Before deploying to Iraq to train a company of Iraqi soldiers, I purchased a bundle of five manuals from Blackheart International. Mid-Atlantic Training Resources publishes them for sale at a discount when you by the bundle consisting of the RPG-7, AK-47, DShK, Makarov, and PKM. Today the bundle deal had been added to, now including the SVD and PPSh-41.
I found these manuals to be up to date and very thorough, with material that makes it outstanding for references and planning courses of instruction. There is enough detail that even veteran soldiers will more than likely learn something new.
Each manual includes full color pictures that accompany the weapon characteristics and description (including the more prominent variants), an in depth manual of arms for loading, unloading, firing, and clearing malfunctions. Zeroing procedures, assembly, and disassemble are also broken down in clear blocks of written instruction. Different types of ammunition for each weapon system is described. Basic firing positions are covered as needed.
I liked these manuals because, although I didn't need an additional class in how to disassemble a AK or a Makarov, there was a lot of data in here that could be considered living information that isn't always included in weapons FM's. These are smaller details like firing an RPG PG-7 rocket with the wind rather than into it because of the wind's effect on the terminal ballistics on the tail fins of the rocket. The DShK manual also gets into how to set up the gun's tripod, the AK manual how to properly load and use the 75-round drum magazine.
The only issue that some might take with these manuals is that they also include a few cleverly disguised advertisements, like appendix B in the AK manual, all about the BHI SOPMOD AK kit. These guide books are head and shoulders above the old translated manuals we used to thumb through with confusing line drawings as the only visual aid. It might be a little pricey for every soldier to run out and buy this bundle of manuals, but picking them up for a reference to have at the platoon level would be money well spent!
Kit Up! contributor Jack Murphy is a former Ranger, Special Forces Soldier and is the author of the military thriller PROMIS: Rhodesia.
