RK 62

RK 62
RK 62
	RK 62
Type	Assault rifle
Place of origin	Finland
Service history
In service	1965–present
Used by	Finnish Defence Forces; For others, see Users
Wars	War in Afghanistan
Production history
Designer	Lauri Oksanen; Valmet
Designed	1962
Manufacturer	Valmet, SAKO
Produced	1965–1994
No. built	350,000+
Variants	RK 95 TP
Specifications
Mass	3.5 kg (7.7 lb) empty (RK 62); 3.27 kg (7.2 lb) empty (RK 62 76)
Length	940 mm (37 in) with fixed or extended stock / 710 mm (28 in) with stock folded
Barrel length	418 mm (16.5 in)
Cartridge	7.62×39mm (main); .222 Remington; .223 Remington/5.56×45mm NATO; .243 Winchester; .308 Winchester/7.62×51mm NATO; .30-06 Springfield; 7.62×53mmR (prototype only)
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	700 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	715 m/s (2,350 ft/s)
Effective firing range	300 m (980 ft)
Feed system	30-round detachable AK magazine
Sights	Aperture rear sight on a sliding tangent with flip tritium night sight, forward hooded post, 470 mm (19 in) sight radius

The RK 62 (from Finnish rynnäkkökivääri 62, 'assault rifle 62'), officially 7.62 RK 62 and commercially M62, is an assault rifle manufactured by Valmet and Sako. It is the standard issue infantry weapon of the Finnish Defence Forces.

The RK 62 was designed in 1957–1962 by a Valmet engineer Lauri Oksanen^[3] and is based on the Polish licensed version of the Soviet AK-47 design. The RK 62 uses the same 7.62×39mm cartridge as the AK-47. Between 1965 and 1994 350,000 M62 rifles were produced jointly by Valmet and Sako. It is the basis of the IMI Galil, an Israeli-made assault rifle with many similarities. The RK 62 has a three-pronged flash suppressor, and a groove for a specially designed knife bayonet, which can be used alone as a combat knife.

The RK 95 TP is a more modern, improved version of the RK 62. One of the most distinctive features of the Valmet rifles, including the M62 and all subsequent variations, is the open-ended, three prong flash suppressor with a bayonet lug on its lower side. In addition to the flash suppression, the end can quickly cut barbed wire by pushing the muzzle onto a strand of wire and firing a round.^[4]

^ Kevytasekäsikirja [Small Arms Manual] (PDF) (in Finnish). Finnish Defence Forces Training Development Centre. 2004. ISBN 951-25-1526-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
^ Kevytasekäsikirja 2019 [Small Arms Manual 2019] (PDF) (in Finnish). Finnish Army Command. 2019. ISBN 978-951-25-3060-1. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 March 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
^ Palokangas, Markku (1991). Sotilaskäsiaseet Suomessa 1918-1988: Suomen maanpuolustuksen ja sotien kevyt kiväärikaliiperinen aseistus itsenäisyyden 70 vuoden aikana. 2. osa, Suomalaiset aseet (in Finnish). Suomen asehistoriallinen seura. ISBN 951-25-0518-5.
^ "Valmet Home". valmetweapons. Archived from the original on 23 August 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.

[kvasekäsik-1] Kevytasekäsikirja [Small Arms Manual] (PDF) (in Finnish). Finnish Defence Forces Training Development Centre. 2004. ISBN 951-25-1526-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.

[kvasekäsik2019-2] Kevytasekäsikirja 2019 [Small Arms Manual 2019] (PDF) (in Finnish). Finnish Army Command. 2019. ISBN 978-951-25-3060-1. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 March 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2023.

[palokangas2-3] Palokangas, Markku (1991). Sotilaskäsiaseet Suomessa 1918-1988: Suomen maanpuolustuksen ja sotien kevyt kiväärikaliiperinen aseistus itsenäisyyden 70 vuoden aikana. 2. osa, Suomalaiset aseet (in Finnish). Suomen asehistoriallinen seura. ISBN 951-25-0518-5.

[4] "Valmet Home". valmetweapons. Archived from the original on 23 August 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.

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