AVS-36: The First Soviet Infantry Battle Rifle
The AVS-36, designed by Sergei Simonov, was the Soviet Union's first standard-issue self-loading infantry rifle, predating the M1 Garand. It featured a short-stroke gas piston system that proved influential, a vertical sliding block locking mechanism, and striker-fired operation. Despite its innovative design, it was produced in limited numbers and eventually replaced by the more durable and cost-effective Tokarev SVT-38 and SVT-40.









