Kalashnikov assault rifle AK-74 / AKS-74 / AK-74N / AKS-74N

Performance characteristics

Options

AKS-74UN2 (“night”) - a variant characterized by the presence of a rail for attaching a night sight. For shooting in natural light conditions at night, it is attached to a universal modernized night shooting sight (NSPUM).

AKS-74UB ("silent") - an option for special forces, characterized by the replacement of the standard muzzle attachment with a thread for attaching a silencer (usually PBS-4) and the ability to install a silent under-barrel grenade launcher BS-1M. In this form, the machine gun forms a silent rifle-grenade launcher complex 6S1 “Canary”.

In later versions of the AKS-74U, a side dovetail rail for mounting Cobra and PSO/POSP sights appeared on the left side of the receiver.

Description of SHP:

About
the blank OS AK-74M assault rifle - developed by the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant, the combat model is taken as the basis.
Externally
, the SHP is fully consistent with its combat counterpart.
Ammunition
– light and sound cartridges 5.45×39.
Magazine
for 10 rounds (limiter).
The
flame from the barrel, the roar of shots, and shell casings flying out of the window completely allow you to maintain the realism of shooting.

S
fires a cold AK in both single and burst modes (semi-automatic and automatic modes).
The
stock of the machine gun, as in the original model, is folding.
The
fire translator has a safety mode to ensure safety and prevent an unintentional shot.

The AK SHP is
fully and standardly dismountable; it can be used for training in assembling and disassembling the machine gun.
This process calms the nerves very well) The
process of firing from a cold AK-74M is quite realistic, the sound and fire of a slightly more cold fellow and the heating of the barrel is significant.
It
’s enough to shoot one magazine and the barrel, but for the second magazine you won’t even touch the fore-end. The barrel is original, the rifling is clearly visible when held up to light.

The
forearm with the butt is made of special high-strength plastic.

B

Thanks to the swivels, the machine gun can be carried on a shoulder strap.
The weapon weighs 3.6 kg, length with the butt unfolded is 70.5 cm. And
the machine gun needs periodic lubrication; in addition to the pencil case and passport, the kit includes an oil can.
The
pins are inserted into the barrel quite well and if you exclude manufacturing defects, you don’t have to worry about the possibility of losing the pin during shooting.
There
is an opinion that the pin can burn out and corrode over time, so it is recommended that before long-term storage, spill the barrel with oil, plugging it on one side with a patch, then blow it out and repeat this a couple of times.

Sighting device

The AKS-74U sighting device consists of a rotating rear sight and a front sight. The rear sight has two positions - for shooting at distances[6] up to 350 m (“P”) and from 350 to 500 m (“5”).

The weapon also comes with a device for shooting at night (self-luminous attachment), consisting of a folding rear sight with a wide slot (installed on the rotating rear sight) and a wide front sight (put on the front sight of the weapon from above), on which luminous dots are applied. This device does not separate during operation - when shooting during the day, the front sight and rear sight are moved down and fixed, without interfering with the use of standard sighting devices.

Deactivation

• There are three pins in the barrel of the machine gun. the pins are welded very carefully, not like on VPO 925
• influx on the combat stop.
• connecting the barrel to the receiver (welding).

Pin in the barrel

Swell on the bolt lug

the barrel is welded to the receiver

Device

The operation of the AKS-74U automation is based on the use of the energy of powder gases removed from the barrel bore. When fired, part of the powder gases that push the bullet is directed through a hole in the barrel wall into the gas chamber, pressing on the front wall of the gas piston, throwing the piston and bolt frame with the bolt to the rear position. The bolt opens the barrel, removes the cartridge case from the chamber and throws it out. The bolt frame compresses the return spring and cocks the self-timer.

Under the action of the return mechanism, the bolt frame and bolt return to the forward position. The bolt sends a new cartridge into the chamber and locks the barrel. The bolt frame removes the self-timer sear from under the self-timer cocking of the trigger. The trigger is cocked.

The barrel bore is locked by turning the bolt to the right around the longitudinal axis and, as a result, by moving its lugs past the lugs of the receiver.

AKS-74U consists of the following main parts and mechanisms:

• barrel with receiver and receiver cover, with trigger mechanism, sighting device, folding stock and pistol grip;
• flame arrester;
• bolt carrier with gas piston;
• gate;
• return mechanism;
• gas tube with receiver lining;
• forend;
• shop;
• belt.

The AKS-74U kit includes: a case, accessories (a cleaning rod, a cleaning rod, a brush, a screwdriver, a drift, an oil can, four clips and an adapter), three spare magazines and a bag for carrying magazines and accessories. The AKS-74UN2 kit additionally includes NSPUM.

Assembly/disassembly of cooled OS-AK74M (IZH-161)

1. О
   disconnect the store;
2. We
   cock and release the bolt and check that there is no cartridge in the chamber;
3. By
   pressing the return mechanism button, simultaneously remove the receiver cover;
4. Remove
   the return mechanism;
5. And
   we remove the bolt assembly with the gas piston;
6. We
   press the flag of the gas tube with the receiver lining;
7. Remove
   the gas pipe;
8. the
   ramrod. To make it easier to disconnect the cleaning rod, pull the thickening at the end of the cleaning rod with one hand, and press the cleaning rod with the other hand. after this procedure, the cleaning rod can be easily removed from the socket;
9. And
   we take the pencil case out of the compartment located in the butt.
10. assemble
    the AK 74 m assault rifle (CH-AK74M) in the reverse order.

Standard magazine included CX AK74M

The flame arrester is removable. It is fixed with a button in the groove of the flame arrester.

View of the internal chamber of the flame arrester CX AK74M

Features of AKS-74U

Differences from AKS-74:

• trunk shortened by 2 times,
• shortened gas piston rod,
• a special muzzle is installed, serving as an expansion chamber and flame arrester,
• the receiver cover is hinged to the receiver in its front part,
• installation of the rear sight at 350 and 500 meters,
• there is no rate of fire retarder,
• The rifling stroke length was reduced from 200 to 160 mm (for better stabilization of the bullet in flight with a short barrel).

From the point of view of all mechanisms, the AKS-74U is completely similar to the AK-74, with the exception of the trigger rotation limiter, installed instead of the tempo retarder.

Further information about the combat analogue

What is the Kalashnikov assault rifle intended for?

Purpose and combat properties of the Kalashnikov assault rifle. The Kalashnikov assault rifle is an individual weapon and is designed to destroy enemy personnel. To defeat an enemy in hand-to-hand combat, a bayonet-knife is attached to the machine gun. The machine gun fires automatic fire or single fire (firing with single shots). The SHP version is intended for recreational shooting in specially designated places using automatic fire. SHP variants of the Kalashnikov assault rifle are one of the budget options for purchase in SHP or MMG variants

.
Purpose and combat properties of the Kalashnikov assault rifle

The modernized Kalashnikov assault rifle is an individual weapon and is designed to destroy enemy personnel. To defeat an enemy in hand-to-hand combat, a bayonet-knife is attached to the machine gun.

Machine structure: 1 – butt; 2 – protrusion of the guide rod of the return mechanism; 3 – translator; 4 – receiver cover; 5 – trigger; 6 – bolt frame; 7 – drummer; 8 – shutter; 9 – sighting bar; 10 – sight block; 11 – receiver lining; 12 – gas piston; 13 – gas tube; 14 – barrel coupling; 15 – base of the front sight; 16 – handguard; 17 – ramrod; 18 – trunk; 19 – store; 20 – magazine latch; 21 – mainspring; 22 – autostart lever; 23 – trigger; 24 – pistol grip; 25 – connecting screw; 26 – accessory

The machine gun fires either automatic fire or single fire. Automatic fire is carried out in short (up to 5 shots) and long (up to 10 shots) bursts and continuously. When firing, cartridges are supplied from a box magazine with a capacity of 30 rounds.

The most effective fire from a machine gun is at a distance of up to 400 m. The target firing range is 1000 m. The range of a direct shot at a chest figure is 350 m, at a running figure - 525 m. Concentrated fire from machine guns at ground targets is carried out at a distance of up to 800 m, and against airplanes and paratroopers - up to 500 m. The rate of fire is about 600 rounds per minute. Combat rate of fire: when firing in bursts - up to 100 rounds per minute, when firing single shots - up to 40 rounds per minute. The weight of the machine gun without a bayonet with a loaded light alloy magazine is 3.6 kg. The weight of the bayonet with scabbard is 450 g.

How the AK-74 assault rifle restored the shooting parity of the USSR with the USA

“This achieved parity in the field of small arms with the US armed forces, which during the Vietnam War began the transition to M16A1 rifles of 5.56 mm caliber,” reports the press service of the Kalashnikov concern.

The USSR was prompted to rearm by understanding the combat experience of the Vietnam War. It turned out that the American M16 automatic rifle and XM177 carbine were lighter and more accurate than the Soviet Kalashnikov. The 5.56 mm cartridge gave the Green Berets an advantage in firepower. But the Kalashnikov assault rifle was distinguished by its fantastic reliability and ability to fire even in the absence of proper maintenance.

The Soviet Union decided to restore shooting parity, and in 1966 the development of a new 5.45 mm cartridge began. The reduction in caliber led to a reduction in the mass of the cartridge by more than 1.5 times. The initial speed of the bullet increased significantly, the range of a direct shot increased by about 100 meters. As a result of these and a number of other factors, accuracy when firing in bursts improved. And the design of the elongated bullet provided a combination of a stable flat trajectory with a lethal effect no worse than that of the 1943 model bullet.

Simultaneously with the work on the new ammunition, the design bureaus of the arms factories began work on new small arms. Of the ten samples submitted for competitive testing, Alexander Konstantinov’s SA-006 assault rifle and AK-74 reached military testing.

During field tests, it turned out that thanks to the reduced cartridge, both samples are superior to their predecessor in terms of accuracy of fire. Less recoil and greater persistence of the small-caliber 5.45 mm cartridge increased the number of successfully hit targets by at least a third with the same cartridge consumption compared to 7.62 mm weapons.

Due to the fact that Kalashnikov assault rifles were already mastered in production, the military gave preference to the AK-74. The first combat tests for the new weapon were the deserts and mountains of Afghanistan, where the 5.45 mm caliber showed all its advantages.

“At the same time, most of the NATO bloc was still armed with automatic rifles chambered for 7.62×51 mm, over which the AK-74 assault rifle had a noticeable advantage in size, the effectiveness of automatic fire and the weight of portable ammunition,” the concern summarized .

Soviet marines with AK-74. Photo: US Department of Defense / wikipedia.org