×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Chart (2024) Special Forces
HOME
SMALL ARMS INDEX
MODERN ARMIES
SPECIAL FORCES
ARMS BY COUNTRY
ARMS MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE ARMS
ARMS BY CONFLICT
ARMS BY TYPE
ARMS BY DECADE
COLD WAR ARMS
MODERN SMALL ARMS

Infantry Small Arms / The Warfighter


KMZ AEK-971


Assault Rifle [ 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.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]
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.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications



Kovrovsky Mekhanichesky Zavod - Soviet Union / Degtyarev Plant - Russia
Manufacturer(s)
Russia; Soviet Union
Operators National flag of Russia National flag of the Soviet Union
1980
Service Year
Soviet Union
National Origin


AUTOMATIC FUNCTION
Features a mechanical function to automate the firing action.
ASSAULT RIFLE
Modern class of long gun featuring select-fire properties, automatic internal function, and magazine feeding.


960 mm
(37.80 inches)
Overall Length
420 mm
(16.54 inches)
Barrel Length
7.28 lb
(3.30 kg)
Empty Weight
Gas-Operated; Rotating Bolt; Selective Fire
Action
ROTATING BOLT
System utilizes internal mechanism to lock the breech or rear barrel assembly prior to firing.
GAS-OPERATED
Gas-operated system is featured, typically involving a gas cylinder and rear-driven piston directing energy to the bolt component.
5.45x39mm; 5.56x45mm NATO; 7.62x39mm
Caliber(s)
May not represent an exhuastive list; Calibers may be model-specific dependent; Always consult official manufacturer sources.
30- or 45-round box magazine OR 60-round drum.
Rounds
Iron Front and Rear; Optional Optics
Sights


Material presented above is for historical and entertainment value and should not be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation - always consult official manufacturer sources for such information.

1,640 feet
(500 meters | 547 yards)
Max Effective Range
900
Rounds-per-Minute
Rate-of-Fire
2,885 ft/sec
(879 m/sec)
Muzzle Velocity


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.


Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War
Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War
Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft
Military lapel ribbon representing special forces
Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War
Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)