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7.62mm AK103 and AK104 KALASHNIKOVAssault Rifles
Assault Rifles
Mission
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The AK103 assault rifle was developed to replace AKM and its derivatives. The new weapon boasts enhanced ergonomics while retaining the best combat characteristics of Kalashnikov-developed small arms. It was adopted for service with the Russian Armed Forces.
Design
AK103 is of a standard design. It is a gasoperated weapon. Its receiver is locked by a rotating bolt. A hammer-type trigger mechanism ensures selective fire. A fire selector, which is dual-hatted as a safety catch, blocks the trigger and sear when engaged.
The weapon sight is of open type and comprises a foresight and a backsight, a U-shaped leaf sliding on a ramp. To fire at night, the fore and back sight can be fitted with luminescent add-on night sights. AK103 is provided with fixtures to mount the GP-25 or GP-30 underbarrel grenade launchers. Ammunition is fed from a 30-round two-row curved box magazine interchangeable with that of the AKM assault rifle.
The weapon is fitted with a standard fixture to attach various optical and optronic sights and features a folding plastic butt-stock. Also, AK103 has a reinforced barrel box, an improved muzzle brake and a more ergonomic plastic fore-end. In addition, production techniques for some of the weapon’s elements have been streamlined. Advanced materials and a special phosphate finish of its metal parts enable the assault rifle to survive even in most adverse climate environments.
Derivatives
AK103 served as the baseline model for deriving several modifications, including AK104, featuring a shorter, 314mm-long barrel. The AK103-1 version features a simpler trigger mechanism that ensures only singleshot fire. The AK103-2 derivative provides both single-shot and full-auto fire as well as three-shot bursts.
AK103 and AK104 are chambered for all types of 7.62x39mm cartridge.
Basic specifications
AK103 AK104 Cartridge 7.62x39 7.62x39 Muzzle velocity, m/s 715 670 Effective range of fire, m 1,000 500 Weight, kg: empty 3.3 2.9 loaded 3.8 3.6 Length, mm 943/700 (butt folded) 824/586 (butt folded) Barrel length, mm 415 314 Rifling pitch 240 240 Magazine capacity, rds 30 30 Rate of fire, rds/min up to 40 (single shots), up to 100 (short bursts), 600 (cyclic)
