Overview[]
The Automatkarbin 4B, commonly abbreviated to simply "Ak 4B", is a Swedish battle rifle developed in the early 2000s as a update to the previous Automatkarbin 4.
Development[]
With the Swedish armed forces adopting the Ak 4 as their primary rifle, a bulk of the development efforts were directed towards optimizing its military usage. As a result, the Swedish home guard continued to utilize older firearms, awaiting eventual replacement with the standard Ak 4 and the scoped Ak 4OR marksman rifle variant. This gradual shift took place throughout the Cold War and well into the early 2000s.
In 2003, the Ak 4 rifle reached a new milestone with the unveiling of a model exclusively designed for the Swedish home guard. The esteemed Swedish firearms manufacturer, Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori, was tasked with its advancement. The developmental process itself involved the refurbishment of Ak 4 models produced in the 1970s by Eskilstuna Gevärsfaktori. The dating of the rifles to said time period were correct judging by serial numbers on the first conversion samples.
The Ak 4B model was initially provided to the home guard units, which had previously been receiving the converted AK-4 rifles from Carl Bofors Dynamics. The Swedish military only received the Ak 4B a few years later, as it was more cost-effective to produce a smaller quantity for the home guard first. Nevertheless, the Ak 4B served as the foundation for the next generation of Swedish firearms based on the Ak 4/HK G3 platform.
Modernization[]
Occurring in, 2017 the Ak 4B would receive another update, when the Försvarsmakten, or the governing agency over the Swedish Armed Forces, procured modular furniture from Swedish firearm company, Spuhr. This updated variant would enter strictly under military service only as the Ak 4C.
The Ak 4C, originally used exclusively by the Swedish armed forces, has been slated to fully replace the Ak 4B in the home guard's service by the end of 2020. This shift was a result of an ongoing effort to modernize the Ak 4B, which culminated in the creation of the Ak 4D, featuring an interchangeable M-LOK handguard. As a result, the slightly older Ak 4C model was made available for use by the local home guard.
Despite the ongoing modernization of the Ak 4 series and the adoption of the newer and significantly different Ak 5 series, the Ak 4B remains widely used by the Swedish home guard. Notably, the Ak 4OR is also still in service as a specialized marksman rifle.
A more enigmatic variant of the Ak 4 would result in the Ak 4HV, or "High Velocity" model. Despite the obscurity, it can be determined that this model in particular would be designed and produced before other variants much alike the Ak 4C, due to the usage of a early Saab Bofors Dynamics scope instead of the Aimpoint optic.
Design[]
As the Ak 4B is a direct conversion from the previous and standard Ak 4 rifle, the majority of the firearm remains unchanged. The modifications made were only implemented where deemed necessary, such as the sighting system.
Bolt System[]
The absence of the brass deflector, a staple of the original Ak 4 models on the updated Ak 4B variant can be attributed to the integration of the low-lying picatinny rail on the receiver. The addition of the picatinny rail made any alteration to the brass deflector redundant and thus, it was omitted in the design of these rifles.
Given that the home guard was the primary user of the Ak 4B, domestically for training and defense purposes, the addition of a brass catcher from the earlier Ak 4 designs was deemed acceptable and is often seen in use with newer models of the Ak 4B. This brass catcher has also received updates alongside the modernizing of the rifle.
The Ak 4B has retained the useful serrations of its predecessor, the Ak 4, allowing for "silent bolt closures" in necessary scenarios.
Sights[]
The rear sight is typically removed via grinding down with machinery.
Most significantly, a change from the original Ak 4 to the Ak 4B model is the absence of iron sight systems, both front and rear. The rear sight base has been replaced with a welded on MIL-STD-1913 picatinny rail to accommodate an optic, such as the standardly-issued Aimpoint CS scope.
The absence of traditional iron sight systems, both at the front and rear, has been necessitated by the judicious positioning of the picatinny rail, situated in a low profile manner atop the receiver.
Variants[]
|
| H&K G3 Platform | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Originals | 
| ||
| Heckler & Koch | MIL | G3 • G3A1 • G3A2 • G3A3 (A1) • G3A4 (A1) • G3A5 • G3A6 • G3A6 (A1) • G3KA4 (A1) • G3NA3 • G3SG1 | |
| C&LE | HK11 • HK12 • HK13 • HK21 (A1 • E) • HK23 • HK25 • HK31 • HK32 • HK33 • HK41 (A2 • A3) • HK43 • HK53 • HK54 • HK81 • HK 91 (A2 • A3) • HK93 • MSG3 • MSG90 (A1 • A2) • PSG1 (A1) • SR9 (T • TC) | ||
| Derivatives | |||
 Denmark
|
Gv M/66 • Gv M/75 | ||
 Greece
|
SAR-3 • SAR-8 | ||
 Iran
|
G3A6 | ||
 Luxembourg
|
HSG1 • HSG41 | ||
 Mexico
|
Morelos (A • B) • MSG-90SDN | ||
 Myanmar
|
BA 63 • BA 64 • BA 72 • BA 100 | ||
 Netherlands
|
Armtech 51 | ||
 Norway
|
AG 3 (F1 • F2 • HVU) | ||
 Pakistan
|
G3P3 • G3P4 • PK-7 • PK-8 • PSR-90 | ||
 South Africa
|
R2 | ||
 Sweden
|
Ak 4 (B • C • D • HV • OR) | ||
 Turkey
|
G3A7 (A1) • T41 | ||
 United Kingdom
|
MC 51 (K • SD) | ||
 United States of America
|
FA91 • HK 21 K • HK 51 • SAR-3 | ||
 West Germany
|
Rh4 | ||
| Weapons of Sweden Modern Period (1946 - Present) |
|---|
| Infantry Weapons | ||
|---|---|---|
| Melee Weapons | Bayonet | [[]] |
| Survival Weapon | [[]] | |
| Sidearms | Pistol | [[]] |
| Revolver | [[]] | |
| Machine Pistol | [[]] | |
| Close Quarters | Personal Defense Weapon | CBJ MS |
| Submachine Gun | Ak 5D | |
| Shotgun (automatic) | [[]] | |
| Shotgun (semi-automatic) | [[]] | |
| Shotgun (manual-action) | [[]] | |
| Primary Weapons | Assault Rifle (5.45/5.56) | Ak 5 |
| Assault Rifle (7.62) | Ak 4 | |
| Assault Rifle (other) | [[]] | |
| Carbine (5.45/5.56) | Ak 5C | |
| Carbine (7.62) | [[]] | |
| Carbine (other) | [[]] | |
| Automatic Support Weapons | Light Machine Gun | [[]] |
| General Purpose Machine Gun | [[]] | |
| Heavy Machine Gun | [[]] | |
| Long Range | Anti-Materiel Rifle | [[]] |
| Bolt-Action Rifle | [[]] | |
| Designated Marksman Rifle | Ak 5B | |
| Launchers | Grenade Launcher (Attachment) | [[]] |
| Grenade Launcher (Standalone) | [[]] | |
| Disposable Rocket Launcher | AT4 | |
| Rocket Launcher | [[]] | |
| Guided, Anti-Tank | [[]] | |
| Guided, Anti-Air | [[]] | |
| Non-Lethal Weapons | Rifle | [[]] |
| Pistol | [[]] | |
| Underwater Weapons | Sidearm | [[]] |
| Rifle | [[]] | |
| Explosives | Anti-Personnel Mines | [[]] |
| Anti-Tank Mines | [[]] | |
| Offensive Grenades | [[]] | |
| Smoke Grenades | [[]] | |
| Firearm Accessories | ||
|---|---|---|
| Optics | Iron Sights | [[]] |
| Collimator | [[]] | |
| Telescopic | [[]] | |
| Magnifier | [[]] | |
| Attachments | Flashlights & Lasers | [[]] |
| Foregrips & Bipods | [[]] | |
| Infantry Equipment | ||
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | Backpacks | [[]] |
| Body Armour | [[]] | |
| Bomb Suit | [[]] | |
| Elbow and knee pads | [[]] | |
| Signals & IFF | [[]] | |
| Suits | [[]] | |
| Vests & Webbing | [[]] | |
| Headwear | Communication | [[]] |
| Gas Masks & Rebreathers | [[]] | |
| Goggles | [[]] | |
| Helmets | [[]] | |
| Vehicle Headwear | [[]] | |
| Optics, Detection and Surveillance | Man-Portable Radar | [[]] |
| Mine Detectors | [[]] | |
| Night Vision Goggles | [[]] | |
| Periscopes | [[]] | |
| Rangefinders | [[]] | |
| Surveillance | [[]] | |
| Artillery | |
|---|---|
| Anti-Aircraft Guns | [[]] |
| Anti-Tank Guns | [[]] |
| Anti-Tank Guided Missiles | [[]] |
| Anti-Tank Guided Missile Systems | [[]] |
| Anti-Tank Guided Missile Systems | [[]] |
| Howitzers | [[]] |
| Mortars | [[]] |
| Railroad Artillery | [[]] |
| Recoilless Guns | [[]] |
| Rocket Artillery | [[]] |
| Siege Artillery | [[]] |
| Land Vehicle Weapons | |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Machine Guns | [[]] |
| 57mm Tank Guns | [[]] |
| 73mm Tank Guns | [[]] |
| 76.2mm Tank Guns | [[]] |
| 85mm Tank Guns | [[]] |
| 100mm Tank Guns | [[]] |
| 115mm Tank Guns | [[]] |
| 120mm Tank Guns | [[]] |
| 122mm Tank Guns | [[]] |
| 125mm Tank Guns | [[]] |
| 130mm Tank Guns | [[]] |
| 152.4mm Tank Guns | [[]] |
| Heavy Guns | [[]] |
| Vehicle Autocannon | [[]] |
| Aircraft Weapons & Munitions | |
|---|---|
| 7.62mm Machine Guns | [[]] |
| 12.7mm Machine Guns | [[]] |
| 23mm Cannons | [[]] |
| 30mm Cannons | [[]] |
| 37mm Cannons | [[]] |
| Rocket Pods | [[]] |
| Rockets | [[]] |
| Air-to-Air Missiles | [[]] |
| Air-to-Ship Missiles | [[]] |
| Air-to-Surface Missiles | [[]] |
| Anti-Radiation Missiles | [[]] |
| Cruise Missiles | [[]] |
| Bombs | [[]] |