AEK-971

The AEK-971 is a Soviet / Russian selective fire assault rifle that was developed at the Kovrov Mechanical Plant (KMZ) by chief designer Sergey Koksharov in the late 1970s and 1980s. The primary model, the AEK-971, uses the 5.45×39mm round fed from standard 30-round or larger box magazines used by the AK-74, AK-74M, and similar weapons.

The AEK-971 is based on previous AK rifles in internal design and layout, but features a Balanced Automatics Recoil System (BARS) that enhances the traditional Kalashnikov long stroke gas piston operating system by reducing the negative effects of recoil. Balanced recoil systems were previously applied in the AO-38 and AL-7 experimental assault rifles and in the AK-107 and AK-108. BARS works by shifting mass toward the muzzle of the rifle as the bolt and bolt carrier recoil rearward by way of a counter-weight that negates the impulse of the gas piston and bolt carrier, resulting in more controllable automatic fire.

For the AEK-971 automatic firing accuracy is improved by 15-20% in comparison with the AK-74M.The travel distance of the AEK-971 reciprocating parts is less than in non balanced recoil AK-pattern designs increasing the cyclic rate of fire significantly. The original automatic fire rate of the early model was 1,500 rounds/min and was decreased to 900 rounds/min for the AEK-971.

AEK 971 (Bottom) and AK74(top)

The AEK-971 uses an adjustable notched rear tangent iron sight calibrated in 100 m (109 yd) increments from 100 to 1,000 m (109 to 1,094 yd). The front sight is a hooded front post. Each AEK rifle is fitted with a Warsaw Pact side-rail bracket for mounting optics
-compiled by XENOCIDE