The Soviet Union was surprisingly slow in following the western adoption of small calibre cartridges for its future weapon designs. Perhaps the huge numbers of AK-47s and AKMs already in service made such a change a low priority, so it was not until the early 1970s that any intimation of a new Warsaw Pact cartridge was given. In time, it emerged that the new cartridge had a calibre of 5.45X39mm and the first examples of a new weapon to fire it were noted. In time the weapon emerged as the AK-74, which is now in full-scale production to meet the requirements of the Red Armyl in time it can be expected that the AK-74 will be issued to other Warsaw Pact armed forces.
The AK-74 is nothing more than an AK-74 revised to suit the new cartridge. It is almost identical to the AK-74 in appearance, weight and overall dimensions. Some changes, such as a plastic magazine, have been introduced and there is a prominent muzzle brake. There are versions with the usual wooden stock and with a folding metal stock.
One matter relating to the AK-74 that deserves special attention is the bullet used. To gain maximum effect from the 5.45mm calibre bullet the designers have adopted a design that is very effective, but outlawed by international convention, for the steel cored projectile has a hollow tip and the center of grabity is far to the rear. This has the effect, that when the nose strikes a target, the nose deforms, allowing the weight towards the rear to maintain the forward impetus and so tumble the bullet. In this way the small caibre bullet can have an effect on a target far in excess of its cross sectional area. Some high-velocity projectiles can dis[;ay this nasty effect, but on some, such as the M193 5.56mm cartridge, it is an unintended by-product. On the soviet 5.45mm, the effect has been deliberately designed into the projectile. International conventions have for many years outlawed such "Dum-Dum" bullets and its various progeny, but to date no corresponding strictures appear to have been forthcoming regarding the 5.45mm bullet.
Calibre: 5.45X39mm
Action: Gas operated, rotating bolt with 2 lugs
Overall Length: 933mm
Barrel Length: 415mm
Weight: 3.6kg Empty
Effective Range: 600m
Rate of Fire: 600 rounds per minute
Feed: AK manufactured detachable box magazines
Muzzle Velocity: 900m per second |
