Posted on 01/29/2012 4:15:28 AM PST by kronos77
Russia's largest firearms manufacturer, Izhmash, has unveiled a prototype of its new Kalasnikov assault rifle with improved ergonomics and tactical flexibility.
The new assault rifle, dubbed AK-12, is being designed as a basic platform for the development of nearly 20 different modifications of the weapon. It could be adapted for cartridges varying from 5.45x39 mm to 7.62x51 NATO.
The state tests of the rifle may begin at the end of 2012 despite the fact that the Russian Defense Ministry has not shown interest so far in the new weapon citing the financial difficulties of the Izhmash company and a huge surplus of AK-74 assault rifles (about 17 million) in the Armed Forces.
Izhmash said on Wednesday that the testing of the AK-12 will continue and the company will offer the rifle to foreign customers and Russian police.
Russia's Interior Ministry has reportedly ordered about a hundred AK-12s for testing by its personnel.
According to Izhmash designers, they “adapted the weapon to modern combat requirements, having preserved Kalashnikov's unique qualities - simplicity, reliability and relatively low production cost.”
The rifle features three firing modes: single shot, three-shot burst and automatic fire. The muzzle of the AK-12 has been designed to shoot foreign-standard barrel-mounted grenades.
The weapon is also equipped with Picatinny rails to mount optical, and night sights, grenade launchers, target indicators and other special equipment.
The AK-12 has a folding stock, and a height-adjustable heelpiece. The weapon can be used by both left-handed and right-handed people, and can be easily handled with one hand.
(Excerpt) Read more at en.ria.ru ...
It was formally known as AK-200
The rumor is that it will be in 6.5mm Grendel too
I’ll take one in .308 please!
Why are the selector/safety switches on the right side?
So that you change their positions with your right thumb.
It can fire 3 rounds burst too.
That seems awkward as heck.
7.62x51 mm included :)
No. With a little of practice you can menage them without tanking a target out of sight.
a 60 round clip is below.
Looks like they solved the problem of dust covers and scope mounts... In some ways you have to like the Russian simple/functional approach, although I wouldn’t like the chances of taking on Americans with one of our new rifles which shoots around corners and behind cover with it.
For left-handed shooters... The article indicates the weapon was designed to accommodate both left- and right-handed shooters.
Much like the ambi safety on my 1911’s.
Thanks.
CC
My only beef with the AK design is no last shot hold-open. Does the AK-12 solve that problem as well with the addition of a bolt stop?
It does what it's designed to do - shoot thousands of rounds without jamming and taking a lot of abuse. much of the "hi-tech" stuff won't take near the abuse and remain reliable.
Any time a firearms-related thread is created on FreeRepublic, please be sure to add the "banglist" keyword to it so that interested FReepers don't miss it. Just a suggestion.
Let Freedom Ring,
bfl
Looks heavy even without a scope.
-——for the development of nearly 20 different modifications of the weapon.———
One of the proposed modifications is no sight targeting. The need for such a mod has been known for years. The users in Palestine and many other such countries have a tendency to point the weapon down the street firing and missing any target.
No sight targeting is thought to improve the weapons accuracy when used in close quarter urban battles
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