Tactical specifications
Caliber................................................. ........... 5.45 mm
Cartridge ....................................... 5,45x39 (mod. 1974)
Weight unloaded weapons .......................... 2,485 kg
arms length:
with unfolded butt 730 mm .................................
with folded butt .............................. 490 mm
Barrel length ................................................ .206,5 mm
Muzzle velocity ................................ 735 m / s
Rate of fire ..................................... 700 rds. / min
Combat rate ............... 40 -100 rds. / Min
Effective range up to 500 m ..................................
Magazine capacity 30 rounds ......................................
Since the beginning of the 1970s, after the select few intermediate pulse (automata) cartridge small caliber began to establish a new type of individual weapons - shortened machine. The thing is. that features a new interior ballistics bullet cartridge was allowed to gain sufficient initial velocity, even at significantly shortened barrel, at the same time reduce the recoil momentum gave hope to obtain a small-size easily-managed melee weapons, easy to operate in a limited volume. Ministry of Defense Industry and Grau in 1973 opened the proper development of competition on the theme "Modern". The development of a new machine has been involved a number of designers, including Mikhail Kalashnikov, SG Simonov "IY Stechkin, EF Dragunov. Automatic link so that in the position "on the chest" with folded butt he did not go beyond the envelope soldier in full gear. On the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant work on this machine it was carried out in the design office, headed by Mikhail T. Kalashnikov, a group of designers led by SN Furman. barrel length was determined, at which the initial rate of 5.45-mm bullets equal to 7.62 mm bullet velocity when fired from AKM. CB Mikhail Kalashnikov prepared sample shortened automaton created on the basis of units and components already produced AKS 74, which greatly simplifies the organization of production, development and maintenance of a new type of weapon. Of course, when you create a shortened number of machine parts required modifications. By the end of 1976 the machine was ready for presentation to military tests. They were held in Kirovobad based mechanized infantry and airborne divisions. In 1979, a shortened machine have adopted under the designation of "Kalashnikov assault rifle with a folding butt shortened arr. 1974 »AKS-74U (Grau has assigned to him 6P26 index). Barrel AKS 74U machine cut to 206.5 mm, the initial velocity of the bullet down to 735 m / s. Accurate firing range at the same time was 500 m. The trunk shortening made to carry back the gas chamber, change the attachment flies. Accordingly, to reduce the length of the piston rod and the vapor tube. Shortening the barrel and higher pressure gas at the muzzle muzzle require installing reinforced flame arrester with increased post-combustion chamber unburned gunpowder particles. Muzzle device also reduces the effect on the sound of the shot firer. With the allocation of the gas chamber back rate of fire increased to 700 rds. / Min, but the machine kept the good handling when shooting in short bursts. For better stabilization of the bullets in flight with a short barrel rifling increased slope - length rifling stroke decreased from 200 to 160 mm. Sector sight changeover replaced with an L-shaped as a whole, calculated on the firing range of up to 350 m, respectively (corresponding blank range of the weapon on the growth figure) and 350-500 m. Introduction of sight on the receiver cover has allowed some to compensate for a decrease in the length of the sighting . The cover of the receiver flip-up performed on the axis. At AKS 74U installed plastic pistol grip, wooden handguard and handguard, later in the AKS-74U, as well as on the AK 74 and AKS 74 wooden parts replaced with plastic (glass-filled polyamide). Plastic parts have lowered weight of the machine. With the machine uses the same stores with a plastic housing, as with AK 74 and AKS 74. There is also a smaller plastic magazine capacity of 20 rounds. AKS 74U supplied adopt special forces, tank, artillery, missile and weapons for special forces, signalmen, sappers, motorists, etc. After the 74U AKS adopt interest by other agencies, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The main benefit of AKS 74U compared with submachine gun (namely, to this class include those weapons abroad for the small size and limited range of sighting) - unification on the cartridge with the other samples of small arms. In turn, the AKS-74U units have been widely used in Izhevsk 9-mm submachine gun "Bizon-2", Tula modular Shooting grenade launcher OTs-14-4 "Thunderstorm" have been developed on the basis thereof "(in the 9- and 7.62-mm versions) and experienced 9-mm automatic truncated BMP-11 "Tees". AKS-74U was produced as Tula Arms