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The Egyptian Hakim Rifle

November 28, 2015

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Egypt’s Hakim is a variant of Sweden’s Ljungman Model 42 rifle, but chambered in a more powerful cartridge and with an adjustable gas system.

Egypt’s Hakim is one of those badass battle rifles you’ll occasionally see for sale online and at gun shows. It’s basically a 7.92(8mm Mauser) version of Sweden’s 6.5mm Ljungman Model 42 and uses a direct impingement gas system, much like our AR-15 rifle. In the definitive work, Small Arms of the World, Smith calls that gas system “unusual,” which it was at the time.

The end of the gas tube is visible just above the chamber. Gas tapped from the barrel blows back and impinges directly on a gas key above the bolt to run the semi-auto action.

The Hakim uses a direct impingement gas system like the AR15. The Hakim’s equivalent to the AR’s gas key is visible above the bolt face.

It’s often fun to watch someone who has never handled a Hakim pick one up at a show and try to work it. First they grasp what appears to be the charging handle and fruitlessly pull back trying to open the action. That “handle” is actually the deflector bar built into the receiver cover meant to deflect spent cases away from the shooter. Instead of pulling backward, the correct first step is to push it forward fully, and then pull back fully. If there are cartridges loaded in the 10-round detachable box magazine, the bolt strips one from the mag into the chamber. If there are no cartridges, the bolt locks back and the magazine can be charged with single cartridges or using stripper clips. Once charged, all you have to do is push the receiver cover forward about 1/8 inch, and then pull back and the bolt will chamber a cartridge.

What looks like a charging handle on the Hakim is actually a brass deflector, though you can use it as a charging handle.

When opening the action of a Hakim, the first step is to push the receiver cover fully forward.

After pressing the receiver cover fully forward, pull it fully rearward. If the magazine is loaded, the bolt will close stripping a cartridge into the chamber.

At more than 10 pounds, the Hakim is a soft-shooting semi-auto. It is also known for decent accuracy. The only references I could find to it possibly being used in battle suggest it was limited to the Sinai War of 1956 and the Six Day War in 1967. It would be interesting to know if any of our servicemen and women encountered a Hakim during the recent wars in the Middle East, and if so, what had been done to make them serviceable with ammunition commonly found on the battlefield today. I can envision Hakims being modified in Peshawar to take 7.62 NATO and God knows what else.

Hakims are made to take a bayonet are fitted with a muzzlebrake. The brake makes quite a blast, but combined with the more than 10 pound weight of the gun makes recoil very mild.

One of the more advanced features of the Hakim’s direct impingement system is its adjustable gas valve.

The rear sight is marked in Arabic numerals corresponding to ranges of 100 to 1000 meters.

The 10-round, detachable box magazine is retained very much like that of an AK47

If you have a Hakim, take great care of your magazine—replacement ones are expensive ($80 -$100). There aren’t many to begin with because they were intended to be charged with stripper clips, not changed out when they ran empty.

Scott Mayer

www.tacticaltshirts.com

www.john1911.com

“Shooting Guns & Having Fun”

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Scott Mayer

Writer at John1911

Mayer began his outdoor industry career in 1993 on the NRA Technical Staff where he became American Rifleman magazine first Shooting Editor. Mayer left NRA and entered the business end of publishing in 2003 as Advertising Account Executive for Safari Club International SAFARI Magazine and Safari Times newspaper. In 2006, Mayer was named Publisher of Shooting Times magazine where he was also tasked with launching and leading Personal Defense TV, the first television show of its kind.

In 2008, Mayer returned to the editorial side of publishing, this time in the digital field, as Editorial Director for Guns & Ammo, Shooting Times, Handguns and Rifleshooter online magazines. After a brief stint in 2011 as the Digital Media Director for an ABC TV affiliate, Mayer returned to the outdoors industry and Safari Club International where he is currently Assistant Publisher and Multi-Media Communications Editor.

The Egyptian Hakim Rifle

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