AK-74

AK-74 is a Fusil of attack brought into service by the Soviet Union in 1974 to replace AKM with a weapon of smaller gauge 5,45x39mm which can offer the same advantages as the American M16. This photo watch which it is very close to the AKM. But the new weapon of the Red Army was characterized by a brake from mouth, trimmings and a charger almost entirely out of plastic instead of traditional wood. It was conceived as a provisional weapon to quickly use the new ammunition of 5,45x39 mm M74, as a transition before adoption from a more modern rifle.

This more modern rifle, Nikonov AN-94, appeared only twenty years afterwards and knows only one confidential diffusion within units of elite. The AK-74 thus remains the most current weapon confining the new ammunition 5,45x39 mm M74, whose adoption did not cause a problem since rifle had been designed for it. Enough curiously the AK-74 preserves the defects of the AKM, in particular the selector of not very convenient shooting and a departure slipping by which force the operator to maintain his index out of the trigger guard at the time of the phase of not-fire. The bodies of aiming can be regarded as primitive but fill their office perfectly, they are calibrated on the current distances from use of the weapon and their adaptation (adjustment in site and drift of the handlebar) is a model of facility and robustness. The maintainability is very good (it is the case of any weapon designed by engineer Kalashnikov), and neither sand nor water prevent it from functioning, to a certain extent. This rifle, as instructors of shooting qualify it, is idiot-proof : no matter who can, without drive nor knowledge of the weapons and after a short formation, to supply it, arm it and make fire. The simplicity of its mechanism makes that it often is manufactured or maintained artisanalement. Does everything AK the rifle of assault more spread, leaving far behind FAL.

The majority of the AK-74 have a kind of hook on the stick in order to be able to be stored easily. The AK-74 was product bulk starting from 1976. The version for the troops of parachutists, AKS-74 is equipped with a folding plastic stick along the weapon. Version for the combat of night, the AK-74N, includes/understands a side rail making it possible to mount glasses to infra-red. In 1991, a new version equipped with the folding stick and side rail making it possible to mount glasses will be brought into service under the designation of AK-74M .

Alternatives

The USSR

AK-74 gauges 5,45x39 mm M74
AKS-74 version with collapsible stick of the AK-74
AK-74M gauges 5,45x39mm, gun 415 mm length
AKS-74U
RPK-74
AK101 gauges 5,56 NATO (5,56x45mm), 415 mm length gun, completion phosphates black, collapsible plastic stick (polyamide and glass fiber)
AK102 gauges 5,56 NATO (5,56x45mm), 314 mm length gun, completion phosphates black, collapsible plastic stick (polyamide and glass fiber)
AK103 gauges 7,62x39mm, 415 mm length gun, completion phosphate black, collapsible plastic stick (polyamide and glass fiber)
AK104 gauges 7,62x39mm, gun 314 mm length, completion phosphates black, collapsible plastic stick (polyamide and glass fiber)
AK105 gauges 5,45x39mm, gun 314 mm length, completion phosphates black, collapsible plastic stick (polyamide and glass fiber)

German democratic republic

The German Democratic republic produced a small number of MPi-AK 74N (long 93,6 cm and fraught with 3.7 kg with a gun of 40 cm), the MPi-AKS 74N (long 73 cm with the folded up stick) and MPi-AKS 74NK (long of 60 cm/80,4 cm with a gun of 30,5) between 1985 and 1989. The two first correspond, except the stick, with the AK74 and AKS 74. The last is a version PM very different from the AKSU-74. Many of these weapons were delivered to the Croatia.

Romania

The produced AIM-74

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