Pic.6-8
Pic.6-9 close-up: RPK, AKS-74U, bayonet, night sight
Pic.6-10 close-up: AK74 with night sight mounted, AK-74 with GP25, AKS-74
In early 1970s Kovrov Machine Factory (Kovrovsky Mekhanichesky Zavod) and Izhevsk Machine Factory (Izhevsky Mashinostroitelny Zavod, Izhmash) were engaged in development of unified small arms system for the new, much smaller ammunition (5.45 mm Soviet vs. 7.62 mm Soviet, or 0.21 vs 0.30 inch). Izhevsk factory won the contest, in particular, the winner was AK-74 designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov, and AK-74 assault rifle was adopted in 1974.
Please take a look: the upper model is AK74 with night sight mounted. The next one - AK-74 with the 40-mm GP25 underbarrel grenade launcher, you can see a rubber shock-absorber mounted on the butt-stock to decrease recoil caused by grenade launcher.
Next is AKS-74 - it features folding stock, and the last one is AKS-74U - it sports folding stock, short barrel, altered sight and gas mechanism, odd-looking flash suppressor device on the muzzle. Very popular with Spetznaz (Russian Special Forces) troops as well as Russian law enforcement in Russia's large cities. Based on AK-74 design, there was light machine gun RPK (with 45 rounds magazine) developed and adopted by the Red Army.
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