TKB-415

The TKB-415, also known as the AB-46, is a prototype assault rifle designed by Aleksei Alekseevich Bulkin of the Tula TsKB-14 design bureau. It competed in the Soviet trials to replace the SKS and was in the lead until the end of December 1947, but at the final ten-day testing in January 1948 first place went to the AK. In short bursts from a rest the rifle showed accuracy that satisfied the requirements, and it was judged equal to the Kalashnikov rifle in simplicity of design, ease of disassembly and maintenance, yet it failed to solve the problem of reliability in its weapon parts, which cost it the competition. It is gas-operated with a long-stroke piston and a two-lug rotating bolt, fires single shots and bursts, and feeds from a 30-round double-stack box magazine. On the latest samples the barrel was shortened by 100 mm.