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During the Vietnam War, the U.S. Special Forces needed a 9 mm machine gun capable of rapid fire, and thus took a liking to the Carl Gustav M45 Swedish K Submachine Gun. But when Sweden placed an export ban on its submachine gun in 1967 due to U.S. involvement in Vietnam, the Army went to the powers that be at Smith & Wesson for a solution, who produced a copy of the Carl Gustav Submachine Gun which became the Model 76 SMG. For more on the Smith & Wesson Model 76 SMG, watch this "I Have This Old Gun" segment from a recent episode of American Rifleman TV.
Despite it being the primary rifle of the enemy for most of its existence, American shooters have nonetheless warmed to the AK platform, creating an unlikely love story.
October gun sales increased according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) estimate, but the quarterly reports from major manufacturers reflect purchases significantly higher.