AK-74
| AK-74 | |
|---|---|
 |
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| general information | |
| Civil name: | Kalashnikov automatic 74, AK-74 |
| Military designation: | AK-74, 6P20 ( GRAY index ) |
| Country of operation: | worldwide |
| Developer / Manufacturer: | Ischmasch |
| Manufacturer country: | Soviet Union , Russian Federation |
| Production time: | since 1976 |
| Model variants: | AK-74M, AKS-74, AKS-74U, RPK-74 |
| Weapon Category: | Assault rifle |
| Furnishing | |
| Overall length: | 940 mm |
| Total height: | 415 mm |
| Weight: (unloaded) | 3.3 kg |
| Sight length : | 380 mm |
| Barrel length : | 415 mm |
| Technical specifications | |
| Caliber : | 5.45 x 39 mm |
| Possible magazine fillings : | 30 cartridges |
| Ammunition supply : | Curve magazine |
| Cadence : | 600 rounds / min |
| Number of trains : | 4th |
| Twist : | Right |
| Visor : |
Grain with protective jaws, rear sight 100 m to 1000 m |
| Closure : | Turret lock |
| Charging principle: | Gas pressure charger with barrel fixed to the housing |
| Lists on the subject | |
The AK-74 ( Russian : Автомат Калашникова образца 1974 года Transcription: Awtomat Kalaschnikowa obrasza 1974 goda ) is an assault rifle introduced in 1974 ( also known as a submachine gun in many states of the former Warsaw Treaty ). The further development of the Kalashnikov model AKM was the standard rifle in the Soviet Army and today in the Russian Army .
history
After the M16 assault rifle and associated 5.56 mm ammunition had been introduced into the US armed forces , research began in the Soviet Union in the 1960s with the aim of developing its own small-caliber assault rifle. These efforts were reinforced by the positive experience of the Americans with the new ammunition in the Vietnam War . Another aspect was that the AK-47 did not meet all the desired requirements. Above all, the effective range and the poor controllability in the event of bursts of fire were criticized .
The collective responsible for the development of the new small-caliber ammunition, led by Lidia Bulawskaja, designed a cartridge with the metric dimensions 5.6 × 41 mm and the designation 13MSch. The armaments factory Ischmasch , which works closely with Bulawskaja's team , built the appropriate weapon. The rifle was nothing more than an AKM converted to the caliber 5.6 mm and can be regarded as the prototype of the AK-74. The designer Mikhail Kalashnikov spoke out against a new cartridge because he was of the opinion that the potential of the old ammunition had not been fully exhausted.
The result of further research was finally the cartridge in caliber 5.45 × 39 mm (M74 or 13MSchW) and a new assault rifle. Although the development work was completed in 1970, the weapon was not introduced until 1974 as the AK-74 ( index designation 6P20). The reason for the delayed introduction was the AL-7 assault rifle, which was intended as a competing weapon. Its development was carried out at Ischmasch parallel to the AK-74. Elimination tests showed that the AL-7 and an assault rifle by Konstantinow were superior to the AK-74. The conservatism of the military and the simple construction, however, decided the outcome of the tests in favor of the AK-74. Experience with the AL-7 was incorporated into the development of the AK-107 .
technology
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The function of both the trigger device and the lock corresponds entirely to the AKM, from which 53% of the individual parts were taken over. Like its predecessor, the AK-74 is a gas pressure charger with a rotating head lock with two locking lugs. The trigger mechanism allows single and automatic fire with a cadence of 600 rounds per minute. The fire selector lever is located on the right side of the housing and also serves as a safety lever. In its uppermost position (= secured) it also functions as a dust cover.
New was the two-chamber muzzle device, which is both a muzzle brake and a compensator and flash hider in one. A side effect is a subjectively stronger muzzle bang, as the pressure wave that occurs is diverted backwards on both sides, in the direction of the shooter. Further modifications were made to the trigger , the sighting device and the gas tube. The shoulder rest and handguard were made of wood, later of black glass fiber reinforced plastic . The magazine is made of orange and later black plastic. The folding piston of the AK-74M has a groove on the left and right. The magazine holds 30 rounds and can be filled with single cartridges or with loading strips each with 15 cartridges . A device for joining two magazines together ( jungle style ) was developed but not introduced. In Afghanistan soldiers used duct tape for this purpose .
For close combat , the AK-74 can be equipped with the old and a newly designed bayonet . To increase the soldier's fighting power, 40 mm GP-25 and GP-30 grenade launchers can be attached under the barrel.
For parachute troops , the model AKS-74 with a skeletal shoulder rest that can be folded down to the left and the index designation 6P21 was wrapped up. The S stands for "skladnoj" ("collapsible"). The models AK-74N (N2) and AKS-74N (N2) (N = notschnoj; night) allow the attachment of night vision devices NSPU and NSPUM.
The AK-74 fires hard core and tracer ammunition in caliber 5.45 mm (index designation 7N6 or 7T3) with a muzzle velocity of 900 m / s. Their recoil impulse, which is weaker than that of 7.62 mm ammunition, and the highly recoil-absorbing muzzle brake ensure that the weapon can be controlled better during continuous fire. The light bullet develops a higher muzzle velocity in combination with the longer barrel; At the same time, the extended trajectory ensures an effective range of around 100 m greater. However, due to the low weight of the projectile, its stability and the stopping effect suffer , which is particularly noticeable in combat operations in wooded and urban areas. That is why many soldiers fighting in Chechnya , and especially Spetsnaz, used the old AKM.
variants
In 1979 a short version of the AKS-74 called AKS-74U (U = ukorotschennij = shortened) was introduced. This was primarily used to arm units that were not part of the fighting force, but also tank crews. The main difference to the basic weapon is the short barrel, which results in a reduction of the muzzle velocity and the effective range. The gas take-off hole had to be moved to the rear, which increases the cadence . Other differences are a conical flash hider and a foldable rear sight that allows settings for 200 and 400 meters. To better stabilize the projectile, the twist length has been shortened.
The AKS-74U is the basis for the "Kanarejka" (canary) complex. This consists of the actual assault rifle, the silencer PBS-4 and the silenced 30 mm grenade launcher BS-1 "Tischina" (silence). The firing noise of this type of grenade launcher is eliminated by ejecting the grenade not, as usual, directly through the combustion gases of a propellant charge, but through a piston. This grenade launcher has a separate magazine that is loaded with propellant ammunition . Their propellant gases are trapped inside the grenade launcher and push a piston forward, which ejects the grenade. When the grenade launcher is fully loaded, the gases are released in a controlled manner.
In the late 1980s, experience showed that the AK-74 needed improvements. In particular, there was a demand for more robust system boxes, housing covers and, for the AKS-74, a new shoulder rest, as the one previously used was uncomfortable to the touch due to its metal construction at particularly high and low temperatures. In addition, the newly developed, improved 7N10 cartridge led to a drastic reduction in the life of the barrels. Work on a new weapon led via the prototypes A-60 and A-61 to the development of the AK-74M (6P34) assault rifle. M stands for "modernized". The rifle has a foldable shoulder rest made of black plastic, as well as mounting options on the left side of the system for various target optics. The AK-74M replaces three models: AK-74, AKS-74 and AK-74N, as it combines all of their properties. The muzzle device has also been revised and now has a better hold.
In addition, it should RPK-74 , a version lMG (LMG = l eichtes M achines g ewehr) are of AK-74, mentioned. It differs from the assault rifle in that it has a differently shaped shoulder rest, a bipod and a heavier and longer barrel. The light machine gun based on the AK-74M is accordingly called the RPK-74M.
Successor models
The AK-74M served as a development base for AK-100 series, AK-101 , AK-102 , AK-103 , AK-104 , AK-105 . The AK-101 is an export version in NATO caliber 5.56 × 45 mm NATO , the AK-102 is the short version. The AK-103 has its old caliber 7.62 × 39 mm again . There are now also new bullets for this caliber, which are based on those of the 5.45 × 39 mm. The AK-104 is a short AK-103. The AK-105 has a caliber of 5.45 × 39 mm and is intended to replace the AKS-74U, which is no longer in production.
The aforementioned AL-7 was the basis for two other assault rifles: AK-107 and AK-108 . Both weapons have a so-called "synchronized automatic". This is a system with two gas pistons instead of the usual one. While the first gas piston normally starts the reloading process, the second moves a counterweight that generates a counter pulse to the recoil. This greatly reduces the recoil. The AK-107 has the caliber 5.45 × 39 mm, while the AK-108 is again an export version in 5.56 × 45 mm. In contrast to the other weapons, AK does not stand for "Awtomat Kalashnikova", but for "Alexandrow-Kalashnikov". Alexandrov was the developer of the AL-7.
The Ukrainian assault rifle Wepr ( German: Keiler ) is an AK-74 in Bullpup design.
See also
- AN-94 (developed as part of the Abakan project.)
Individual evidence
Web links
- AK-74 on WaffenHQ.de
- Shooting with the AK-74 (PDF; 1.4 MB)
- 5.45 мм Автомат Калашникова АК-74М. Retrieved on May 9, 2014 (Russian, overview table with exploded view and all technical data).
