightmare, design flaw really, starts working itself loose pretty fast and shake. the flash hider gets packed with snow pretty easy too if you are not careful (problem with all birdcage flashhiders) and its heavier than RK 62. best ''ak'' to come out of Finland in my mind is RK 62TP with RK 95 optic rail attached to the side. Dont know how many of these optic rail addon guns have been made but couple of our officers and fellow soldiers got them.
When I served in the Swedish language brigade of the Finnish military in 1976-77, this gun was officially called “Stormgevär” , but everyone called it by its slang name: Stägä. 👍🇫🇮
@@okaro6595 Så klart. Stormgevär har ju ingenting alls med Sverige att göra utan är en direktöversättning från tyskans Sturmgewehr, som ju i sin tur var ursprunget till Kalaschnikoven.
4:43 I'm not sure what Indy meant with an add-on rear night sight but the RK actually has a fixed rear night sight too. By folding the rear sight all the way over you basically get a partridge iron sight on which three luminous balls are aligned on a horizontal plain.
The slotted vertical screw on the rear sight is used for adjusting the night sight after the day sights have been zeroed. On the military version, the rear dots are phosphorescent while the forward sight has a green tritium vial instead of that orange dot.
AK in the USSR was a massive and simple infantryman’s weapon that yesterday’s schoolchild could master. This is the reason for the simplicity of the Soviet AK, and not because such sights were unknown to Soviet designers.
They shot just fine. But like Major Dickface said, some people had trouble sticking to their own targets on the range, specifically during the rapid fire exercises. Infuriating for those who were actually good shots.
I think there are a few things you got wrong. -The design was based on an AK acquired from Poland, not Russia. -The night sights can be accessed when you flip the rear sight all the way to the front. -RK62 magazines were designed so that they would not fit an AK, but AK magazines would fit an RK62 -RK62 TP is the folding stock variant used by the military. -I think the trigger is also different to an AK.
The design is definitely Russian, although the original pattern arms were acquired through Poland! The RK magazines do fit the AK-47. ua-cam.com/video/7Vpz7SIVYuc/v-deo.htmlm10s
you're bending the words to make it seem less russian, whats the problem with finland finding the AK platform usefull in their weather conditions? Not like no countries ever made their own versions
Se ase pidetään aina käden ulottuvilla ja kaukana teltan liepeistä You keep the gun always at place where you can reach it and always far from bottom of the walls of tent
The Finnish Defense Forces actually used RK62 with folding stock (RK62TP), mainly for bike, and quad riding scouts. It was later pretty much completely replaced by the RK95
Apart from the stock the proportions and sights where changed slightly for the RK95. I'd say it has a slightly longer handguard and the rear sight has this L-shaped flip sight with 150m and 300m zero.
yeah and the rk95 is capable of shooting riffle genades because it has gas valve under the front sight. and it has mounting holes on left for special optics ie. acog, reddot or night vision
At its time of adoption? Absolutely, one could even argue that it was one of the best assault rifles at that time (60s and 70s). Surely something produced today is more efficient, even the RK-95 had some improvements over the RK-62.
The quality is much higher in these Valmets. The sightblock and the receiver have a smooth finish, meaning the castings and milling were done much better. Aside from the early crude stock and hand guards, this is an AK design produced in a more “western” mindset.
Really good video once again, Ian. However, the folding stock version IS actually in military service, its designation is RK62TP (taittoperä - folding stock) and is mainly used by motorbike troops and other specialized roles who need a more compact rifle. Just wanted to share this little info. :)
GEMCO was a membership department store that went out of business in the mid 1980. Sort of the Costco of its day. Many were converted to Target stores. They had a grocery, pharmacy electronic and sporting goods departments. those day they sold guns
Any of you guys remember the other store FEDCO? Hahaha. I bought a deep freezer (Amana, still have it and it's still running as quiet as a mouse in my garage) in 1998 when they went out of business, for 100 dollars (Buena Park Ca store). FEDCO had the better camping stuff but no firearms.
Ian, I hate you. I spend far too much time watching your eminent videos covering more or less forgotten weapons - in fact, I find myself binge watching them! I spent 12 years in the Norwegian Army during the Cold War, have served twice in the Middle East in the 80's, and have been shooting a wide array of military guns over the last 30 years - including owning quite a handful myself. Your videos and your research / knowledge are in a league of their own! I salute you!
I had one of these as my service weapon during my service in the Finnish military in 2009. Some of the guys had newer variants but I was very pleased with how reliable the gun was even through decades of usage 👌
The RK-62 is incredibly durable. Currently doing my military service with an RK built in 1968, still shoots perfectly and never jams. Incredible rifle to say the least. Edit: The RK I currently use is also looks identical to the one in the video with the exact same grips.
These rifles with this exact setup are still in use. (obviously only difference being it's full-auto). I came back home from "UUSIMAA 17" military refresher training just yesterday and i saw these rifles being still in use. They still fire as accurate as the shooter is. My rifle was sako made RK-62 made in 1994 and i shot 92 out of 100 at 150m. (after 10 rounds of aligment shots then 10 rounds for the actual score) Last time i fired a gun was in the mandatory military training that was 5 years ago. Back then my best score was 93/100. So in a nutshell if you are a good shooter these rifles will deliver (in my experience at least) and you will hit the target if you want to. (All of this was shot with the iron sights).
Heard a lot of good things about these over the years. Nice to see one and see why. The sight upgrade alone is well worth it. Great video as always. Thank you
You go to Finland asking some Valmets and you'll most likely get a paper machine. Or a tram. Or basically any machine from a sauna thermometer to a forest harvester. :P
@dimapez Kuuskekkoseen saa ihan samalla lailla sen jalan johon kiinnitetään optiikka, ei ole kyllä vakiona muistaakseni. Lähinnä valonvahvistin tohon kiinnitetää.
4:44 Some notes about the sights on the RK, the rear night sight is not an add-on. It’s under the aperture, you just flip the sight forwards, and it also acts as a CQB sight. You can see it at 3:44 The screws on the sides are also never used for windage, they’re for zeroing the rifle, every serviceman spends their first firing sessions just adjusting the sights
Military also had folding stocks for paratrooper use. I had one when i served in Utti. I wasn't a parajaeger but we all used those old Rk62TP:s (TP for "Taittoperä, folding stock) Most of those were built in the 80's though and i believe the parajaegers used ak47s rifles at that time. Also the rear night sight should be there, just flip the rear sight all the way forward. At least later pattern rifles have.
Sama vika kuin nikolla, ensin ammuin sillä muovikahvaisella, sitten tämmösellä ja sitten taas mupvikahvaisella ja tää malli oli parempi, muovinen oli liukkaampi ja paksumpi etukahva, vähän ehkä liiankin paksu, ei saanu mukavaa otetta.
@@12345678901234565678 se uudempi oli vaan paremmin muotoiltu omaan käteen. Purettaessa se etukahva tosin oli enemmän tiellä. Toisaalta taas olin KK-mies joten suurin osa ajasta PKM oli käytössä ja RK keräs pölyä.
In the Finnish military you had to learn how to disassemble and then assemble this rifle in a minute. Blindfolded. I'm not kidding, it's actually a lot easier than it sounds and I don't remember anyone of my squad failing in that after a bit of practice.
Back when I was in we did the blindfolded thing just for fun but it was not mandatory or even taught that way. It was enough for the miltary that we knew how the clean the gun and dissasemble/assemble it.
J Kausti We didn't do it blindfolded, but it wasn't really necessary either. We did it so often that by the end, everyone could have done it blindfolded, drunk and with both hands tied behind their back.
Hello from Finland! That front night sight should be used with the rear night sight which is intergrated in Factory sight. Just flip it over and there you have it, Full night sight combination 😎
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Oh, didn't remember that one. But for my defence it's been over a decade from my service in military with this gun.
I fired some rounds with this version at the military service (automatic version but otherwise identical) even thou we primarly used the RK 95 TP in service. Thanks for this video, these guns were and still are rock solid in finnish winter
The Finn's have always been very proud of things produced in Finland
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As a Finnish person I loved seeing you fumble with the disassembly and assembly of the gun since almost 80% of all Finnish males had to learn how to do that with their service rifles in about 10 seconds :)
Little interesting tidbit; the stock actually holds the field cleaning gear for the weapon. You can see the cover in the end of the stock in this video.
I don't think anyone uses it anymore, the little baggie of cleaning gear is too bulky for the tube. Now guys just fiddle with the lid, playing notes by plucking it.
We (obviously) had the actual RK62 (full auto) version of this when I did some time in the Finnish army, it was crude but very effective. Also super simple mechanically (we had to be able to disassemble and reassemble the gun blindfolded lying down on our backs within a minute and it was perfectly doable). Good fun shooting these, accurate and does the job right
真白 I was in the finnish military for a year and got promoted to a sergeant after finishing my service, we had this challenge from our captain that promised one extra day of vacation if someone can disassemble the RK-62 with a blindfold 10 times in under a minute. Guess who's the guy who got the extra day.
Fun M62 utility facts: the tubular stock is hollow and holds the cleaning rod and some swabs for the barrel, the trigger guard was internationally designed to be big enough for a gloved finger, and the three prongs of the flash hider are sharpened so it can be used as a wire cutter: just jam the wire between two of the prongs and rotate the gun to tension the wire and slice into it with the sharp edges.
Valmet stands for VALtion METallitehdas which means "The state metal factory" and they really produced everything metal. They used to make these small firearms (sold to Beretta) and even mortars and artillery during the war time. Nowadays they are specialized in making paper machines.
You forgot to mention that the stock is hollow, and in the end of it there is a lid. It is for keeping in oil brush, cleaning brush, their 2-part rod, a little oil bottle, and the sight setting key. I'm not sure if the imported version includest them. edit: and the hollow grip is to hold some rayon inside of it, for cleaning.
My dad had the M78 rifle in the Finnish Army service in 1982. The armory officer said that his rifle is the most accurate one. I was the best shooter when it was my time in 2008 with M95. 97 points from 150 meters.
Nice video! Some comments I noticed (may have been mentioned already): - Nightsigth in the back can be used when flipping the sight fully forwards - The stock is hollow and typically contains cleaning equipments - Newer version of clips are made of plastic
If I remember hearing correctly and being awake during one of those countless classes back in the military, the AR10 was actually the preferred weapon during the tests, it apparently fulfilled almost all of Finlands needs and wants from a rifle, only the AK won in the end due to being immensely cheaper to buy and maintain. Also, those "bike grip" guns were affectionately called either "old trash" or "Michelin Man", which I found quite hilarious. Also weirdly, the RK95TP is actually heavier than the RK62 and probably due to the stock design, much more front heavy, uncomfortably so at times, causing it to be a bit unstable and harder to handle at certain situations.
Iris Heart The weight comes mostly from the heavier barrel (also the reason for the front heaviness). Personally I prefer the 95, for ergonomic and a hint of sentimental reasons.
Was the barrel of the 62 that much different from the 95? I've never really got my hands on the 62 aside for a few times at the range during basic training, been spending most of my time with the 95TP after that.
Iris Heart visually you really can't tell the difference in the barrels. Never either shot the 62 during my service, only afterwards. Only use we had for 62:s during my service was violent close combat practice hitting each other with them.
Kalle Kilponen It ain't that much heavier or lighter, much more manageable though as the new stock isn't so retarded like the old one. All around a much nicer gun to have and you don't have to take shit from snobby 95 brats anymore as the new M is just as tacticool if not even more.
I remember when I was a wee little lad in the late 70s, the M62 was my least liked battle rifle. Today, if I could only wrap my arms around one, how tastes change as one matures.
I believe what they (we) were looking for was something that was as reliable as AK, didn't cost too much to make or maintain, and make it just sturdy. Ofc the 7.62×39mm (like in AK) was the only option for caliber for better lethal range and not getting stopped or redirected so easily when shot in forest and bushes. Russians tend to come up with simple and working solutions, what they lack is quality in crafting what they design. They go by the principle of more is better as Finns go with "we can't afford to be constantly making x, so lets make it so it lasts" aka quality. When you do not have resources, you better make the little you have count...
every european AK clone is in some sence an upgrade to the russian one, it's just that diffent eastern block (or non eastern block) countries needed different things on their standad issue rifle
@@strahinjastevic7480 AK was of stamped steel. Finnish RK is of milled steel, all carved up. A totally different weapon in that sense. But yeah, the mechanism Russians stole from Sturmgewehr were perfect.
@@HeilAmarth "Stole from the STG "? the only thing the guns have incommon is a curved mag and thats becouse of the calibres, since stacking one round over another naturally makes a curve.
That magazine lanyard loop was used during conscript service to attach the magazine into rifle with a leather strap. This only when not shooting with the rifles of course. This was to avoid conscripts loosing mags into the forest.
I read from an older manual, that they're used for distinguishing between non-tracer and tracer mags at night. Tie a piece of string on magloop to know which magazine has tracers in it.
MythicFrost I did not know that but it makes sense. I know valmet parts are hard to find for some of their ak variants but galil parts will work with no problems most of the time.
Here is the US, Finnish AK's are the cream of the import crop and always sell out within hours. Got to fire one of these at a Class 3 shootout and I'm quite familiar with why they get snatched up so quick: They're masterpieces of handheld engineering. I already own a Finnish captured and reworked Mosin, so I'm familiar with how fantastic their craftsmanship is!
I'm currently in the army and we call it "terroristimalli"(terrorist model). Also my gun has swiss cheese hand guard or what ever its called and the newer type of pistol grip.(Very accurate gun, i hit 9/10 times to 10 and once to the 9 when we were adjusting the sights)
We still had this pattern of RK62s in service when I did my conscription service in Finnish military, back in 2007. Most of them were the pattern with updated pistol grips and front handguards.
Tärkeä muistutus jokaselle jolla on oma rk, ÄLKÄÄ MYYKÖ, JA JOS MYYTTE NII TIETÄKÄÄ ETTÄ NE ON KERÄILY HARVINAISUUKSIA, muistakaa pitää hinta korkeella Koskee myös vanhoja pelti lippaita, amerikassa yhdestä valmetin lippaasta saa 500€
@@Luihuable nii kai, mutta sitä saa odotella viä monta kymmentä vuotta, ja mahtaako modernisoiduilla olla samaa arvoa kuin alkuperäsellä 1962 rakennetulla?
Jenkkien kysymät peltilippaat tyypillisesti on 5.56:sta eikä 7.62:sta. Lähinnä käytetty lähes pelkästään jenkeille myynnissä olleissa Valmet M71 -malleissa.
@@Luihuable Tuo armeijaylijäämän myynti siviileille oli simppeliä pulttilukkojen kanssa mutta rynkkyjen kanssa ne pitäisi joko muuntaa pelkästään itselataaviksi tai jenkkimarkkinoille vietävissä pistää osiksi ja runko tuhota ATF:n vaatimusten mukaisesti, eli tuskin tullaan kovinkaan montaa tuhatta Valmettilaista saamaan siviilimarkkinoille sitten kun rynkkyä vaihdetaan.
Great video, sir. The milled receiver M-76 rifles were also made in 7.62 NATO with plastic furniture. I lucked into one at a local gun shop just before the assault weapons ban and it's one of the very last rifles I'd ever sell. Also a lot easier to tote around than my M-78....
Hieno ase, ja tarkka, parhaat tähtäimet ak mallisessa kiväärissä, oman kokemuksen perusteella ainut huono puoli täs kivääris on vaikea hallittavuus sarjatulella, ja mitä tarkkuutee tulee nii se on ampujasta kiinni, kapiaisten 2 suurinta valituksen aihetta oli hätäily liipasimen kaa ja että tähtäimiä ei kiristetty kunnolla jolloin tähtäimien säädökset hyppii, mää vähä veikkaa että tyypit jokka haukkuu tätä paskaks aseeks ei joko osaa yksinkertasesti ampua tai muutenvaa ei tykkää mallista Valmistuslaatu on ylivoimasesti paras ku vertaa muihin massa tuottettuihin ak sukuisiin, oman palvelus aseen valmistus vuosi oli 74, en oikee usko että monen aseen runko kestäis varusmiesten käytös niin pitkää
The lanyard loop at the bottom of the mag is there to tie the mag to the gun so if you accidentally release the mag, it'll stay with you. Also there is a possibility to get snow and ice under the bottom plate of the magazine which could make the whole thing come apart. When the plate is tied to the gun, you wouldn't loose the small black plate if it slips open. And as some already pointed out, the rear sight flips over to be a used as a night sight with the night front sight post. The old style front hand grip is superior compared to the newer version. You could assemble all the moving parts with the gas tube and slap them in their place way more quickly than with the grip that covered the gas tube. I was the only one in our squad who had that old style grip and I was totally unbeatable in the timed disassembly/assembly races they made us do.
A friend of mine served in the Finnish Military. He reckons their battle rifle is superb. Tough as a shovel, powerful, accurate and totally reliable. He also said that carrying it was one of the single most unpleasant aspects of being in the army.
Yep, didnt see too many of those when i was in the army. I had one because i was a motorcycle courier as you said. Most troops that need or benefit from a folding stock nowadays get the RK 95.
I used a TP as an MP in 2013, mine was made in -72 if I remember correctly. Didn't have or see any issues with it being too loose or wobbly. Some were even extremely tight requiring frustrating amounts of force to fold it. The best part about the folding stock was that it folded to the right side, so it was possible to fold it with optics attached to the left side to the gun. The stock tilts downwards a littlebit, so the bolt handle could cycle while being fired. Accessing the fire selector was a bit difficult though. I always wondered, why do the russian sidefolders fold to the left, and still have the optics mount on the left side (typical Russian logic?). The stock could be folded if you pushed it downwards first. It held itself folded on the side by friction in the joint, so folding it back just required a bit of force. Some stocks were so tight, that the easiest way to fold it was to turn it upside down and pulling it upwards with your thumb on the receiver and other fingers on the stock. It was also possible (but not adviced) to slam it on your chest in order to fold it quickly (a bit painful with a stiff stock :D) All in all 5/5, would service again.
I have always wanted to own one of these there were a few in the UK before the semi auto ban. I think this would be a great rifle for somebody to set up US production and people would want them even today if you built them right.
There is still rk62tp (taittoperä=folding stock) rifles in service today along with all the other rk62 variants. Sometimes they are given to scouts or other personnel that would need that, sometimes randomly.
iso osa on sysätty rajavartiostolle. kaveri on lapissa rajalla töissä ja sanoo että heillä ei paljon muita kivääreitä, TRG:n lisäksi olekkaan. tämä tieto 3 vuoden takaa mutta luulisi pitävänsä kutinsa tänäkin päivänä.
5:40 During the service, we secured the mag to rifle with leather strap (Irtohihna for us Finnish speakers, IIRC). Edit: Attachment to trigger guard, obviously. =)
During my service I probably dropped that lock a thousand times, maybe oiled it once or twice and somehow it never broke and always passed inspection. RK is the 3310 of weapons.
I served at 2010's with a gun furbished just like this one, from 1969. My service gun was around three times my age. I didnt have a single misfire or feeding failure, and the gun shot perfectly accurate.
I guess it's because Finnish guns are cool (pun intended), like Russian guns, but rare and come with some fine improvements. Like this one, which is a copy of a Russian AK with some fine parts added into it. Or the Mosin Nagant (AKA Ukko-Pekka), which was quite literally a Russian gun with some fine parts added into it. :P
I carried one just like this while serving for my country for eight months of mandatory service back in the seventies. The gun issued for me as a personal weapon was very much worn down externally but it worked like a dream. I never thought that I could become a marksman, but it turned out to be a really easy gun to use and surprisingly accurate too. I wish I could buy one of those beautiful guns today. I also hope never to be in situation that I´d have to use that gun against any enemy or foe.
dude that's a semi auto model of the riffle I used while in the Finnish Defense forces 2005. Some of 'em are still damn accurate while other just sling bullets in general direction.
Usually they can be zeroed in to shoot true again. I remember when mine was fucked with so that it would shoot low and to the left, they gave me tracer rounds to fix it. Then the next day at the range, my friend encountered the same problem, not hitting his target at all next to me. They told him to try once more, and if none hit they'd give him tracers. I shot ten into his board and they gave the tracers to me again.
the one I got was the oldest one in the whole garrison. There was some way to see how old it actually was and well it was the same year that the first one were made. Besides the riffling was... well you still could say there was a riffling... barely. Still shot the all time high score in live fire defense drill with my friend. Wasted only one shot and the instructors expression was priceless when you hand off excess ammo shy of 1 from perfect score (one target needed a sim shot to go down). So it could be said that the riffle itself was good enough but not for 150m target shooting
I was serving in finnish military and i loved my RK62. It was so reliable and super accurate. I had my golden shooting medals and it was easy with that rifle!
nah. it's just the way they are made. you put a ton of bullets trough it but with proper care and cleaning you can't tell the difference between that and a brand new one. and i assume if you own such moon rocks in the states you are going to take care of it.
AS AN OPFOR COMMANDER I PRESSED A BUNCH OF THESE INTO SERVICE IN 7.62X39 MODEL AND THE 5.56 GUNS. LOVED BOTH AND CONSIDER THEM THE BEST IMPORT AK MADE. WE STILL HAVE ALL OF THESE GUNS AND HAVE PUT MANY MANY ROUNDS THROUGH THEM. ALSO HAVE SEVERAL OF THE RPK SEMI KNOCKOFFS IN 7.62X51 NATO. THE MODELS WE HAVE CAME IN WITH MODIFIED G-3 MAGAZINES.
Barrels were threaded into the front trunnion instead of pressed like "real" AKs and AKM's, which is also another reason why Valmets and Galils tend to be the most accurate variants of AK in any given caliber.
I used the military version (RK-62TP. TP = Folding stock) during my military service during late 90's. It was the model with the smoother pistol and front grip that covered the gas tube. It also HAD the folding tubular stock which made it easier to handle/carry in certain situations. It was pretty solid AK-rifle.
On one winter day my friend left his rifle against my heavy offroad trucks front wheel. I didn't notice that and when I drove away both of the rear wheels went over the rifle :D The rifle didn't show any external damage and we decided not to tell anybody :D And when we had next shooting day it also worked just fine so it's a quite strong rifle.
This comment needs more likes! :)
Let’s put it under a hydraulic press and see if the rifle still works.
Täsmää.
ac1dP1nk Well, if there was no external damage, there couldn't have been any internal damage. Rubber is softer than steel.
Laird Cummings Hm. I did not know that milled AKs are flexible.
I served Finnish Military with military version of this rifle. Super accurate, did shoot my golden shooting medal with it. Everybody who says this is no good doesn`t know what they are talking about.
The comments of being no-good likely stem from the conscription system. Some rifles are well taken care of by people who both know and care to do so, while others are beat to shit and driven over with transport vehicles.
How many different rifles have you compared this to? It's kinda easy to get biased on RK62 when it's literally the only assault rifle you've shot. Also the Finnish army shooting tests are made the rifle's capabilities in mind. If I remember correctly the test where you could achieve the shooter-medals was done from 150 meters. If one would've used a longer and larger calibre bolt action rifle like M/39 for an example, the distance would have been increased.
So getting a golden shooters medal in the Finnish army with Finnish RK62 doesn't really tell anything about the rifles quality.
RK62 rifles seem to be from the high end quality wise but the calibre itself (7,62x39) makes the rifle rather hard to control compared to western assault rifles that use a less powerfull cartridge.
@@TunkkisI don't really agree with this. On average each conscript handles the rifle around half a year and each time the rifle changes it's user, a gunsmith checks, maintains and fixes the gun. So there usually really isn't time for the conscript to damage the gun so much. Of course sometimes you see an idiot driving over the gun with a truck but that's extremely rare and usually reported.
Most of the negative feedback comes from the states where there are guys who have much more experience with different kinds of guns. Vast majority of the Finnish conscripts haven't even shot a gun before military service.
@@Karpaneen RK6 = 300 metriä.
I used the full auto version of this when i did my military service in the Finnish military. They are incredible accurate guns and they almost never jams.
The stock is hollow for concealed nighttime smoking when on guard duty.
I wish we in Sweden had such a compartment in the Ak5C
Oli kyl wörtti!
Our sergeant taught us to conceal cigarette in our sleeves, nice trick.
My wife is from Finland. She is also very well made.
Best bang for the buck.
We have really good quality control in finland.
How's the rear sight?
@@mikkoheikkila5457 Moro
Ex wife was Finnish. Well made
I bet there is a sauna hidden somewhere in that piece
Lmao
Tube stock on RK-62 is hollow and accessible from buttplate. Conscripts were trained to smoke their cigarettes inside the tube so IR cameras don't pick up the heat from it. Almost counts as sauna.
its in the gaasss ttuubbe maaann
I once shot 6 mags in a couple of minutes, and I think the barrel turned into a kiuas (stove in a sauna).
Instead of an oil bottle there's a shot of vodka in the grip.
A few additions and RK-tastic trivia:
-The lanyard loop on the mags is by official doctrine used to distinguish for example tracer mags by touch in the dark, by tying knots of string on it. The loop is still present on the modern polymer ones.
-The Finnish Army did in fact issue a folding stock version to Rangers, MPs and such.
-Although the mag itself is interchangeable with Russian mags, the Finnish mag is NOT compatible with Russian AK's. I now this is true with the current polymer ones, not sure of the old steel mags. A very... winter war-esque design in my mind.
- The flash hider doubles as an awkward barb wire cutter. Stupid design, but eh.
-I also believe there is an integrated folding rear night sight, not an add-on one, not sure what those are.
-If you buy one, I'd recommend you use match-grade ammo. Finnish defence force standard issue ball is match grade Lapua, and that's what these were designed to shoot. I hear the barrel may somehow deteriorate badly from cheap ammo, but this is just hearsay.
KirgiisianMunaKenno The flash hider is definitely not a barbed wire cutter. That is just a rumor that has started to spread at some point.
There is a 1960s FDF video where it is used as a wire cutter.
I don't know where you got the fact that the mags are not interoperable. I have shot the RK95, RK62, bulgarian Arsenal SAR and East-German MpiKMS all with FDF steel mags, FDF polymer mags, russian and chinese steel mags, bulgarian polymer mags and even the Magpul AK PMAG. A lot. They all work. Only AK mags in Finland that won't work, are the Izmash/Saiga civilian polymer mags which have a different feed ramp design on purpose.
He means that the RK mags won't work with russian AKs (at least the ones made at the time), but the AK mags work with the RK.
The rear night sight is just the the regular rear sight bar flipped 180° forward.
Interesting fact: Even after the Warsaw Pact moved on to the AK-74 with its 5.45mm round, Finland stuck with its AK-47 variants with the 7.62mm round. The larger calibre was considered better for forest warfare since the bullets deflect less from hitting tree branches, and forest warfare seldom happens at distances where the better long-range accuracy of 5.something round rifles matters.
Will Finland stay with 7.62 once their new rifle co-developed with Sweden is finalized?
I guess this video will be flooded with comments like this, but as a Finn I can by no means call this weapon forgotten.
Today, on the day of the 100th anniversary of the October coup d'etat, Erik, think on what Americans - and even Russians - really (REALLY) know about Finnish Civil War. Same thing with this beauty - Ian "kinda" presents the point of view from the USA. No offence, just different mole-hill. :)
Agreed, a more fitting term for the gun would be "The derelict weapon"
When I left I swore I'd forget that rifle, the barracks, the weather and everything in between, I was so done with being stuck there.
I can still remember the cold wind in our close-order drill, the way our barrack smelled, and that god damned serial number.
Indeed, my service rifle even was this bicycle handle / cheese grater model, though obviously automatic. Best weapon I've ever shot and also the only one ✌
"Forgotten Weapons" is certainly a focus of this channel, but he doesn't just cover forgotten weapons. He also covers mechanically interesting weapons (his recent VZ-61 video) or weapons that are simply uncommon outside their native lands.
Finns have a VERY fascinating military history.
Be russias worst enemy for a couple years, then be friends with them and share military tech. Why you may ask? Because the power of CYKA and PERKELE!
Yea our Grand grand dads kicked ass in the winter war, its a shame even that Finland basically won, we had a huge amount of war debt to Russia.
So it was more like +-=0
Mikael Laurila basically we did not came even close to win..check your facts man
Yep. When Swedes ruled Finland (1200s-1809) they used to fight to the last Finn.
Fascinating is just the word..
That's the coolest AK I've seen. And as a Norwegian, I think it's cool that it's Finish.
You should check out the RK95 TP it looks even more nice.
yeah, get some nationalism in there too
Finished by Finnish ValMet !
as a norwegian living in finland and being in the finnish military, I absolutely love this rifle
@@NickBailuc are you stupid?
The one Valmet I've always wanted... at todays prices of over $6k for the last one I saw sell for on GunBroker, I'll likely never own one. This and the FAMAS are two rifles I so desperately want to own and never will.
Military Arms Channel Love the channel man. Never say never. Just have to keep your eyes open. Nothing on gunbroker thats rare ever comes cheap.
really? The one I've always wanted is a Valmet Hunter in 30-06. Also very expensive, unfortunately.
Military Arms Channel you have a good taste.
I'll pass on the FAMAS, but Valmets are common and cheap in Europe, might be worth the hassle and expense to import.
Maby u can get the newer rk95 (civilian version) its better and you can mount sights on it
Damn, I was waiting for Ian trying to pronounce "RynnäkköKivääri" ("assault rifle), from which the RK comes from.
J Kausti Same here but I guess he just can't bother.
Just realized that rynnäkkökivääri is as finnish word a word can get
Rynnäkkökivääri*
DNF. Did Not Finnish.
RYNKKY
The fact that I can own this in Canada but not an AK really speaks to how stupid our gun laws are (also these retail for $8,000 here in Canada)
About as stupid as the British ones from the sound of that.
Tried to flex 😂 but made yourself look dumb for spending 8 grand on an ak
@@ticket2space never said I paid 8k for an Ak….
@@ticket2space you made yourself look dumb assuming he did.
@@ticket2spacepremium ak*
*Perkele intensifies*
Vitu Satana!!!
Austin Hawkins
*Vittu saatana!*
Painu vittuun, saatana
Mita Vitu!!
Vitulla Päähän...
This gun is simply amazing, we still use its variants in the Finnish military today. I myself use a 1974 7.62mm RK-62. Military variant of course.
I'd trade my selection of current rifles for one Valmet. As an AK man and simp of Finland and the 1980s, it's the only right choice. Tube folder.
Mags are crazy rare and expensive here
This appears to be the Rolls Royce of AK's.
Valmet also perfected the stamping process (and unlike Soviet and other stamped AK's, the stamped RK's are fully compatible with the milled variants in regard to their internals) in the 1970's, but due to FDF accuracy and compatibility requirements (all parts had to be 100% interchangeable with the milled RK 62 and both had to reach the same level of accuracy) the resulting stamped RK 62 76 was actually more expensive to produce than the milled RK 62. The RK 62 76 was lighter and faster to produce though, but it also started losing accuracy earlier than the milled RK 62, as the stamped receiver flexed and stretched more in long-term usage.
That would be the RK 95
no... sig 552 better.
stamped RK's were never put in to real service by the FDF. If i remember correctly they got some rifles in 1977, 79 and 81 and declared then not ''good enough'' in 1983-84 and converted most rifles to semi-auto only and sold them to reservist.
military models stock is a nightmare, design flaw really, starts working itself loose pretty fast and shake. the flash hider gets packed with snow pretty easy too if you are not careful (problem with all birdcage flashhiders) and its heavier than RK 62. best ''ak'' to come out of Finland in my mind is RK 62TP with RK 95 optic rail attached to the side. Dont know how many of these optic rail addon guns have been made but couple of our officers and fellow soldiers got them.
When I served in the Swedish language brigade of the Finnish military in 1976-77, this gun was officially called “Stormgevär” , but everyone called it by its slang name: Stägä. 👍🇫🇮
Sluta yyyra! Avdelning taakse poistu!
Stägä tuli lyhnnyksestä stg eli rk suomeksi. Kyllä ainkin minä ihan oikean käden sormella liipasinta painoin. 👍😀
Liipasinta ei paineta, sitä hipelöidään hellästi että saadaan ase laukeamaan =P
The term "Stormgevär" is used only in Finland. It is an unknown word in Sweden. In Sweden it is called automatkarbin.
@@okaro6595 Så klart. Stormgevär har ju ingenting alls med Sverige att göra utan är en direktöversättning från tyskans Sturmgewehr, som ju i sin tur var ursprunget till Kalaschnikoven.
4:43 I'm not sure what Indy meant with an add-on rear night sight but the RK actually has a fixed rear night sight too. By folding the rear sight all the way over you basically get a partridge iron sight on which three luminous balls are aligned on a horizontal plain.
Yeah I do recall my service one had that too. Of course it was a true RK and not a semi version.
Man that series is awesome
Yes I did :D
Ha! My first thought as well.
The slotted vertical screw on the rear sight is used for adjusting the night sight after the day sights have been zeroed. On the military version, the rear dots are phosphorescent while the forward sight has a green tritium vial instead of that orange dot.
Funny how the Russians "upgraded" the sights on the AK-12 to almost the same as the Finns already had half a century ago.
Facundo Corradini . Just like everything else there.
@Merc 1973 That is the original RK 62 which was made in the 60's without the modernized grip, handle and stock. RK 62M is pretty cool looking rifle.
@@leenajarvinen7098 I want to remind you that AK appeared in Russia earlier than in Finland.
AK in the USSR was a massive and simple infantryman’s weapon that yesterday’s schoolchild could master. This is the reason for the simplicity of the Soviet AK, and not because such sights were unknown to Soviet designers.
@zouni Do you think you wrote something smart?
I don’t know about the Russians and your people, but specifically you are a rare idiot.
I’ve heard RK 62s are very accurate with the standard issue Finnish ammo which is match grade. That’s awesome.
Either the guns not as accurate as people say
or Im a hilariously awful shot
cause when I was trained with it I consistently hit other peoples targets
Major Dickface
Hilarious and underrated comment
Could be if using new barrels, but if using the basic "beaten by conscripts for three decades"-barrels, nobody could shoot them straight! :D
They shot just fine. But like Major Dickface said, some people had trouble sticking to their own targets on the range, specifically during the rapid fire exercises. Infuriating for those who were actually good shots.
Major Dickface that's probably just because they're so beaten up and worn.
I think there are a few things you got wrong.
-The design was based on an AK acquired from Poland, not Russia.
-The night sights can be accessed when you flip the rear sight all the way to the front.
-RK62 magazines were designed so that they would not fit an AK, but AK magazines would fit an RK62
-RK62 TP is the folding stock variant used by the military.
-I think the trigger is also different to an AK.
The design is definitely Russian, although the original pattern arms were acquired through Poland!
The RK magazines do fit the AK-47. ua-cam.com/video/7Vpz7SIVYuc/v-deo.htmlm10s
And in military use there is full auto option besides semi auto
you're bending the words to make it seem less russian, whats the problem with finland finding the AK platform usefull in their weather conditions? Not like no countries ever made their own versions
What I find even more interesting is how the Israeli Galil was a copy of the Finnish RK62.
I find it interesting how the magazines are basically designed for fighting against Russia. Did my service with a 62 and didn't know that.
Remember kids. This work fine at -40F and even if you forgot it outside tent over night during blizzard
Se ase pidetään aina käden ulottuvilla ja kaukana teltan liepeistä
You keep the gun always at place where you can reach it and always far from bottom of the walls of tent
@@Heksu99 tarkotat varmaan teltan että se nimenomaan pidetään teltan reunassa jotta se ei pääse sulamaan.
Theres no farenheit, get out >:(
@@Tounushi leaving the rifle outside would be a major service crime. Your rifle is like your penis you should allways be able to grab it!
You never bring a rifle into a heated tent in winter........
The Finnish Defense Forces actually used RK62 with folding stock (RK62TP), mainly for bike, and quad riding scouts. It was later pretty much completely replaced by the RK95
vilhelms the great no, the 95 always had a folding stock. Only the civillian model (and maybe export models) had solid stocks
Apart from the stock the proportions and sights where changed slightly for the RK95. I'd say it has a slightly longer handguard and the rear sight has this L-shaped flip sight with 150m and 300m zero.
jussimakarussi the flash hider is also different, and there are a bunch of other small changes like that.
Snaake42 Ahh yeah of course, had that one in mind but forgot about it.
yeah and the rk95 is capable of shooting riffle genades because it has gas valve under the front sight. and it has mounting holes on left for special optics ie. acog, reddot or night vision
Best Ak " variant"
Why? The only better thing i can think of is the sights.
At its time of adoption? Absolutely, one could even argue that it was one of the best assault rifles at that time (60s and 70s). Surely something produced today is more efficient, even the RK-95 had some improvements over the RK-62.
And hard chromed barrels would be nice. But can manage without easily.
That is something that you can hear from many shooters, based on their experience.
Did you have better variant in mind and why?
The quality is much higher in these Valmets. The sightblock and the receiver have a smooth finish, meaning the castings and milling were done much better. Aside from the early crude stock and hand guards, this is an AK design produced in a more “western” mindset.
The buttstock has storage to cleaningrod and oilbottle
It can also act as a handle if you need to get wielding with the bayonet.
it can also hold your teeth when jumping in and out of cover
The story also tells you can find a extra pair of "motivaatio kiikarit" in there if you look closely in the tube and pull the trigger
Vodka bottle, you say?
I wouldn't storage oil bottle there lmao.
Really good video once again, Ian. However, the folding stock version IS actually in military service, its designation is RK62TP (taittoperä - folding stock) and is mainly used by motorbike troops and other specialized roles who need a more compact rifle. Just wanted to share this little info. :)
Some military police drivers and jäger under-sergeants also had folding stocks when I was training with them if I remember correctly from my army days
My father actually bought one of these in the Long Beach California GEMCO department store in 1984. It's now safely residing in Arizona.
Explain what GEMCO is please?
GEMCO was a membership department store that went out of business in the mid 1980. Sort of the Costco of its day. Many were converted to Target stores. They had a grocery, pharmacy electronic and sporting goods departments. those day they sold guns
erena415 Thanks
Any of you guys remember the other store FEDCO? Hahaha. I bought a deep freezer (Amana, still have it and it's still running as quiet as a mouse in my garage) in 1998 when they went out of business, for 100 dollars (Buena Park Ca store). FEDCO had the better camping stuff but no firearms.
Ian, I hate you. I spend far too much time watching your eminent videos covering more or less forgotten weapons - in fact, I find myself binge watching them! I spent 12 years in the Norwegian Army during the Cold War, have served twice in the Middle East in the 80's, and have been shooting a wide array of military guns over the last 30 years - including owning quite a handful myself. Your videos and your research / knowledge are in a league of their own! I salute you!
I had one of these as my service weapon during my service in the Finnish military in 2009. Some of the guys had newer variants but I was very pleased with how reliable the gun was even through decades of usage 👌
Chills go trough my spine when hearing those disassembly sounds. Ahh yes.
The RK-62 is incredibly durable. Currently doing my military service with an RK built in 1968, still shoots perfectly and never jams. Incredible rifle to say the least.
Edit: The RK I currently use is also looks identical to the one in the video with the exact same grips.
These rifles with this exact setup are still in use. (obviously only difference being it's full-auto). I came back home from "UUSIMAA 17" military refresher training just yesterday and i saw these rifles being still in use. They still fire as accurate as the shooter is. My rifle was sako made RK-62 made in 1994 and i shot 92 out of 100 at 150m. (after 10 rounds of aligment shots then 10 rounds for the actual score) Last time i fired a gun was in the mandatory military training that was 5 years ago. Back then my best score was 93/100. So in a nutshell if you are a good shooter these rifles will deliver (in my experience at least) and you will hit the target if you want to. (All of this was shot with the iron sights).
-90 we shot with all kinds of wartime antique shit
Heard a lot of good things about these over the years. Nice to see one and see why. The sight upgrade alone is well worth it. Great video as always. Thank you
Love me some Valmets! Great video as always....
Mrgunsngear Channel you're every where
You go to Finland asking some Valmets and you'll most likely get a paper machine. Or a tram. Or basically any machine from a sauna thermometer to a forest harvester. :P
@@pRahvi0 probably you'd be pointed to the nearest farmhouse and their tractor
@@MatthewSmith-to1hz ²⅔⅔²I ²²²I is 2²²to a ²²²²year 2and ²²2²⅔2²year and 2nd in 2nd ²
Finnish QC seems really good, I've had overwhelmingly positive experiences with Finnish AKs, shotguns, and Mosins.
they focus hard on quality and materials cos those things need to remain operational in Finland's harsh arctic environment
There is no "add on" night sight, the night sight is actually the rear sight flipped 180 degrees towards the front.
ville leskela I think i referred to valonvahvistin 2000 by that add on-night sight.
@dimapez Yeah except some of them do have it. Even before the modernization project.
@dimapez Kuuskekkoseen saa ihan samalla lailla sen jalan johon kiinnitetään optiikka, ei ole kyllä vakiona muistaakseni. Lähinnä valonvahvistin tohon kiinnitetää.
4:44 Some notes about the sights on the RK, the rear night sight is not an add-on. It’s under the aperture, you just flip the sight forwards, and it also acts as a CQB sight. You can see it at 3:44
The screws on the sides are also never used for windage, they’re for zeroing the rifle, every serviceman spends their first firing sessions just adjusting the sights
Military also had folding stocks for paratrooper use. I had one when i served in Utti. I wasn't a parajaeger but we all used those old Rk62TP:s (TP for "Taittoperä, folding stock)
Most of those were built in the 80's though and i believe the parajaegers used ak47s rifles at that time.
Also the rear night sight should be there, just flip the rear sight all the way forward. At least later pattern rifles have.
I also served in Utti and we had RK62TP:s.
Back in my army days, I was lucky to get an RK with the new, better grips on it and I felt so good when I saw other people with these original grips.
Sama vika kuin nikolla, ensin ammuin sillä muovikahvaisella, sitten tämmösellä ja sitten taas mupvikahvaisella ja tää malli oli parempi, muovinen oli liukkaampi ja paksumpi etukahva, vähän ehkä liiankin paksu, ei saanu mukavaa otetta.
@@12345678901234565678 se uudempi oli vaan paremmin muotoiltu omaan käteen. Purettaessa se etukahva tosin oli enemmän tiellä. Toisaalta taas olin KK-mies joten suurin osa ajasta PKM oli käytössä ja RK keräs pölyä.
By the way, disassembly of this gun is even easier than original AK and they got rid of that ugly little lever that holds the gas tube on place.
In the Finnish military you had to learn how to disassemble and then assemble this rifle in a minute. Blindfolded. I'm not kidding, it's actually a lot easier than it sounds and I don't remember anyone of my squad failing in that after a bit of practice.
That blindfolded thing is not done in every place. We never had to do that.
Back when I was in we did the blindfolded thing just for fun but it was not mandatory or even taught that way. It was enough for the miltary that we knew how the clean the gun and dissasemble/assemble it.
Then again, I was a machine gunner, so i was mostly playing around with PKM during my service.
J Kausti
We didn't do it blindfolded, but it wasn't really necessary either. We did it so often that by the end, everyone could have done it blindfolded, drunk and with both hands tied behind their back.
So, basically the Finns turn Russian stuff into perfection, then. Nice.
amin johari and what will you do, if you will loose cover of reciver? ;)
Сазонов Александр just put on an AK cover? Ian did say it's identical to russian made stuff with external add ons.
amin johari may be, but AK cover have no sight
Then you just aim at the barrels length, its not the most accurate way but it can be done.
Сазонов Александр A lot of pushups.
Hello from Finland! That front night sight should be used with the rear night sight which is intergrated in Factory sight. Just flip it over and there you have it, Full night sight combination 😎
Oh, didn't remember that one. But for my defence it's been over a decade from my service in military with this gun.
I fired some rounds with this version at the military service (automatic version but otherwise identical) even thou we primarly used the RK 95 TP in service. Thanks for this video, these guns were and still are rock solid in finnish winter
The Finn's have always been very proud of things produced in Finland
As a Finnish person I loved seeing you fumble with the disassembly and assembly of the gun since almost 80% of all Finnish males had to learn how to do that with their service rifles in about 10 seconds :)
Little interesting tidbit; the stock actually holds the field cleaning gear for the weapon. You can see the cover in the end of the stock in this video.
I don't think anyone uses it anymore, the little baggie of cleaning gear is too bulky for the tube.
Now guys just fiddle with the lid, playing notes by plucking it.
Keeping the cleaning kit in the stock makes noise while moving.
Automatik Balalaika Not when a piece of cloth is wrapped around.
XtreeM FaiL True
Mostly conscripts are using that hole to smoke cgiarettes with and not get detected by the sergeants during light discipline :P
We (obviously) had the actual RK62 (full auto) version of this when I did some time in the Finnish army, it was crude but very effective. Also super simple mechanically (we had to be able to disassemble and reassemble the gun blindfolded lying down on our backs within a minute and it was perfectly doable). Good fun shooting these, accurate and does the job right
Finnish firearms are awesome!
真白 I was in the finnish military for a year and got promoted to a sergeant after finishing my service, we had this challenge from our captain that promised one extra day of vacation if someone can disassemble the RK-62 with a blindfold 10 times in under a minute.
Guess who's the guy who got the extra day.
Mikael Laurila Well done.
Ei ookkaa helppo homma xd
And after u've left the service for the reserve u miss ur RK
whenever u leave home or wake up at night.
Fun M62 utility facts: the tubular stock is hollow and holds the cleaning rod and some swabs for the barrel, the trigger guard was internationally designed to be big enough for a gloved finger, and the three prongs of the flash hider are sharpened so it can be used as a wire cutter: just jam the wire between two of the prongs and rotate the gun to tension the wire and slice into it with the sharp edges.
Finns don't attach (or snap on) "bayonets" to their rifles, they attach rifles to their knives.
As all true men should. Now excuse me, I wish to hit a tank with my sword
To their puukkos lol
Valmet really produced everything. We had many Valmet tractors back in the day, I didn't know they also made guns
Valmet stands for VALtion METallitehdas which means "The state metal factory" and they really produced everything metal. They used to make these small firearms (sold to Beretta) and even mortars and artillery during the war time. Nowadays they are specialized in making paper machines.
You forgot to mention that the stock is hollow, and in the end of it there is a lid. It is for keeping in oil brush, cleaning brush, their 2-part rod, a little oil bottle, and the sight setting key. I'm not sure if the imported version includest them.
edit: and the hollow grip is to hold some rayon inside of it, for cleaning.
For me the grip was hollow to hold snow in it to keep the gun cold and wet for rusting
We would just hide whatever the fuck we "needed" in the woods in there, the cleaning kit would fit better in a pocket anyway.
My dad had the M78 rifle in the Finnish Army service in 1982. The armory officer said that his rifle is the most accurate one. I was the best shooter when it was my time in 2008 with M95. 97 points from 150 meters.
That type of pistol grip was called "terrorist version" in finish army last year when I was serving there
That's the term I heard as well.
Pekka Mäkelä Who cares
Afghanin rynkky
@@linocazzofino5852 I don't care but it's pretty interesting info.
jonne ;)
Nice video! Some comments I noticed (may have been mentioned already):
- Nightsigth in the back can be used when flipping the sight fully forwards
- The stock is hollow and typically contains cleaning equipments
- Newer version of clips are made of plastic
”And it’s fairly uncommon to find ones with this old style of corrugated grip”
Oh nah I served with one as late as 2016
They're definitely the minority these days. Of the 72 rifles in our group of recruits, only three or four had the cheesegrater on the front.
Idk why this video was suddenly recommended to me, but that's a pretty nostaglic weapon. Used it 8 years ago during my military training :)
If I remember hearing correctly and being awake during one of those countless classes back in the military, the AR10 was actually the preferred weapon during the tests, it apparently fulfilled almost all of Finlands needs and wants from a rifle, only the AK won in the end due to being immensely cheaper to buy and maintain.
Also, those "bike grip" guns were affectionately called either "old trash" or "Michelin Man", which I found quite hilarious. Also weirdly, the RK95TP is actually heavier than the RK62 and probably due to the stock design, much more front heavy, uncomfortably so at times, causing it to be a bit unstable and harder to handle at certain situations.
Iris Heart The weight comes mostly from the heavier barrel (also the reason for the front heaviness). Personally I prefer the 95, for ergonomic and a hint of sentimental reasons.
Was the barrel of the 62 that much different from the 95? I've never really got my hands on the 62 aside for a few times at the range during basic training, been spending most of my time with the 95TP after that.
Iris Heart visually you really can't tell the difference in the barrels. Never either shot the 62 during my service, only afterwards. Only use we had for 62:s during my service was violent close combat practice hitting each other with them.
I wonder how much the upgrades of the "new" RK-62M versions affect the weight and handling.
Kalle Kilponen It ain't that much heavier or lighter, much more manageable though as the new stock isn't so retarded like the old one.
All around a much nicer gun to have and you don't have to take shit from snobby 95 brats anymore as the new M is just as tacticool if not even more.
Thanks for the fond memories this brings back, drooling over the INTERARMS catalog, I wanted one of these so bad!
I remember when I was a wee little lad in the late 70s, the M62 was my least liked battle rifle. Today, if I could only wrap my arms around one, how tastes change as one matures.
This is the rifle that everyone in the finnish military has crawled for. Love it. Thanks.
Good gun
God of Hatred Just don't compare these too, the Rk is actually a very good gun.
Is your name really Erik Harris? Bruh in case you dont know the meme behind it google it.
Whow! Takes me back 30 years. When I was in the Finland Navy. You have a good piece.
It appears more than just a Finnish AK variant. It seems to be an upgrade. Almost inline stock, simplified construction and Finnish name.
I believe what they (we) were looking for was something that was as reliable as AK, didn't cost too much to make or maintain, and make it just sturdy. Ofc the 7.62×39mm (like in AK) was the only option for caliber for better lethal range and not getting stopped or redirected so easily when shot in forest and bushes.
Russians tend to come up with simple and working solutions, what they lack is quality in crafting what they design. They go by the principle of more is better as Finns go with "we can't afford to be constantly making x, so lets make it so it lasts" aka quality. When you do not have resources, you better make the little you have count...
every european AK clone is in some sence an upgrade to the russian one, it's just that diffent eastern block (or non eastern block) countries needed different things on their standad issue rifle
@@strahinjastevic7480 AK was of stamped steel. Finnish RK is of milled steel, all carved up. A totally different weapon in that sense. But yeah, the mechanism Russians stole from Sturmgewehr were perfect.
@@HeilAmarth "Stole from the STG "? the only thing the guns have incommon is a curved mag and thats becouse of the calibres, since stacking one round over another naturally makes a curve.
@@HeilAmarth Also the actual original mass produced Russian "AK-47" was milled, the AKM (AK Modernized) on the other hand was stamped.
I like the way the gas tube attaches to the receiver. Makes the whole design much simplier(and easier to make),compared to the original AK layout.
That magazine lanyard loop was used during conscript service to attach the magazine into rifle with a leather strap. This only when not shooting with the rifles of course. This was to avoid conscripts loosing mags into the forest.
I read from an older manual, that they're used for distinguishing between non-tracer and tracer mags at night.
Tie a piece of string on magloop to know which magazine has tracers in it.
This gun and its newer variants are just so good. -40C in northern Finland during my military service and this gun never jammed.
Galils are actually made with finnish machinery used to make RK and then there is Valmet M82 which is bullpup version of RK.
MythicFrost I did not know that but it makes sense. I know valmet parts are hard to find for some of their ak variants but galil parts will work with no problems most of the time.
In finland valmet mags cost 1.50€ in annual military auction in tampere :) they are used but still very reliable.
Here is the US, Finnish AK's are the cream of the import crop and always sell out within hours. Got to fire one of these at a Class 3 shootout and I'm quite familiar with why they get snatched up so quick: They're masterpieces of handheld engineering. I already own a Finnish captured and reworked Mosin, so I'm familiar with how fantastic their craftsmanship is!
in the finnish military guns with this style of furniture are commonly referred to as "reikäjuusto" or "hole cheese"(swiss cheese?) in english
Ribbed for your pleasure ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
I'm currently in the army and we call it "terroristimalli"(terrorist model). Also my gun has swiss cheese hand guard or what ever its called and the newer type of pistol grip.(Very accurate gun, i hit 9/10 times to 10 and once to the 9 when we were adjusting the sights)
We still had this pattern of RK62s in service when I did my conscription service in Finnish military, back in 2007. Most of them were the pattern with updated pistol grips and front handguards.
Tärkeä muistutus jokaselle jolla on oma rk, ÄLKÄÄ MYYKÖ, JA JOS MYYTTE NII TIETÄKÄÄ ETTÄ NE ON KERÄILY HARVINAISUUKSIA, muistakaa pitää hinta korkeella
Koskee myös vanhoja pelti lippaita, amerikassa yhdestä valmetin lippaasta saa 500€
Montahan sataa tuhatta RK'ta tulee markkinoille kun PV vaihtaa asetta? Niinpä, sinnehän se keräily harvinaisuus status häviää.
@@Luihuable RK62:n modernisoinnin myötä siihen menee viellä kymmeniä vuosia että oltaisiin valmiita asetta vaihtamaan.
@@Luihuable nii kai, mutta sitä saa odotella viä monta kymmentä vuotta, ja mahtaako modernisoiduilla olla samaa arvoa kuin alkuperäsellä 1962 rakennetulla?
Jenkkien kysymät peltilippaat tyypillisesti on 5.56:sta eikä 7.62:sta. Lähinnä käytetty lähes pelkästään jenkeille myynnissä olleissa Valmet M71 -malleissa.
@@Luihuable Tuo armeijaylijäämän myynti siviileille oli simppeliä pulttilukkojen kanssa mutta rynkkyjen kanssa ne pitäisi joko muuntaa pelkästään itselataaviksi tai jenkkimarkkinoille vietävissä pistää osiksi ja runko tuhota ATF:n vaatimusten mukaisesti, eli tuskin tullaan kovinkaan montaa tuhatta Valmettilaista saamaan siviilimarkkinoille sitten kun rynkkyä vaihdetaan.
Great video, sir. The milled receiver M-76 rifles were also made in 7.62 NATO with plastic furniture. I lucked into one at a local gun shop just before the assault weapons ban and it's one of the very last rifles I'd ever sell. Also a lot easier to tote around than my M-78....
Hieno ase, ja tarkka, parhaat tähtäimet ak mallisessa kiväärissä, oman kokemuksen perusteella ainut huono puoli täs kivääris on vaikea hallittavuus sarjatulella, ja mitä tarkkuutee tulee nii se on ampujasta kiinni, kapiaisten 2 suurinta valituksen aihetta oli hätäily liipasimen kaa ja että tähtäimiä ei kiristetty kunnolla jolloin tähtäimien säädökset hyppii, mää vähä veikkaa että tyypit jokka haukkuu tätä paskaks aseeks ei joko osaa yksinkertasesti ampua tai muutenvaa ei tykkää mallista
Valmistuslaatu on ylivoimasesti paras ku vertaa muihin massa tuottettuihin ak sukuisiin, oman palvelus aseen valmistus vuosi oli 74, en oikee usko että monen aseen runko kestäis varusmiesten käytös niin pitkää
The lanyard loop at the bottom of the mag is there to tie the mag to the gun so if you accidentally release the mag, it'll stay with you. Also there is a possibility to get snow and ice under the bottom plate of the magazine which could make the whole thing come apart. When the plate is tied to the gun, you wouldn't loose the small black plate if it slips open.
And as some already pointed out, the rear sight flips over to be a used as a night sight with the night front sight post.
The old style front hand grip is superior compared to the newer version. You could assemble all the moving parts with the gas tube and slap them in their place way more quickly than with the grip that covered the gas tube. I was the only one in our squad who had that old style grip and I was totally unbeatable in the timed disassembly/assembly races they made us do.
"I've got a valmet in my helmet" - Dugan
jesus I had to control f to find this. PATHETIC!
A friend of mine served in the Finnish Military. He reckons their battle rifle is superb. Tough as a shovel, powerful, accurate and totally reliable. He also said that carrying it was one of the single most unpleasant aspects of being in the army.
Totally my experience too :D they're not particularly light to carry
7:20 The military does have a folding stock variant called RK 62 TP. TP meaning folding stock :P
True, but not manufactured or issued in large quantities. AFAIK only some motorcycle couriers, MP's and navy personel might get issued one.
Yep, didnt see too many of those when i was in the army. I had one because i was a motorcycle courier as you said. Most troops that need or benefit from a folding stock nowadays get the RK 95.
That folding stock was absolutely dreadful even the type-56 folding stock was better. It was so bad that MP unit removed their stocks entirely
What was so bad about it? I found it quite usable. It could have been a bit sturdier but other than that it was adequate.
I used a TP as an MP in 2013, mine was made in -72 if I remember correctly. Didn't have or see any issues with it being too loose or wobbly. Some were even extremely tight requiring frustrating amounts of force to fold it.
The best part about the folding stock was that it folded to the right side, so it was possible to fold it with optics attached to the left side to the gun. The stock tilts downwards a littlebit, so the bolt handle could cycle while being fired. Accessing the fire selector was a bit difficult though. I always wondered, why do the russian sidefolders fold to the left, and still have the optics mount on the left side (typical Russian logic?).
The stock could be folded if you pushed it downwards first. It held itself folded on the side by friction in the joint, so folding it back just required a bit of force. Some stocks were so tight, that the easiest way to fold it was to turn it upside down and pulling it upwards with your thumb on the receiver and other fingers on the stock. It was also possible (but not adviced) to slam it on your chest in order to fold it quickly (a bit painful with a stiff stock :D)
All in all 5/5, would service again.
Finland is the best!
Saunaan ja avantoon perkele!
I have always wanted to own one of these there were a few in the UK before the semi auto ban. I think this would be a great rifle for somebody to set up US production and people would want them even today if you built them right.
RK62 is definitely a solid service rifle, I really liked it.
It's nothing special.
There is still rk62tp (taittoperä=folding stock) rifles in service today along with all the other rk62 variants. Sometimes they are given to scouts or other personnel that would need that, sometimes randomly.
iso osa on sysätty rajavartiostolle. kaveri on lapissa rajalla töissä ja sanoo että heillä ei paljon muita kivääreitä, TRG:n lisäksi olekkaan. tämä tieto 3 vuoden takaa mutta luulisi pitävänsä kutinsa tänäkin päivänä.
Yeah, I was given one when doing peacekeeping training (amphibious taskforce training) in the Finnish army! A lot of my buddy's were jealous! :D
Älska Finland! Hälsningar från Sverige
Well done Finland, well done.
Oh Rk 62, how I miss you. This brings back memories.
no one. Ampumaradalle sitten!! Hopi hopi! 😊✌️
5:40 During the service, we secured the mag to rifle with leather strap (Irtohihna for us Finnish speakers, IIRC).
Edit: Attachment to trigger guard, obviously. =)
Is that what those straps were for? We never used them.
Among other things, we had the old canvas combat webbing and backbag (aka Sipulisäkki). Other was to secure stuff to backbag.
those straps are good at winter so you don't lose them if they fall off
I really like the aesthetic of this thing. Very sober, clean look
During my service I probably dropped that lock a thousand times, maybe oiled it once or twice and somehow it never broke and always passed inspection. RK is the 3310 of weapons.
I served at 2010's with a gun furbished just like this one, from 1969. My service gun was around three times my age. I didnt have a single misfire or feeding failure, and the gun shot perfectly accurate.
What's up with you and the Fins, Ian. You seem to have a particular affection for their weapons and uniforms
He just likes good weapons ;)
I guess it's because Finnish guns are cool (pun intended), like Russian guns, but rare and come with some fine improvements.
Like this one, which is a copy of a Russian AK with some fine parts added into it. Or the Mosin Nagant (AKA Ukko-Pekka), which was quite literally a Russian gun with some fine parts added into it. :P
People are called FINNS ! FINNISH Line vs Finish Line !
Nah, just good taste.
I carried one just like this while serving for my country for eight months of mandatory service back in the seventies. The gun issued for me as a personal weapon was very much worn down externally but it worked like a dream. I never thought that I could become a marksman, but it turned out to be a really easy gun to use and surprisingly accurate too. I wish I could buy one of those beautiful guns today. I also hope never to be in situation that I´d have to use that gun against any enemy or foe.
dude that's a semi auto model of the riffle I used while in the Finnish Defense forces 2005. Some of 'em are still damn accurate while other just sling bullets in general direction.
Usually they can be zeroed in to shoot true again. I remember when mine was fucked with so that it would shoot low and to the left, they gave me tracer rounds to fix it.
Then the next day at the range, my friend encountered the same problem, not hitting his target at all next to me. They told him to try once more, and if none hit they'd give him tracers. I shot ten into his board and they gave the tracers to me again.
I have found that to be true of AKs in general. once I had one that shot about 7 moa groups, while I have had others that were about 1-1.5 moa guns
the one I got was the oldest one in the whole garrison. There was some way to see how old it actually was and well it was the same year that the first one were made. Besides the riffling was... well you still could say there was a riffling... barely.
Still shot the all time high score in live fire defense drill with my friend. Wasted only one shot and the instructors expression was priceless when you hand off excess ammo shy of 1 from perfect score (one target needed a sim shot to go down). So it could be said that the riffle itself was good enough but not for 150m target shooting
Mine was from 1968 whit modern grip and the cheesegrater front.
thing of beauty
Thats the sweetest looking AK I've seen I think...
I laughed a little when you showed the insides, with everything taken apart. Never seen one so clean :'D
I was serving in finnish military and i loved my RK62. It was so reliable and super accurate. I had my golden shooting medals and it was easy with that rifle!
That's probably the cleanest AK I've ever seen, I'm assuming it has never been fired.
Yeah, an RK that is not at least as clean as the one in the video is about the worst thing you can show to your Lieutenant in Finnish army.
nah. it's just the way they are made. you put a ton of bullets trough it but with proper care and cleaning you can't tell the difference between that and a brand new one. and i assume if you own such moon rocks in the states you are going to take care of it.
You are right. There isn't wear on the fire selector. After some use it will make an arch between those notches.
null null look at 7:43 it's clearly visible there.
Seems pretty standard for me. My 30 year old service rifle looked the same after cleaning. If it didn't you would clean it again until it did, lol.
AS AN OPFOR COMMANDER I PRESSED A BUNCH OF THESE INTO SERVICE IN 7.62X39 MODEL AND THE 5.56 GUNS. LOVED BOTH AND CONSIDER THEM THE BEST IMPORT AK MADE. WE STILL HAVE ALL OF THESE GUNS AND HAVE PUT MANY MANY ROUNDS THROUGH THEM. ALSO HAVE SEVERAL OF THE RPK SEMI KNOCKOFFS IN 7.62X51 NATO. THE MODELS WE HAVE CAME IN WITH MODIFIED G-3 MAGAZINES.
Barrels were threaded into the front trunnion instead of pressed like "real" AKs and AKM's, which is also another reason why Valmets and Galils tend to be the most accurate variants of AK in any given caliber.
Also easier to keep the same guns in service as you can just swap the barrels.
I used the military version (RK-62TP. TP = Folding stock) during my military service during late 90's. It was the model with the smoother pistol and front grip that covered the gas tube. It also HAD the folding tubular stock which made it easier to handle/carry in certain situations. It was pretty solid AK-rifle.