Back in the late 1980s, an AK47 coming into the United States had been produced in the People's Republic of China. At that time, China had not achieved the prominence it has today as one of the world's major economic and manufacturing forces.

在20世紀80年代末，進入美國市場的AK47有一部分是在中國生產(chǎn)的。當時，中國還沒有取得今天世界主要經(jīng)濟和制造業(yè)力量的顯赫地位。

Among its more popular exports were semiauto versions of the AK47. They were inexpensive, worked well and were sold by the thousands. One of the makers was Poly Technologies, with an importer headquartered in the state of Georgia.

在其更受歡迎的出口產(chǎn)品中，包括AK47的半自動版本（譯者注：即56半）。它們價格低廉，性能良好，銷售量數(shù)以千計。其中一家制造商就是保利技術公司，其進口商的總部設在喬治亞州。

Because of the widespread acceptance of the company's products, the people at Poly Technologies felt it would be appropriate for a journalist to visit one of the company's factories and see just how the guns were turned out. As it so happened, I was chosen by the company's representatives because of my writings on various types of military firearms. Needless to say, the invitation was graciously accepted.

由于該公司的產(chǎn)品在美國被廣泛認可，保利公司決定，邀請一些人參觀他們的槍械工廠，看看這些槍支是如何加工出來的。當時，我正在撰寫各類軍用槍械的著作，幸運地被保利公司選中來到中國。



圖為作者觀看工人檢查需要105道工序才能完成的機匣。

In 1987, Beijing looked nothing like it does today. In fact, automobiles were scarce and neon signs — or any kind of advertising, for that matter — nonexistent, and it was virtually impossible for a foreigner to travel without some sort of escort.

1987年的北京與今天的北京是完全不同的。事實上，路上汽車很少，霓虹燈——或任何類型的廣告牌——都是不存在的，外國人在沒有當?shù)厝伺阃那闆r下，想要旅行幾乎是不可能的。

There was no air pollution, bicycles commanded the byways, and the city looked much as it did before World War II. It was a real step back in time. M's influence was still very much felt, and in many places I visited, I was something of a curiosity — the locals never having seen an "ocean man" before.
Let's step back to 1987 and see just how the early export AK47 was made.

那時候還沒有空氣污染，來來往往的自行車在公路上行駛著，城市看起來和二戰(zhàn)前差不多?；秀遍g仿佛是時光倒流。毛的影響仍然非常明顯，我訪問了許多地方，我常常被人們好奇的注視——當?shù)厝藦奈匆娺^ "洋人"。
讓我們回到1987年，看看早期出口的AK47是如何制造的。



工人們正在組裝和測試用于AK47/S的30發(fā)彈匣。在工廠的測試中，筆者發(fā)現(xiàn)它們相當可靠。

At the time, China was beginning its somewhat guarded capitalistic efforts, and firearms played a large part in this endeavor. I dare say, if you'd told a GI in Vietnam in 1969 that, some 20 years later, one of the most popular firearms in the United States would be a semiauto version of the AK47 assault rifle, he would have been incredulous, to say the least.

當時，中國正謹慎地開始其資本主義方向的努力，而槍支貿(mào)易在這中間中發(fā)揮了很大作用。我敢說，如果你在1969年告訴一個在越南的美國大兵：大約20年后，美國最流行的槍支之一將是半自動版AK47突擊步槍時，他恐怕會感到難以置信。

At the time, the AK47 was not the only firearms coming into the United States. There was a dizzying variety of surplus arms, such as Mauser rifles, Mauser Broomhandle auto pistols — both German originals and Chinese-made copies — and various kinds of Browning and Colt copies. Early on, some American entrepreneurs managed to get hold of some very rare variants, but that didn't last for long, as the Chinese were quick learners.

當時，AK47并不是進入美國市場的唯一武器產(chǎn)品。有大量各種令人眼花繚亂的庫存武器，比如毛瑟步槍、毛瑟自動手槍——包括德國原版和中國制造的仿制品——以及各種勃朗寧和柯爾特仿制品。早些時候，一些美國收藏家獲得了不少罕見的型號，但這種情況并沒有持續(xù)多久，中國不再出口古董槍械。

The main purpose of my trip was to get a look at two of Poly Tech's latest products: a semiauto version of the U.S. M14 rifle and the milled-receiver version of the AK47, which it called the AK47/S.

我此行的主要目的是了解保利公司的兩個最新產(chǎn)品：仿美國M14半自動步槍和銑削機匣版AK47，它被稱為AK47/S。


Up until that time, Chinese commercial production had strictly been a stamped version of the AK47. The new Poly Technologies rifle was extremely close to the milled issue Type 56. It had a receiver made from a single ingot of ordnance steel — an operation that took 105 separate steps.

在那之前，中國的生產(chǎn)的AK47一直是沖壓機匣版本。保利公司新的ak47步槍與56式?jīng)_鋒槍類似。它的機匣采用整塊鋼錠切削而成，需要105個工序才能完成。

I was invited to tour Factory No. 386 in Long Yan, Fu Jian Province. Located in the mountains of south China, some five hours' drive (by some very tortuous roads, I might add) out of the city of Xiamen. This factory was the one chosen to make the AK47/S. I was able to view the entire production process and accorded complete freedom in the factory. Interestingly enough, like many other firearms factories , Factory No. 386 also made bicycles. The brand name, as I recollect, was Fairy.

我被邀請去參觀位于福建省龍巖市的386廠。該廠位于中國南部山區(qū)，離廈門市約五個小時的車程（由于道路崎嶇耽誤了不少時間）。這家工廠生產(chǎn)的槍械是AK47/S。我能夠看到整個生產(chǎn)過程，并在工廠里獲得了完全的自由。有趣的是，像中國許多其他槍支工廠一樣，386廠也生產(chǎn)自行車。我還記得他們的牌子名叫“仙女”。

As you might imagine, automation was a bit on the short side, and the machinery looked as if it dated from between the World Wars — which it probably did. Each part was virtually made by hand and was individually checked before assembly, not only at the inspection stations, but also at the operator level.

正如大家看到的，這個工廠的自動化程度偏低，機械設備看起來就是二戰(zhàn)時的一樣——或許的確如此。幾乎每個零件都是手工制作，在裝配前再逐一檢查。但這些檢查并非專門的質(zhì)檢，而是工人自行檢查。

Right at the outset of the tour, we happened upon large stacks of receiver ingots awaiting their turn in the factory. Later, we were able to see every part being made, from the receiver through the bayonets to the stocks. The amount of skilled labor involved was impressive, as was the end product.

從參觀的開始，我們就看到了大堆的鋼錠，在工廠里等待著它們的旅程。接著，我們能夠看到正在制造的每一個部件，從槍機到刺刀再到槍托。一支步槍所涉及的技術工人的數(shù)量令人印象深刻，當然最終的成品也是如此。
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I remember one fellow straightening the barrels by eyeballing bores and then sticking the barrel in a clamp and tweaking it manually by turning a big wheel in whatever direction was needed to ensure a true product.

我記得有一個人將槍管固定在特殊的夾具上，通過用肉眼觀察槍膛來調(diào)整一個大轉輪，校正槍管的準直。

As might be expected, there was no lack of a labor force, and the plant itself, while spacious and liberally decorated with com...st patriotic slogans and get-out-the-work admonitions, would have given an OSHA inspector apoplexy. Personal safety equipment, such as goggles, gloves or masks, was nonexistent, as were guards on most of the machinery.

正如可以預料的一樣，這里人很多，廠房很寬敞，墻上有一些宣傳口號，同時還有注意安全等警示語，但工人并沒有必要的安全防護設備，比如護目鏡、手套或面具等，大多數(shù)機器上的防護裝置也是不存在。


The workers were housed in quarters on the plant site and spent the better part of their existence at the plant. There were schools, dining areas and recreational facilities. It was expected that the children would grow up and be trained to work at Factory No. 386.

工人們住在廠區(qū)的宿舍里，他們大部分時間都是在工廠里度過的。這里有學校、食堂和娛樂設施。估計工人的子女長大了接受培訓以后，還會在386廠工作。

After receiving a complete — and I mean complete — run-through of all the manufacturing processes, I was given a finished AK47/S, randomly pulled off the line, to uate.

參觀完完整的制作流程后，我隨機拿了一支剛剛完成的AK-47/S進行測試。

It featured a Soviet-style knife bayonet, checkered grip, spring-loaded firing pin and double-reinforced buttstock tang. The low-combed butt, forend and handguard were finished in a semi-gloss mahogany-stained chiu wood, much like the production Type 56s. Even the magazines were of a premium grade. Accessories included a brace of 30-round mags, cleaning kit, web sling, bayonet and an oil bottle.

它裝了一把蘇式刀刺刀，握把上有方格防滑紋路，彈簧式撞針和雙重加強的槍托。啞光槍托和護木采用染色的實木制造非常漂亮，與他們生產(chǎn)的56式極為相似。配件包括一個質(zhì)量很好的30發(fā)的彈夾，清潔工具，背帶，刺刀和一個油壺。

Like the standard AK47, the rear sight was graduated to 800 meters, and the front sight was an adjustable post-style, protected by a pair of lugs. The action was smooth, and the gun had a trigger pull of 4? pounds.

和標準的AK47一樣，表尺射程為800米，帶護翼的可調(diào)準星。槍機很流暢，扳機力20牛。


I was able to take the rifle to the plant's indoor range and run a few rounds through it with a variety of ammo, including corrosive Chinese steel-cased stuff (like other AK47s, the AK47/S had a chrome-lined chamber and bore to help guard against the erosive effects of the primers), PMC ball and Hansen Yugoslavian ammo. AK47s are not noted for pinpoint accuracy, and the best I could do with my test gun was rested 3 3/4- to 4 1/4-inch 100-yard groups

我把步槍帶到工廠的室內(nèi)靶場，用各種彈藥打了幾發(fā)，包括具有腐蝕性的中國鋼殼彈（像其他AK47一樣，AK47/S有鍍鉻槍膛和槍管，以防止底火的侵蝕作用）、PMC彈和南斯拉夫漢森彈。AK47的精度并不高，我的測試槍能做到的最好成績是百米散布范圍95～108mm。

The gun handled all of the ammo with aplomb. There were no hang-ups, even with rapid-fire groups. All in all, I was quite impressed with the product — so impressed that, when I got back to the U.S., I bought one myself and retain it to this very day. It has since had untold quantities of ammo run through it, and it is still working just fine.

這支AK47/S可靠地打完了所有彈藥，即便是快速連續(xù)射擊，也沒有出現(xiàn)任何問題?？偠灾覍υ摦a(chǎn)品印象深刻——當我回到美國時，我自己也買了一把，并保存到今天。它發(fā)射過無數(shù)的彈藥，依舊性能出色。

I was also shown prototypes of Poly Tech's M14 copy, and while it looked good and fired well under controlled circumstances, the finished export rifle ultimately proved to be somewhat lacking in quality, as buyers found that heat-treating in the receivers was somewhat indifferent. The M14 clone never had the popularity or acceptance of the AK47 and was sold in much more limited quantities before production finally ceased.

我還看到了保利公司仿制的M14步槍，雖然它看起來不錯，而且在可控的情況下射擊效果很好，但最終證明出口的成品步槍在質(zhì)量上有些欠缺，有買家發(fā)現(xiàn)槍托的熱處理不佳。M14仿制品沒有像AK47那樣受到歡迎，在停產(chǎn)前，它的銷售數(shù)量有限。



位于中國龍巖的386廠在1987年時的樣子。這是一個完全自給自足的社區(qū)，為其工人提供住所、食堂和學校。

I have not returned to China since that trip, and everyone who comes back tells me I would not recognize Beijing. I'm glad I saw China as it was before the country became more modernized. Factory No. 386 was also a real treat and gave one a glimpse into the arms-making styles of earlier days.

那次旅行后，我再也沒有去過中國，每個從那回來的人都告訴我，我絕對認不出現(xiàn)在的北京。我很幸運能在這個國家變得更加現(xiàn)代化之前看到了中國的原貌。386廠的參觀也是一種真正的享受，讓人們得以一窺早期的武器制造方式。

I have to admit, my hosts couldn't have been more cooperative and pleasant, and I still have many fond memories of the excursion, but the best one still resides in my gun locker.

那次中國之行至今仍然給我留下很多美好的回憶，而最好的部分至今還在槍柜里，不可能再有任何槍械比它更可靠，更讓人愉快。