KMZ AEK-971

Assault Rifle

Soviet Union | 1980

"The KMZ AEK-971 debuted in the latter-half of the 1970s and has since appeared in a variety of forms."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 02/25/2017 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The AEK-971 Assault Rifle emerged from the Kovrov Mechanical Plant (KMZ) during the 1980s with design work having begun the decade prior. At its core the weapon became a traditional automatic weapon system firing the usual array of Soviet standard cartridges through a gas-operated, rotating bolt action. Its form and function were similar to the classic Kalashnikov family of rifles and included the over-barrel gas cylinder as well as the curved, detachable box magazine. Where the AEK-971 differed was in its use of the BARS action - "Balanced Automatics Recoil System" - which has proven to increase shooter accuracy in successive fire (i.e. burst fire, full-automatic fire) by reducing the effects of recoil. In the BARS system, the recoil effects are moved closer to the muzzle and a rearward action of the bolt and bolt-carrier help to further minimize the effects of "muzzle climb".

The AEK-971 was one of several firearms entered into a competition to find the next standardized Soviet Army rifle and this included the competing AN-94 detailed elsewhere on this site. The rifle was eventually adopted, though in limited numbers, and issued to various elements of the Soviet Navy and federal forces but little else in terms of reach has been seen of this design - it did manage to see combat service in the Second Chechen War with Russian forces. The AN-94, despite being heavier and more expensive to manufacture, won out over the AEK-971 in the long run.

Nevertheless there still remained support for the AEK-971 design which has managed to stay in the fold and deliver several related variants and subvariants. AEK-971 became the primary variant of the family, chambered for the 5.45x39mm cartridge, while the AEK-972 was chambered for the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge favored by the West. This led to a slight variation in the curvature of the magazine. The AEK-973 was the third in the series and chambered for the 7.62x39mm rifle cartridge which gave better penetration at range. The AEK-971 and AEK-973 then begat subvariants all their own, these becoming the improved AEK-971S and AEK-973S (respectively) forms. The pair used an all-new trigger system, three-round burst fire mode, and lighter-weight shoulder stocks.

More modern incarnations of the AEK-971 are the A-545 and A-762. As their designations suggest, these models are chambered for the 5.45x39mm and 7.62x39mm cartridges respectively. The A-545 is actively competing against the AK-12 model as both remain in limited service for evaluation purposes. The A-545 is considered the direct successor to the earlier AEK-971 line.

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Physical
The physical qualities of the KMZ AEK-971. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.

960 mm
37.80 in
O/A Length

420 mm
16.54 in
Barrel Length

7.28 lb
3.30 kg
Weight

Gas-Operated; Rotating Bolt; Selective Fire
Action

5.45x39mm; 5.56x45mm NATO; 7.62x39mm
Caliber(s)

30- or 45-round box magazine OR 60-round drum.
Feed

Iron Front and Rear; Optional Optics
Sights

Performance
Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the KMZ AEK-971. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.

1,640 ft
499.9 m | 546.7 yds
Max.Eff.Range

900
Rounds-Per-Minute
Rate-of-Fire

2,885 ft/sec
879 m/sec
Muzzle Velocity

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the KMZ AEK-971 Assault Rifle family line.

AEK-971 - Base Series Designation; chambered for the 5.45x39mm cartridge.

AEK-971S - Improved model of the AEK-971 with new trigger mechanism, lighter-weight shoulder stock, and three-shot burst fire mode.

AEK-972 - Chambered for the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge.

AEK-973 - Chambered for the 7.62x39mm cartridge

AEK-973S - Improved model of the AEK-973 with new trigger mechanism, lighter-weight shoulder stock, and three-shot burst fire mode.

A-545 - Modernized offshoot of the AEK-971 in 5.45x39mm chambering; revised iron sigths, Picatinny rail support, and ambidextrous fire mode selector switch.

A-762 - Modernized offshoot of the AEK-971 in 7.62x39mm chambering; revised iron sigths, Picatinny rail support, and ambidextrous fire mode selector switch.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the KMZ AEK-971. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.

Contractor(s): Kovrovsky Mekhanichesky Zavod - Soviet Union / Degtyarev Plant - Russia

[ Russia; Soviet Union ]

Design Qualities
Some designs are single-minded in their approach while others offer a more versatile solution to requirements.

AUTOMATIC FUNCTION

ASSAULT RIFLE

Recognition
Some designs stand the test of time while others are doomed to never advance beyond the drawing board; let history be their judge.

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Going Further...
The KMZ AEK-971 Assault Rifle appears in the following collections:

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