We read bulletins and newsflashes and overhear conversations about how “B7′s” were used and RPGs. How a dozen “akhmas” were confiscated and other street battle jargon which you probably wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) know if you’re not from the civil war generation (or a massive gamer). So, here are some of the few common ones we see every now and then. Also, it would be important to note that 9 out of 10 casualties of armed conflicts die from small arms and light weapons, not fancy smart bombs and nukes.

The information and images below were all compiled from Wikipedia and my intensive experience playing Counter Strike and other first-person shooter games =P

The purpose is so you understand what the news talks about, and see that these “light weapons” and “small arms” are in fact many times deadlier than tanks and jets and missiles, in the hopes of one day seeing them forever pulled off our streets and homes.

1- The AK-47

This is the world’s most popular weapon. It’s even on flags of countries and parties (including one famous one in Lebanon). It’s simple design and ease of use makes children capable of using it, and they do. Just watch LBCI’s interview with a 5th grader in Tripoli wielding this versatile and reliable firearm. Most weapons aren’t actually AK-47, but later variants, such as the AKM which began production in 1959. So, the “kalash” is in fact AKMs which find their way into people’s hands because of remnants of the civil war.

Rate of fire: 600 bullets / minutes
Range: ~400 meters
Weight: 3.6 Kg

2- The “Akhmas”

It’s actually a modified version of the standard AKM, the AKMS,  but instead of a wooden or fixed butt, it has a retractable butt which makes it easier to carry. It was originally designed for paratroopers, and think about it, when you’re about to jump out of an airplane, you would want a smaller sized package.

Rate of fire: 600 bullets / minutes
Range: ~400 meters
Weight: 3.8 Kg

3- B-7

You often hear “RPGs and B7s” when in reality they’re one and the same. B7 is just an abbreviation of RPG-7. It’s an anti-tank weapon, with the distinctive tulip-like grenade which idiots dance with during parades or funerals. It’s also an ancient, Soviet-made weapon which is plentiful on Lebanese territories and Palestinian refugee camps. This weapon can travel almost a kilometer, so next time you think you’re far enough from the clashes, think again.

Range: 200 meters effective (can be up to 1000 meters)
Weight: 7 Kg

4- “Kannasat“

Again, the Russians can be thanked for this weapon. It’s the Dragunov sniper rifle which is often used by snipers in street battles. This piece of machinery can hit its target from 800 meters away. Add a scope and you could get well over a kilometer in range.

Range: ~800-1200 meters
Weight: 4-5 Kg

5- M-16 and “Commando”

The M-16 is another popular weapon, like the AK. It’s said to be much less-reliable, but it’s readily available after thousands if not tens of thousands of the model were left behind after the Civil War from 1975-1990. The weapon often referred to as “commando” is a carbine version of the original model, meaning it’s shorter and more lightweight, the kind a stealth commando might prefer over the bulkier, huge M-16.

Rate of fire: 700-950 bullets / minutes
Range: 550-800 meters
Weight: 3-4 Kg

6- “Hewen“

Hewen refers to an array of mortar weapons. Mortar weapons are the kind of explosive projectile you drop into a tube-like base, which explodes and sends the shell in a parabollic trajectory towards whatever is being attacked. We rarely see this, but I believe in the “7 May clashes” a few years back, they were used in some areas.