Kalashnikov assault rifle AKS-74 with folded stock

AK-74 with a GP-25 underbarrel grenade launcher. Photo (c) Karden

Automatic carbine AK-74 (Index GRAU - 6P20) caliber 5.45 mm, developed in 1970 by designer M.T. Kalashnikov, was adopted armed forces USSR in 1974. It is a further development of AKM.

In the 1970s, following the NATO countries, the USSR followed the path of transferring small arms on low-pulse cartridges with reduced-caliber bullets to facilitate wearable ammunition (for 8 magazines, a 5.45 mm caliber cartridge saves 1.4 kg in weight) and reduce, as it was believed, the “excessive” power of the 7.62-mm cartridge. In 1974, a weapon complex chambered for 5.45 × 39 mm was adopted, consisting of an AK-74 and an RPK-74 light machine gun, and later (1979) supplemented by a small-sized AKS-74U, designed for use in a niche, which in Western armies were occupied by submachine guns, and in last years- the so-called PDW.

Main differences from its predecessor

• a new 5.45×39 mm caliber cartridge (instead of 7.62×39 mm), which has a flatter bullet trajectory, which led to an increase in the direct shot range by 100 meters, and is also lighter (weight savings of 1.4 kg with a wearable ammunition in 8 stores);
• a new muzzle brake-compensator, which serves to increase the accuracy of the battle and reduce the recoil energy;
• shop made of light and durable plastic.

For assault rifles produced in 1974-1986, the stock and fore-end are made of wood. Since 1986, they began to be made of black plastic. Longitudinal grooves were made on the wooden butt on both sides to lighten the overall weight of the machine. They continue to be made on a plastic butt.

Can be used with underbarrel grenade launcher GP-25 or GP-30 or GP-34.

The accuracy of automatic fire has improved compared to AKM by almost 2 times (according to linear dimensions). The accuracy of a single fire is approximately 50%.

The effective range of the AK 74 is:

For single ground and air targets - 500 meters;

For ground group targets - 1000 meters.

Direct shot range:

• On the chest figure - 440 meters;
• According to the growth figure - 625 meters.

Normal combat requirements for AK74

• all four holes fit in a circle with a diameter of 15 cm at a distance of 100 m.
• the mid-point of impact deviates from the control point by no more than 5 cm in any direction.

The battle is checked by shooting single at a test target or a black rectangle 35 cm high and 25 cm wide, mounted on a white shield 1 m high and 0.5 m wide. cartridges - with an ordinary bullet, sight - 3.

In general, one can note a significant improvement in the accuracy of fire relative to the AKM, and even more so the AK. As an example, consider the total median deviation at a distance of 800 m (vertical and widthwise, respectively):

AK - 76 and 89 cm.

SKS - 47 and 34 cm.

AKM - 64 and 90 cm.

AK-74 - 48 and 64 cm.

Variants of the Kalashnikov assault rifle

AK-74 is the main variant.

AKS-74 (GRAU index - 6P21) - a variant of the AK74 with a side-folding triangular metal buttstock. Designed for use in airborne troops(an assault rifle with a non-folding buttstock cannot be conveniently and safely placed in suspension system parachute).

AK-74N - "Night" version of the AK-74 with a side rail for mounting night sights.

AKS-74N - "night" version of the folding AKS-74, with a side rail for attaching night sights.

AK-74M - Modernized AK74.

Used cartridges

• 7N6 (1974, bullet with steel core, lead jacket and bimetallic jacket).
• 7N10 (1992, increased penetration bullet, with heat-strengthened core). Armor penetration - 16 mm from a distance of 100 m.
• 7U1 (subsonic bullet for silent shooting).
• 7N22 (1998, armor-piercing bullet with a core made of U12A high-carbon steel by cutting with subsequent grinding of the ogive part). Armor penetration - 5 mm from a distance of 250 m (grade 2P), 1.9 times better than 7N6.
• 7Н24 (increased manufacturing accuracy, heat-strengthened tungsten carbide core)

A bullet with a steel core of a 5.45-mm cartridge when fired from AK74 provides the following penetrating effect [source not specified 1165 days]:

Penetration with a probability of 50% of steel sheets with a thickness of:

• 2 mm at a distance of 950 m;
• 3 mm at a distance of 670 m;
• 5 mm at a distance of 350 m.

Penetration with a probability of 80-90% of a steel helmet at a distance of 800 meters;

Penetration with a probability of 75-100% of body armor at a distance of 550 meters;

Penetration of 50-60 cm into the parapet of dense compacted snow at a distance of 400 meters;

Penetration of 20-25 cm into an earthen barrier from compacted loamy soil at a distance of 400 meters;

Penetration with a probability of 50% of a wall made of dry pine beams with a section of 20x20 cm at a distance of 650 meters;

Penetration at 10-12 cm in brickwork at a distance of 100 meters.

In 1986, new bullets were developed with a heat-strengthened core of increased hardness, which provides a significant increase in penetrating action: a new bullet pierces a steel helmet at a distance of 960 meters, and a body armor with titanium plates - at a distance of 200 meters.

The next improvement of the bullet in 1992 again increased the armor penetration (army bulletproof vest Zh85-T breaks through at a distance of 200 m, and the heavy Zh95-K at a distance of 50 m) at a constant initial speed. The new cartridge, superior in armor penetration to 7N6 by 1.84 times, received the index 7N10. 7H10 provides penetration of 16 mm at a distance of 100 meters.

Advantages

High reliability in harsh environments. Simplicity and cheapness in production. In the AK-74M variant, support for the installation of modern sighting and tactical devices, which is essentially a way to upgrade the assault rifle, and support for double-row box magazines similar to Steyr AUG, made of high-impact plastic, with transparent polymer side inserts, for visual control of the amount of ammunition in the magazine .

Since one of the reasons for the creation of the AK-74 was the change in the caliber of the cartridge used by the machine gun, from 7.62 × 39 mm to 5.45 × 39 mm, the weapon has less recoil and, accordingly, greater shooting accuracy, a more flat bullet flight path.

Flaws

Compared to the American M4A1 carbine, the AK-74 has lower single fire accuracy.

Compared to weapons with balanced automatics AEK-971, AK-107/AK-108, AK-74 has a 1.5-2 times lower accuracy of firing bursts from unstable positions.

The AK-74 lacks the quick barrel change capability of the FN SCAR, Steyr AUG, HK 416, and Bushmaster ACR; as well as a fixed-length burst firing mode, which was later added to the AK101-2, AK102-2, AK103-2, AK104-2, AK105-2 “hundredth series” assault rifles.

Other advantages and disadvantages are similar to those for the entire AK family.

Specifications AK-74

• Caliber: 5.45×39
• Weapon length: 940 mm
• Barrel length: 415 mm
• Weight without cartridges: 3.3 kg.
• Rate of fire: 600 rds / min
• Magazine capacity: 30 rounds
• Sighting range: 1000 m

Specifications AKS-74

• Caliber: 5.45×39
• Weapon length: 940/700 mm
• Barrel length: 415 mm
• Weight without cartridges: 3.4 kg.
• Rate of fire: 600 rds / min
• Magazine capacity: 30 rounds

assault rifles

The table above shows the parameters of the 7.62x39 mm AK103 assault rifle with a magazine for 30 rounds, with a standard barrel, in the basic configuration.

Kalashnikov assault rifles of the "hundredth" series - AK101, AK102, AK103, AK104, AK105 and modifications of these models.

AKs of the "hundredth" series were created at the same IZHMASH plant, where all Kalashnikov assault rifles are produced, on the basis of models already mastered in production. The main "parent" of all "hundreds" was AK74M. In fact, the developers of the "hundredth" series simply took the AK74M caliber 5.45x39 mm as a basis and adapted it for two more calibers - 5.56x45 mm and 7.62x39 mm. They also made shortened modifications of assault rifles for all three calibers - 5.45 mm, 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm.

The progenitor of the "hundredth" series of Kalashnikov assault rifles - AK74M - has a polymer shock-resistant stock. All fittings are made of one matte black material - a pistol grip, a folding hollow butt (a pencil case with accessories for cleaning weapons is hidden inside the butt), an overlay for a gas outlet tube and a forearm. Shops for this weapon are made of high-strength plastic. The AK74M stock folds to the left, there is a groove on the stock, which, when folded, includes a dovetail side mount for mounting a variety of sights, from frame holography to optical thermal imagers. The installation of a standard army bayonet-knife and an underbarrel grenade launcher is provided.

The base for the entire "hundredth" series is the AK74M assault rifle

All AK 100-series are exported only, with the exception of AK105.

The difference from AK74M is only in the used cartridge - AK101 uses 5.56x45 mm caliber ammunition used in NATO small arms. Other differences follow from this. A different barrel with a chamber is installed on this machine (a different rifling pitch for a longer and heavier bullet of 5.56 mm caliber, the barrel caliber is slightly larger, the chamber is longer, since the 5.56x45 cartridge case is 6 mm longer than the domestic one and has a different shape), the AK101 has a different bolt (since the 5.56 mm caliber cartridge has a different case bottom diameter, the bottom thickness and the dimensions of the groove for the bolt hook are different). Also, the gas venting mechanism has been changed, since the 5.56x45 mm ammunition has significantly more power compared to the 5.45x39 cartridge, which is why the bolt frame receives more impulse from the shot, all other things being equal. Therefore, for the stability of the battle of the weapon and the rate of firing bursts, the conditions were changed, and the frame rolls back with an impulse close in magnitude to the rollback impulse of the AK74M frame. The accuracy of the AK101 battle is noticeably higher than the accuracy of the AK74M, the reason for which is the 5.56x45 cartridge.

The total length of the machine gun with the butt unfolded is 934 mm, and if the butt is folded, the length of the weapon is 705 mm. The AK101 weighs 3.6 kg with an empty magazine, and 4 kg fully loaded. The barrel length of the AK101 is the same as on the base version - 415 mm. A 5.56 mm caliber bullet flies out of the AK101 barrel at a speed of 910 m/s. The automatic retarder provides a rate of fire of no more than 600 rounds per minute. Rear sight this machine adjustable, like the AK74M, the fixed positions of the rear sight in height go from 1 to 10 in increments of one, which corresponds to values ​​​​from 100 to 1000 meters in increments of 100 meters.

AK101, next to it is a bayonet-knife with a scabbard from AK74M

AK101 with a modern night vision scope

The main visual difference between AK101 and AK74M is the shape of the magazine. The bend of the AK101 magazine is much less than the bend of the magazine for the AK74M.

This modification repeats the AK101, but has a barrel shortened to 314 mm. The front sight is located at the junction of the gas outlet tube with the barrel, on the barrel, immediately after the front sight, a muzzle with a bell is installed, similar to the muzzle of the AKS74U assault rifle. Due to the reduction in the length of the barrel, the total length of the weapon also decreased: with the AK102 butt folded down, it has a length of 824 mm, and with the butt folded - 586 mm. The mass has also changed somewhat - AK102 with an unloaded magazine weighs 3.2 kg, which is 400 grams less than the mass of an unloaded AK101. The initial speed of the bullet flying out of the shortened AK102 barrel also decreased - the speed of the bullet was initially 820 m / s. Another difference is that the AK102 has an adjustable rear sight with fixed positions graduated from 100 to 500 meters (from 1 to 5), in 100 m increments, and not up to 1000 m, like the AK101 rear sight. The technical rate of fire of the AK102 is the same as that of the AK101 - 600 rounds per minute.

This sample, by its appearance, fully confirms the proverb: "Everything new is a well-forgotten old." It's not that old though. AK103 completely repeats the basic machine for the "hundredth" series - AK74M, but the cartridge used by it is M43, better known as 7.62x39.

This cartridge was fired by the first Kalash - AK47 and AKM, as well as Simonov carbines of the 1945 model (SKS), RPK light machine guns, hunting carbines family "Saiga" and other samples of combat and civilian weapons. This cartridge was then and is now an excellent ammunition specifically for mass military weapons army, for war. The 7.62x39 cartridge in this regard is an order of magnitude better than the domestic 5.45x39 cartridge, which is used by almost all today's army small arms. Also, this cartridge, as the main army ammunition, is superior to the NATO cartridge 5.56x45.

There are several reasons for this:

1. The bullet of the M43 cartridge is much more stable in flight, even after passing through minor obstacles, stability is maintained, which cannot be said about five-millimeter bullets with a center of gravity shifted to back. That is, a 7.62x39 mm caliber bullet does not care about bushes, tree foliage, branches, thin doors and walls, car bodies, glass, etc. She will go through all this practically without changing the trajectory.

2. An automatic bullet of 7.62 mm caliber, when it enters the human body, leaves an even wound channel and usually goes right through. For combat operations, this is a plus, since the enemy has many chances to survive, even if defeated chest. But the stopping effect, the deformation of the bullet in the body and the strongest blow from the temporary pulsating cavity - this does not apply to this ammunition. The listed passions make just bullets of 5.56 and 5.45 mm calibers, which is not required in a war. After all, you just need to disable the enemy, it is not necessary to deprive him of limbs, severely maim and kill.

3. In modern war the fighters are protected by body armor, with which the 7.62 mm caliber will cope much better than the 5.45 or 5.56 mm, with the same bullet designs.

4. A 7.62x39 cartridge bullet retains its momentum much longer than 5.45 and 5.56 mm bullets, because it has a large mass. This bullet will penetrate parapets and the enemy behind these parapets, while small-caliber automatic bullets will get stuck in exactly the same parapet.

5. Minus in low flatness and bullet speed.

AK103 in caliber 7.62 mm is the most popular domestic export assault rifle precisely because of the cartridge used in it.

There are other versions of the basic variants of the "hundredth" series:

All modifications that have the number “1” at the end of the name (for example, AK104-1) are semi-automatic, they do not shoot bursts. Designed for police and security units, but it is not clear why. The police also have normal machine guns, and for protection a smooth-bore semi-automatic machine for short distances is much more adequate.

Really necessary modifications- these are machines with the number "2" at the end of the name (for example, AK101-2). This weapon has a 3-shot burst cut-off and a fuse - the fire translator has 4 positions: the upper position (safety), A (full automatic), 3 (cut-off for a three-shot burst) and the lowest position - 1 (single mode).

stands apart latest model"hundredth" series - AK103-3, which is, in fact, the beginning of the "two hundredth" series of AK.

Caliber - 7.62x39 mm, metric parameters are similar to AK103, weight is slightly larger. The shape of the pistol grip has been changed to a more comfortable one, the safety has been duplicated with a button. A Picatinny rail is mounted on top of the receiver cover of another type of fixation (for attaching various sights), there are also “rails” on the forearm (for flashlights, laser sights, front grips, etc.). It is completed with folding bipods mounted on the forearm.

Kalashnikov assault rifle

September 21, 1949 into service Soviet army the legendary machine gun - the Kalashnikov assault rifle was adopted.

The history of the birth of the Kalashnikov assault rifle began at the end of 1942, when Soviet troops captured the first samples of German automatic carbines (machine guns) MKb.42 (H) chambered for an intermediate cartridge of 7.92 × 33 at the front. In the summer of 1943, at a meeting in the NPO, based on the results of studying the captured MKb.42 (H) machine gun and the American M1 carbine, it was decided that it was necessary to urgently develop its own weapons complex for an intermediate cartridge, which provided the infantry with the opportunity effective management fire at ranges of about 400 meters (beyond the capabilities of submachine guns).

The development of the new complex began, of course, with the creation of a new cartridge, and already in November 1943, drawings and specifications of the new cartridge developed by designers Semin and Elizarov were sent to all organizations involved in the development of small arms. This cartridge had a bottle sleeve 41 mm long and was equipped with a pointed bullet of 7.62 mm caliber and a weight of 8 grams with a lead core. The development of weapons for the new cartridge was launched in several areas - an automatic rifle, a self-loading carbine and a carbine with manual reloading.

In the middle of 1944, the testing commission selected for further testing an automatic machine designed by Sudayev, which received the index. Based on the results of its refinement, it was decided to release a small series and conduct military tests, which took place in the spring and summer of 1945 as a group Soviet troops in Germany, and in a number of parts on the territory of the USSR. The overall test experience was positive, but the troops made a firm demand to reduce the weight of the machine. As a result, it was decided to conduct another round of tests at the beginning of 1946. This is where Sergeant Kalashnikov enters the scene. After being wounded in 1942, during the course of treatment, he developed a submachine gun of an original design, and as a result, he was sent to continue his service at the Scientific Testing Range for Small Arms and Mortar Weapons (NIPSMVO) in the town of Shchurovo, not far from Moscow. Here, in 1944, Kalashnikov developed a self-loading carbine, in the design of which there was a clear influence of the American M1Garand rifle, and with the announcement of a competition for the Kalashnikov assault rifle, he joined it.

AK-46 and its competitors:

And

In November 1946, the Kalashnikov project was, among some others, approved for

production of prototypes, and Kalashnikov was seconded to Kovrov, to plant No. 2 for the direct manufacture of experimental assault rifles. The first Kalashnikov assault rifle, known as the AK-46, had a split-receiver design, a short-stroke automatic gas piston located above the barrel and a rotary bolt, as well as separate fuse and fire mode selector on the left side of the weapon.

In December 1946, the AK-46 Kalashnikov assault rifle entered the test, where its main competitors were the Tula Bulkin assault rifles (about him -) and the Dementiev AD assault rifle. This was followed by the second round of tests, after which the AK-46 was recognized by the commission as unsuitable for further development.

Despite this decision, Kalashnikov, with the support of a number of members of the commission, consisting of NIPSMVO officers, with whom he had served at the training ground since 1943, achieved a review of the decision and received approval for further fine-tuning of his machine gun. Returning to Kovrov, Kalashnikov decided to radically rework his design, in which he was actively assisted by an experienced designer of the Kovrov plant, Zaitsev. As a result to next round test was actually created new machine, which had the most minimal resemblance to the AK-46, but on the other hand received a significant resemblance to one of the main competitors - the Bulkin assault rifle (this includes a bolt frame with a rigidly attached gas piston, the layout of the receiver and its cover, the placement of a return spring with a guide and the use of a ledge on return spring guide for locking the receiver cover).

Kalashnikov assault rifle AK-47 , 1947 Caliber - 7.62 mm. Length - 870 mm ( 645 y AKC with folded butt ), Barrel length - 415 mm. Pace shooting - 600 rpm. Weight without cartridges - 4300 g. Intermediate chuck 7.62× 39 mm, Elizarov system arr. 1943 Powder charge mass - 1.6 g. Bullet mass - 7.9 g. Initial speed - 715 m / s. Kalashnikov assault rifle modernized AKM , 1959 Outwardly, it differs from the AK-47 by the presence of a muzzle compensator, a ribbed surface of the magazine and a reduced angle of the butt. Caliber - 7.62 mm. Length - 880 mm ( 640 y AKMS with folded butt ), Barrel length - 415 mm. Pace shooting - 600 rpm. Weight without cartridges with unloaded light alloy magazine - 3100 Intermediate cartridge 7.62× 39 mm, Elizarov system arr. 1943 Powder charge mass - 1.6 g. Bullet mass - 7.9 g. Initial speed - 715 m / s. Magazine capacity - 30 rounds. Kalashnikov assault rifle AK- 74, 1974 Caliber - 5.45 mm. Length - 940 mm (700 u with folded butt ), Barrel length - 415 mm. Pace shooting - 600 rpm. Weight without cartridges - 3300 g. Cartridge 5.45× 39 mm. Powder charge mass - 1.45 g. Bullet mass - 3.4 g. Initial speed - 900 m / s. Magazine capacity - 30 rounds. AK-47 AKM AK-74

In general, all key Constructive decisions of the new machine gun were borrowed from other systems - for example, the trigger mechanism was borrowed with minimal improvements from the Czech Holek self-loading rifle, the safety lever, which was also a dust cover for the shutter handle window, was “spy” on the Remington 8 self-loading rifle designed by Browning, “hanging » bolt group inside the receiver with minimal friction areas and large gaps - in the machine AS-44. It should be especially noted here that during this period, copying and borrowing other people's design solutions (including those from direct competitors) was not only not forbidden, but was also directly welcomed by both the test commission and higher organizations.

It should also be noted that the use of the sum of already proven and successful solutions by itself does not guarantee the success of the resulting sample - this requires significant engineering and design work, which was done by Kalashnikov and Zaitsev in the shortest possible time. As a result, three assault rifles entered the next round of tests, which were held in December 1946 - January 1947 - slightly finished samples of Dementiev and Bulkin and, in fact, a new Kalashnikov and Zaitsev assault rifle. According to the test results, not a single sample fully met the tactical and technical requirements - the Kalashnikov assault rifle, being the most reliable of all three, showed insufficient accuracy of fire, and the only machine gun that fully met the requirements for accuracy - TKB-415 of the Bulkin system, had problems with reliability and survivability of a number of details.

At the meeting of the testing commission, based on the results of the next stage of the competition, in the end, it was decided to recommend the Kalashnikov assault rifle for military tests as the most reliable, and bringing it to the requirements of shooting accuracy was postponed indefinitely. This decision can be considered justified from the point of view that in the current situation at that time, the Soviet army would be much more useful for a reliable, but not very accurate machine gun in the near future than a reliable and accurate machine gun who knows when.

It was decided to establish the production of new assault rifles at a plant in Izhevsk, where Kalashnikov was sent from Kovrov at the end of 1947. The first batches of new machine guns were assembled in Izhevsk in the middle of 1948, and at the end of 1949, according to the results of military tests, the new machine gun was adopted by the Soviet Army in two versions under the designations "7.62-mm Kalashnikov AK" and "7.62 -mm Kalashnikov assault rifle with a folding stock AKS "(for airborne troops).

Serial production of new machines unfolded in Izhevsk with big problems. The main problem became the receiver, assembled from a stamped steel case and a massive milled liner in the front with rivets. The imperfection of the technology led to distortions in the shape and size of the receiver and other problems, which, in turn, caused a large percentage of defects. After analyzing the problems, the designers of the plant made a seemingly paradoxical decision - the transition to the "outdated" technology of milling the receiver from a solid forging instead of stamping and riveting will be economically justified due to sharp decline the number of defects and returns of machine guns from military acceptance. A new receiver was developed in the department of the chief designer of the Izhevsk plant, and since 1951, AK and AKS assault rifles began to be produced with a milled receiver.

At the same time, in the course of production, numerous improvements were made to the design and technology of the production of automatic machines. The appearance in the first half of the fifties of the experimental Korobov assault rifle, which surpassed the AK in terms of accuracy of fire, as well as being lighter and cheaper to manufacture, led to the appearance in 1955 of a new lightweight assault rifle. In the future, these requirements were supplemented by requirements for the creation of the most unified with the machine light machine gun– Squad-level support weapons.

AKM ballistic data

Firing range, m	Final bullet speed, m/s	Bullet flight time, s	Bullet energy, kgm

Competitive tests of new systems took place in 1957-58 and included a fairly large range of samples from different design bureaus. For these tests, the Kalashnikov group presented an improved version of the AK with a new stamped receiver, as well as a light machine gun based on it. According to the results of tests in 1959, the "7.62-mm Kalashnikov assault rifle modernized AKM" was adopted by the Soviet army, as it demonstrated high reliability, acceptable characteristics in terms of accuracy and accuracy of fire and was "familiar" to both industry and troops. In 1974, the 5.45 mm rifle complex, consisting of the AK-74 assault rifle and the RPK-74 light machine gun, was adopted by the Soviet Army, and the production of AKM assault rifles in the USSR was curtailed. However, a significant number of 7.62-mm AKM assault rifles are still in service with various branches of the military. Russian army- I myself, while serving in the Russian Air Defense Forces in 1997-1998, had to shoot from standard 7.62-mm machine guns produced in the late 1960s - early 1970s. A considerable number of 7.62-mm machine guns are in service with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Russian police. AK and subsequently AKM were widely supplied to countries and regimes friendly to the USSR, both in the form of finished weapons and in the form of licenses for production, coupled with all the necessary documentation and technical assistance. 7.62-mm machine guns were produced in Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany, Egypt, Iraq, China, Romania, North Korea, Finland, and were delivered to even more countries. As a matter of fact, such a wide distribution of Kalashnikov assault rifles in the world (as a rule, the number of AK-type assault rifles produced around the world is estimated at about 90 million pieces) is primarily determined by the policy of the USSR, which generously distributed automatic weapons and their production technologies to everyone who declared their readiness to follow the socialist way or at least fight against world imperialism and colonialism.

As a result of such generosity in the past, Russia has now lost a significant part of the market for assault rifles, since now only the lazy in the countries of the former socialist bloc does not produce one or another version of the Kalashnikov assault rifle. Civilian semi-automatic versions of the AK are quite popular both in Russia (carbines and shotguns of the Saiga series) and abroad, especially in the USA (mainly due to the promotion of the Kalashnikov brand, unpretentiousness in cartridges and low price).

The main merit of Kalashnikov (or rather, of his entire team involved in the development and debugging of the machine gun) is precisely the optimal layout of already known and proven solutions into a single sample that meets the set requirements. The AKM Kalashnikov assault rifle is an automatic weapon with an automatic gas engine, magazine-fed and air-cooled barrel. The basis of automation is a gas engine with a long stroke of the gas piston.

Model	Cartridge	Length with butt / without butt, mm	Barrel length, mm	Weight without cartridges, kg	Rate of fire, rounds per minute	Sighting range, m	Muzzle velocity, m/s
AK	7.62x39
AKM	7.62x39			3,14		1000
AK74	5.45×39				600-650	1000
AK74M	5.45×39	943/705		3,63		1000
AKS74U	5.45×39	730/490	206,5
AK101	5.56×45	943/700		3,63		1000
AK102	5.56×45	824/586		3,23
AK103	7.62x39	943/705				1000
AK104	7.62x39	824/586		3,15
AK105	5.45×39	824/586		3,23
AK-107	5.45×39	943/700				1000
AK-108	5.56×45	943/700				1000
AK-109	7.62x39	943/700				1000

The leading link of automation is a massive bolt carrier, to which the gas piston rod is rigidly attached. The gas chamber is located above the barrel, the gas piston moves inside a removable gas tube with a handguard. The bolt frame moves inside the receiver along two side rails, and the design provides for significant gaps between the moving parts of the automation and the fixed elements of the receiver, which ensures reliable operation even with heavy internal contamination of the weapon.

Another aspect that contributes to the reliable operation of automation in difficult conditions is obviously excessive power under normal conditions. gas engine. This allows you to abandon the gas regulator, and thereby simplify the design of the weapon and its operation. The price of such a decision is increased recoil and vibration of the weapon when firing, which reduces the accuracy and accuracy of fire, and also reduces the resource of the receiver, in the rear wall of which hits a massive bolt carrier. The barrel bore is locked by a rotary bolt on two radial lugs engaged with the elements of the receiver insert. The rotation of the shutter is ensured by the interaction of the protrusion on its body with a curly groove on the inner surface of the shutter frame. The return spring with the guide rod and its base are made in the form of a single assembly. The base of the recoil spring also serves as a latch for the receiver cover. The cocking handle is made integral with the bolt carrier, is located on the weapon on the right and moves when firing. The AKM receiver is stamped from a steel sheet, with a riveted milled insert in its front part. In early AK assault rifles, the receiver was a combination of stamped and milled elements, in serial AKs it was completely milled. At first glance, a milled receiver and a stamped one can be easily distinguished from each other by the shape of the notches above the magazine socket. On AK with a milled box, these are rather long milled recesses of a rectangular shape, on AKM, these are small oval stampings. Trigger mechanism (USM) AKM - trigger, provides single and automatic fire. The choice of fire modes and the inclusion of the fuse are carried out by a long stamped lever on the right side of the receiver. In the upper position - "Fuse" - it closes the slot in the receiver, protecting the mechanism from dirt and dust, blocks the movement of the bolt frame back, and also locks the trigger. In the middle position, it blocks the sear of a single fire, providing automatic fire. In the lower position, the single fire sear is released, providing fire with single shots. In USM AKM, unlike AK, an additional trigger retarder has been introduced, which, during automatic fire, delays the release of the trigger after the self-timer has been triggered for a few milliseconds. This allows the bolt carrier to stabilize in its forwardmost position after it has come forward and possibly rebounded. This delay has practically no effect on the rate of fire, but it improves the stability of the weapon. The muzzle of the barrel of the weapon has a thread, on which a nozzle for firing blank cartridges was originally placed, and in its absence, a protective sleeve. On AKM assault rifles, from the beginning of the sixties, a compensator began to be installed on this thread, which reduces the toss and pull towards the barrel during automatic firing by using the pressure of the powder gases escaping from the barrel on the lower ledge of the compensator. In addition, a special silencer (a device for silent and flameless firing) PBS PBS or PBS-1, used in special operations, can be installed on the same thread. True, in this case a special cartridge was used with a powder charge reduced to 0.5 g and a bullet weighing 12.55 g. Such a bullet had initial speed 310 m / s, that is, below the speed of sound, which also provided a reduction in the noise of the shot.

The machine guns are fed from box magazines with a two-row arrangement of cartridges. The standard magazine capacity is 30 rounds. Early magazines were stamped steel with flat sides. Later, steel stamped magazines appeared with vertical curved forgings on the sidewalls to increase rigidity, as well as lightweight aluminum magazines. Then, plastic magazines of a characteristic dirty orange color appeared in the troops. If necessary, 40-cartridge horns and 75-cartridge discs from the RPK light machine gun can be used in the AKM.

AK-74 ballistic data

Firing range, m	Final bullet speed, m/s	Bullet flight time, s	Bullet energy, kgm

This article will discuss weapons with a worldwide reputation, the development of which marked the beginning of a whole era in the field of domestic weapons design. The performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle were improved from one model to another, but the principle of operation remained unchanged. The traditions laid down by the creator himself in his model remained inviolable: quality, reliability, simplicity and long term services.

History of creation...

The prerequisites for the development of a new weapon model were the results of a meeting of the technical council at the USSR People's Commissariat in July 1943, where the captured prototype of the German StG-44 and the American M1 Carbine carbine were dismantled.

About a month later, a new experimental cartridge of 7.62 x 41 mm caliber was created, subsequently the cartridge was adjusted, as a result, the caliber was converted to 7.62 x 39 mm.

Later, a number of design competitions were announced, as a result of which the famous machine gun was developed.

In 1947, it was decided to start the production of the machine gun in Izhevsk. And two years later, two samples were put into service: a standard AK with a caliber of 7.62 mm and a model with a folding stock - AKS - of the same caliber.

1959 was marked by the release of a modernized version of the machine. The flaws identified during operation were corrected, on the basis of the already used TKB-517 assault rifle, new performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle were compiled and the first machine gun based on AKM was released.

Machine

The Kalashnikov assault rifle, performance characteristics and main parts were refined from one version of the product to another to increase efficiency, reliability and improve quality. However, the design features remained unchanged.

From the moment it entered service, the performance characteristics established at that time became Starting point for the continuous development of design ideas. The types and forms of butts, the shape of the handle, the length of the barrel changed. Models of the hundredth series (in addition to the protrusions for mounting the bayonet-knife) have a mounting socket. The fifth generation machine (for example, AK-12) has provisions for mounting various types of equipment, such as optical or collimator sights, laser designators or a flashlight. The quality, purpose, performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle are constantly improving.

Purpose of the main parts of the product

Now you should dwell directly on each component in order to make out which part serves what.

Trunk- is intended to set the direction of the bullet's flight directly when fired.

Receiver- acts as a connector for all parts and mechanisms of the machine, ensures that the barrel is closed with a bolt and the latter is locked.

receiver cover- contributes to the protection of the internal parts of the product (placed in the receiver) from contamination and penetration of foreign objects.

sighting device- consists of a front sight and a sight. Designed to point the barrel of the machine gun at the target to produce the most effective shooting.

Butt- provides comfortable shooting along with the handle.

Bolt frame - actuates the bolt and trigger mechanism. The shutter, in turn, sends the cartridge into the chamber, locks the bore, breaks the capsule shell, removes the sleeve.

Return mechanism- brings the bolt carrier and the bolt to its original (front) position.

Gas tube and handguard- protect the hands of the shooter from burns, and also set the direction of movement of the gas piston.

trigger mechanism- pulls the trigger, which is in the cocked (combat) position. It strikes the striker, thereby providing automatic fire in bursts or single fire. Serves to stop firing, set the safety lock, and also prevents shots when the shutter is locked.

handguard- serves for a convenient girth of the body of the machine gun when firing. Together with a gas tube, it protects the shooter's palm from burns.

Shop- serves for storage and transportation of machine gun cartridges, as well as feeding into the chamber for firing in a different position.

Bayonet knife- in a position attached to the machine gun, it is used in a bayonet attack or any other form of close contact combat. Can be used as a knife, saw and wire cutter.

TTX of the Kalashnikov AK-74 and not only

The modern model of the Kalashnikov assault rifle AK-74M has the following characteristics: the weight of the product is 3.6 kg without cartridges, 3.9 kg - equipped, 5.8 kg - without cartridges, but with the NSPUM model installed, the sight of the NSPU-3 type is slightly lighter - only 0.1 kg.

An empty magazine weighs 0.23 kg, and a bayonet-knife without a scabbard weighs only 0.32 kg.

The length of the machine is 940 millimeters, and with an attached bayonet - 1089 mm. With the stock unfolded, this figure already has a value of 943, and with the stock folded - 704 millimeters. With the advent of new models, the performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle are undergoing changes.

The barrel length is 415 mm with the installed muzzle brake compensator and only 372 mm without it.

Width is also essential part of performance characteristics Kalashnikov assault rifle. It is 70 millimeters for a standard product. Height - 195 mm.

The principle of operation for all models is the same - the system for removing gases of burnt gunpowder and the rotary shutter - despite the performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle changing from one model to another.

5.45 is the caliber of the modern AK-74M.

TTX of the Kalashnikov assault rifle AKS-74U and some interesting things

Folding shortened Kalashnikov assault rifle - this is how the abbreviation of the name of this weapon is deciphered. It is a shortened version of the standard AK-74, designed to conduct combat missions in a small enclosed space: to equip military transport crews in peaceful or combat conditions (for example, BTR-80), crews of various weapons, as well as landing units. It is in service in security structures, has proven itself in those due to its compactness and low weight.

It weighs about 3 kg with cartridges and 2.7 kg without them. The weight of the magazine is 0.21 kg, the mounting of the NSPUM sight weighing 2.2 kg is provided.

The length of the product is 730 mm with the butt unfolded, 490 - respectively, with the butt folded. The length of the barrel itself is 206 mm.

The rate of fire varies from 600 to 700 rounds per second. The effective range is 500 meters, but the effective range is only 300.

A bullet fired from the AKS-74U is capable of developing an initial velocity of 735 m/s.

Features of AKS-74U

In view of the global trend towards the creation of shortened versions of existing assault rifles, the designers of the USSR in the 70s also took care of creating a compact sample of an existing machine gun.

Compared to the original version, "drying" (sometimes there are versions with the letter "h" instead of "w") has the following features:

• a significantly shortened barrel with a mounted muzzle, which in turn serves as a flame arrester;
• the gas-piston rod is shortened by almost half;
• removed the system of slowing down the rate of fire;
• improved bullet flight stabilization system with a shortened barrel.

Advantages

The main feature is the relatively high firing range for this type of weapon. But this is far from the only plus. It should also be mentioned:

• due to its small dimensions, concealed carrying is possible;
• reliable, easy to disassemble, clean and reassemble;
• high penetrating power.

Flaws

Despite the high popularity of the AKS-74U, the product also has a number of disadvantages. Some of them lead to the refusal to use this weapon, some require getting used to. It all depends on the desire and capabilities of the owner.

• First of all, a significantly lower accuracy is noticeable to the naked eye compared to the original version of the product.
• Sighting range is similarly low when compared with classic version machine.
• Low stopping power. This term refers to the parameter of the bullet, which determines the ability of the enemy to take any further actions after being hit by a bullet. In this case, the low rate of this parameter is associated with the use of caliber 5.45.
• The model quickly overheats due to its small size.

Kalashnikov assault rifle in popular culture

In a number African countries newborn boys are given the name "Kalash". There are many versions of this term.

One theory says that it is named after the hero of the movie "22 Minutes" - Somali pirate who helped the main character.

According to another version, it is argued that the name has no semantic link to the Kalashnikov assault rifle, but means something in local dialects.

And there is also a religious interpretation, rooted in totemic religions based on the cult of patron ancestors. Such views are held by about 16% of the population of all of Africa.

According to this interpretation, the Kalashnikov assault rifle is so famous all over the world that it is difficult to name a country that it would not have influenced. In particular, this weapon was also used in a number of armed conflicts and in Africa.

In the end, it got to the point that a number of African tribes who used the famous Kalash identified this weapon with the spirit of a great ancestor, capable of both harming and protecting. Therefore, when a boy was born, and, consequently, a warrior, he was called "Kalash", thus implying that the future protector, support and hope of the whole family is growing.

But this is just one of the theories.

On the albums of many musical groups different directions, images of the Kalashnikov assault rifle are used.

The song "Dragunov" by the Swedish Industrial band Raubtier mentions a Kalashnikov assault rifle in the following context:

Dragunov and Stolichnaya

Smirnoff and Kalashnikoff.

Here is such an unusual application found a Kalashnikov assault rifle. The device, purpose, performance characteristics are not involved in any way.

"Kalashnikov" on the coats of arms of the countries of the world

The famous automaton is present or was present at different times on the coats of arms of a number of countries. For example, it is used on the coat of arms and (with an attached bayonet-knife) in the heraldry of the state of Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso from 1987 to 1997.

Since 2007, the outline of "Kalash" has been used on the coat of arms of East Timor.

Also used in the emblem of the "Vanguard of the Red Youth" - a communist Bolshevik organization, common in the states of the former USSR.

Coat of arms of the Ukrainian volunteer paramilitary association formed to eliminate local conflict on the territory of Donbass, also includes a Kalashnikov assault rifle.

For almost 70 years, several dozen modifications, prototypes and concepts of the most popular small arms in the world, the Kalashnikov assault rifle, have been developed in the USSR and Russia. The universal base allows you to design "guns" for almost every taste: folding, shortened, with a bayonet, optics or underbarrel grenade launcher, for special services or individual branches of the military.

In this article, we will tell you how to learn to distinguish between the main AK models and what are their unique features.

The classic, very first adopted AK-47 is difficult to confuse with something. Made of iron and wood, without any "bells and whistles", it has long become a symbol of reliability and ease of use in any conditions. At the same time, it did not take long for the machine gun to become such: it took Mikhail Kalashnikov several years to bring his creation to perfection.

In 1946, the military leadership of the USSR announced a competition for the creation of an assault rifle for an intermediate (in terms of lethal force - between a pistol and a rifle) cartridge. The new weapon had to be maneuverable, fast-firing, have sufficient lethal effect of a bullet and shooting accuracy. The competition was held in several stages, extended more than once, since none of the gunsmiths could give the required result. In particular, the commission sent the AK-46 models No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 (with a folding metal butt) for revision.

The improved Kalashnikov assault rifle, which was assigned the AK-47 index, as Sergei Monetchikov writes in the book "The History of the Russian Automaton", was almost completely reworked. From the designs of weapons of competitors were borrowed best ideas implemented in individual parts and whole units.

The machine did not have a classic solid stock. Taking into account the solid receiver, the separate wooden butt and forearm contributed to the retention of the weapon during firing. The design of the receiver was redesigned, it was fundamentally different from the previous ones by a special insert rigidly fixed on it, connecting it to the barrel. On the liner, in particular, a reflector of spent cartridges was attached.

The reloading handle, made integral with the bolt carrier, was moved to the right side. This was required by the test soldiers, they noted: the left-hand position of the handle interferes with firing on the move without stopping, touching the stomach. In the same position, it is inconvenient to reload weapons.

The transfer of controls to the right side of the receiver made it possible to create a successful fire switch (from single to automatic), which is also a fuse, made in the form of a single rotary part.

The large mass of the bolt carrier and a powerful return spring ensured the reliable operation of mechanisms, including adverse conditions: in case of dusting, contamination, thickening of the lubricant. The weapon turned out to be adapted for trouble-free operation in the range of air temperature changes up to 100 degrees Celsius.

The wooden parts of the new weapon - the butt, forearm and handguard, as well as the pistol grip, made from birch blanks - were covered with three layers of varnish, which ensured their sufficient resistance to swelling in damp conditions.

AKS-47

Simultaneously with the AK-47, a model with the letter "C", meaning "folding", was adopted. This version of the machine was intended for special forces and the airborne forces, its difference was in a metal, not a wooden butt, which, moreover, could be folded under the receiver.

“Such a butt, consisting of two stamp-welded rods, a shoulder rest and a locking mechanism, ensured the convenience of handling weapons - in the stowed position, when moving on skis, parachuting, as well as using it for firing from tanks, armored personnel carriers, etc. .,” writes Sergey Monetchikov.

Shooting from a machine gun was supposed to be carried out with a folded butt, however, if it was impossible, it was possible to shoot from a weapon with a folded butt. True, it was not very convenient: the butt rods had insufficient rigidity and strength, and the wide shoulder rest did not fit into the hollow of the shoulder and therefore strove to move from there when firing bursts.

AKM and AKMS

The modernized Kalashnikov assault rifle (AKM) was put into service 10 years after the AK-47 - in 1959. It turned out to be lighter, longer-range and more convenient to use.

“The accuracy did not satisfy us, and especially the main customer, when firing from stable positions, lying down, standing upright. They found a way out by introducing a trigger retarder, which increased the cycle time, Kalashnikov wrote in the book Notes of a Gunsmith Designer. “Later, a muzzle compensator was developed, which made it possible to improve the accuracy of combat during automatic firing from unstable positions, standing, kneeling, lying on the arm.”

The retarder allowed the bolt carrier to stabilize in the extreme forward position before the next shot, which affected the accuracy of fire. The muzzle compensator in the form of a petal was installed on the barrel thread, and was one of the obvious hallmarks AKM. Due to the compensator, the barrel cut was not vertical, but diagonal. By the way, mufflers could be attached to the same thread.

Improving the accuracy of fire made it possible to increase it effective range up to 1000 meters, as a result, the aiming bar also changed, the range scale consisted of numbers from 1 to 10 (on the AK-47 - up to 8).

The butt was made raised up, which brought the stop point closer to the firing line. The external forms of the wooden forearm have changed. On the sides, it received stops for the fingers. Phosphate-lacquer coating, which replaced the oxide one, increased the anti-corrosion resistance tenfold. Monetchikov notes that the store, made not of steel sheet, but of light alloys, has also undergone fundamental changes. To improve reliability and protect against deformation side walls its hulls were reinforced with stiffeners.

The design of the bayonet-knife, which was attached under the barrel, was also new. A sheath with a rubber tip for electrical insulation made it possible to use a knife for cutting barbed wire and live wires. The combat power of the AKM increased significantly due to the possibility of installing a GP-25 "Koster" underbarrel grenade launcher. Like its predecessor, the AKM was also developed in a folding version with the letter "C" in the title.

AK-74

In the 1960s, the Soviet military leadership decided to develop small arms chambered for a low-impulse 5.45 mm cartridge. The fact is that in AKM it was not possible to achieve high accuracy of fire. The reason was that the cartridge was too powerful, which gave a strong impulse.

In addition, as Monetchikov writes, military trophies from South Vietnam — american rifles AR-15, the automatic version of which was later adopted by the US Army under the designation M-16. Even then, the AKM was inferior in many respects to the AR-15, in particular, in terms of the accuracy of the battle and the probability of hits.

“Due to the difficulty of development, the search for approaches, the design of an assault rifle chambered for 5.45-mm caliber can be compared, perhaps, only with the time of the birth of the AK-47, the father of the entire family of our system. At first, when we decided to take the AKM automation scheme as a basis, one of the factory managers suggested that there was no need to look for something here and invent it, they say, a simple rearrangement would be enough. I marveled in my soul at the naivete of such a judgment, - Mikhail Kalashnikov recalled that period. - Of course, changing the barrel of a larger caliber to a smaller one is a simple matter. Then, by the way, the conventional wisdom began to circulate that we just changed the number "47" to "74".

The main feature of the new assault rifle was a two-chamber muzzle brake, which, when fired, absorbed about half of the recoil energy. On the left side of the receiver, a bar was mounted for night sights. The new rubber-metal design of the nape of the buttstock with transverse grooves reduced its sliding over the shoulder when conducting aimed fire.

The handguard and buttstock were first made of wood, but switched to black plastic in the 1980s. The external feature of the butt was the grooves on both sides, they were made to lighten the overall weight of the machine. Shops were also made of plastic.

AKS-74

For the Airborne Forces, a modification was traditionally made with a folding butt, although this time it retracted to the left along the receiver. It is believed that such a decision was not very successful: when folded, the machine turned out to be wide and rubbed the skin when worn on the back. When worn on the chest, there was an inconvenience if it was necessary to fold back the butt without removing the weapon.

A leather cheek sleeve appeared on the upper side of the buttstock; it protected the shooter's cheek from freezing to a metal part in winter conditions.

AKS-74U

Following the world fashion of the 1960s and 70s, the USSR decided to develop a small-sized machine gun that could be used in cramped combat conditions, mainly when firing at close and medium distances. Another announced competition among designers was won by Mikhail Kalashnikov.

Compared to the AKS-74, the barrel was shortened from 415 to 206.5 millimeters, because of which the gas chamber had to be carried back. This, writes Sergei Monetchikov, led to a change in the design of the front sight. Its base was made together with the gas chamber. This design also led to the transfer of the sight closer to the shooter's eye, otherwise the aiming line turned out to be very short. Concluding the topic of the sight, we note that the machine guns of this model were equipped with self-luminous nozzles for shooting at night and in conditions of limited visibility.

The higher pressure of powder gases required the installation of a reinforced flame arrester. It was a cylindrical chamber with a bell (expansion in the form of a funnel) in front. The flame arrester was attached to the muzzle of the barrel, on a threaded fit.

The shortened machine gun was equipped with a more massive wooden forearm and a gas tube handguard, it could use both standard magazines for 30 rounds and shortened magazines for 20 rounds.

For a more complete unification of the shortened machine gun with the AKS-74, it was decided to use the same stock, which leans back to the left side of the receiver.

AK-74M

This machine gun is a deep modernization of the weapon, which was put into service in 1974. Keeping everything best qualities inherent in Kalashnikov assault rifles, the AK-74M acquired a number of new ones that significantly improved its combat and operational characteristics.

The main feature of the new model was a folding plastic stock, which replaced the metal one. It was lighter than its predecessors and similar in design to the permanent plastic AK-74 stock produced in the late 1980s. When worn, it clings to clothing less, does not cause discomfort when shooting at low or high temperatures.

The handguard and handguard of the gas tube of the machine were made of glass-filled polyamide. In terms of heat transfer, the new material almost did not differ from wood, which excluded hand burns during prolonged shooting. Longitudinal ribs on the forearm made it easier and stronger to hold the weapon during aimed fire.

"Hundredth Series" (AK 101-109)

These Kalashnikov modifications, developed in the 1990s on the basis of the AK-74M, are called the first domestic family of commercial weapons, since they were intended more for export than for domestic consumption. In particular, they were designed for a NATO cartridge of 5.56 by 45 millimeters.

AK-102

AK-107

From the designs of automatic machines of the "100th" series (similar to best model 5.45-mm Kalashnikov assault rifle - AK74M), wooden parts are completely excluded. The buttstock and forearm of all are made of impact-resistant glass-filled black polyamide, for which this weapon, according to Monetchikov, received the name "Black Kalashnikov" from the Americans. All models have plastic stocks that fold to the left along the receiver and a rail for mounting sights.

The most original in the "hundredth" series were the AK-102, AK-104 and AK-105 assault rifles. In their design, a breakthrough was made in increasing the level of unification between standard machines and their shortened versions. Due to a slight increase in the overall length (by 100 millimeters compared to the AKS-74U), it became possible to leave the gas chamber in the same place as in the AK-74, thus allowing the use of a unified movable system and sights on all assault rifles of the series.

Machine guns of the "hundredth" series differ from each other mainly in caliber, barrel length (314 - 415 millimeters), sector sights designed for different ranges (from 500 to 1000 meters).

AK-9

This assault rifle was also developed on the basis of the AK-74M, and the developments of the "hundredth" series were also used in it. The same black color, the same polymer folding stock. The main difference from the classic Kalashnikovs can be considered a shortened barrel and a vapor mechanism. Experts call a new pistol grip with better ergonomics an important improvement.

The machine gun was created as a silent, flameless rifle complex for covert shooting. It uses subsonic 9×39 mm rounds, which, together with a silencer, make the shot almost inaudible. Magazine capacity - 20 rounds.

On the forearm there is a special bar for various removable equipment - flashlights, laser pointers.

AK-12

The most modern assault rifle of the Kalashnikov family, the tests of which have not yet been completed. Of the external changes, the use of Picatinny rails for attaching attachments catches the eye. Unlike the AK-9, they are on the forearm and on top of the receiver. At the same time, the lower bar does not interfere with the installation of underbarrel grenade launchers - this option is preserved. The AK-12 also has two short rails on the sides of the forearm and one on top of the gas chamber.

In addition, the butt of the machine is easily removed and can be folded in both directions. On top of that, it is telescopic, the cheek and butt plate are adjustable in height. There is a version of the machine and with a stationary lighter plastic butt.

The flag of the fuse-translator of fire is duplicated on the left side, the machine can fire single, short series of three shots, and in automatic mode. And in general, all the controls of the machine gun are made in such a way that the soldier can use them with one hand, including changing the store and distorting the shutter. By the way, a variety of magazines can be used, up to an experimental drum for 95 rounds