AK-103

Last updated

AK-103
Ak103 m.jpg
Type Assault rifle
Place of originRussia
Service history
In service2001–present [1]
Used bySee Users
Wars
Production history
Designer Mikhail Kalashnikov
Designed1993
Manufacturer Kalashnikov Concern
Unit costGov. price US$150–160 per unit in 2014
Produced1994–present
No. built250,000+
Variants AK-104
Specifications
Mass3.6 kg (7.9 lb) empty [3]
4.1 kg (8.2 lb) with loaded magazine
Length943 mm (37.1 in) stock extended / 705 mm (27.8 in) stock folded [3]
Barrel  length415 mm (16.3 in) [3]
Cartridge 7.62×39mm
Caliber 7.62mm
Action Gas operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire 600 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity 715 m/s (2,346 ft/s)
Effective firing range350 m (380 yd) at point-blank range [3]
500 m (550 yd)
Feed system30-round detachable box magazine
Sights Iron sights, with a dove tail side rail for mounting optical and night sights

The AK-103 is an assault rifle designed by Russian small arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov.

Contents

History

The AK-103 was officially offered for export on March 13, 1993. [4]

Design details

AK-103 with the stock folded. A103a1.jpg
AK-103 with the stock folded.

It is an AK-100 derivative of the AK-74M that is chambered for the 7.62x39mm M43 cartridge, similar to the AKM. The AK-103 can be fitted with a variety of sights, including night vision and telescopic sights, plus a knife-bayonet or a grenade launcher like the GP-34. Newer versions can fit Picatinny rails, allowing more accessories to be mounted. It uses plastic components where possible instead of wood or metal, with such components being the pistol grip, handguards, folding stock and depending on the type, the magazine.

Protective coatings for corrosion resistance of metal parts. Forearm, magazine, butt stock and pistol grip are made of high strength shatterproof plastic. [5]

The AK-104 is a compact version of the AK-103 chambered for 7.62×39mm ammunition. [6] It has a muzzle brake derived from the older AKS-74U combined with a shorter barrel.

Magazines

The current issue steel-reinforced matte true black nonreflective surface finished 7.62×39mm 30-round magazines, fabricated from ABS plastic weigh 0.25 kg (0.55 lb) empty. [7] Early steel AK-47 magazines are 9.75 in (248 mm) long, and the later ribbed steel AKM and newer plastic 7.62×39mm magazines are about 1 in (25 mm) shorter. [8] [9]

The transition from steel to mainly plastic magazines yielded a significant weight reduction and allow a soldier to carry more rounds for the same weight.

RifleCartridgeCartridge weightWeight of empty magazineWeight of loaded magazineMax. 10.12 kg (22.3 lb) ammunition load*
AK-47 (1949) 7.62×39mm 16.3 g (252 gr)Slab-sided steel
430 g (0.95 lb)		30-rounds
916 g (2.019 lb) [10] 		11 magazines for 330 rounds
10.08 kg (22.2 lb)
AKM (1959)7.62×39mm16.3 g (252 gr)Ribbed stamped-steel
330 g (0.73 lb)		30-rounds
819 g (1.806 lb) [11] [12] 		12 magazines for 360 rounds
9.83 kg (21.7 lb)
AK-103/AK-104 (1993)7.62×39mm16.3 g (252 gr)Steel-reinforced plastic
250 g (0.55 lb)		30-rounds
739 g (1.629 lb) [11] [12] 		13 magazines for 390 rounds
9.61 kg (21.2 lb)

Note: All, 7.62×39mm AK magazines are backwards compatible with older AK variants.
Note *: 10.12 kg (22.3 lb) is the maximum amount of ammo that the average soldier can comfortably carry. It also allows for best comparison of the three most common 7.62×39mm AK platform magazines.

Variants

The semi-automatic only variant of the AK-103 is designated the AK-103-1, and the three round burst is designated the AK-103-2. [6]

STL-1A

A Vietnamese version known as the STL-1A is made by Factory Z111 and is used by the People's Army of Vietnam. Another modernized version called the STL-1B is currently planned.[ citation needed ] It first appeared in the 2018 Indo Defence Expo & Forum.

CS/LR11

The CS/LR11 is a clone of the AK-103 made by China Jing An Import & Export Corporation (CJAIE). [13]

SDM AK-103

Chinese clone of the AK-103 [14] marketed by Sino Defense Manufacturing. [15]

KR-103

The KR-103 is a semi-automatic clone of the AK-103 made by Kalashnikov USA. [16]

Users

A map with AK-103 users in blue AK-103 Users.png
A map with AK-103 users in blue

Non-state actors

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AK-47</span> Soviet 7.62×39mm assault rifle

The AK-47, officially known as the Avtomat Kalashnikova, is an assault rifle that is chambered for the 7.62×39mm cartridge. Developed in the Soviet Union by Russian small-arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov, it is the originating firearm of the Kalashnikov family of rifles. After more than seven decades since its creation, the AK-47 model and its variants remain one of the most popular and widely used firearms in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AK-74</span> 1974 Soviet 5.45×39mm assault rifle

The AK-74 is an assault rifle designed by small arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1974 as a successor to the AKM. While primarily associated with the Soviet Union, it has been used by many countries since the 1970s. It is chambered for the 5.45×39mm cartridge, which replaced the 7.62×39mm cartridge of Kalashnikov's earlier automatic weapons for the Soviet Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RK 62</span> Finnish assault rifle

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">RPK</span> Light machine gun

The RPK, sometimes inaccurately termed the RPK-47, is a Soviet 7.62×39mm light machine gun that was developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in the early 1960s, in parallel with the AKM assault rifle. It was created to standardize the small arms inventory of the Soviet Army, where it replaced the 7.62×39mm RPD machine gun. The RPK continues to be used by the military of the post-Soviet states and certain African and Asian nations. The RPK is also manufactured in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Serbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AK-105</span> Russian short barrel assault rifle

The AK-105 is a short barrel, carbine version of the AK-74M rifle, originally developed to replace the shorter barrelled AKS-74U. The AK-105 is chambered in 5.45×39mm ammunition and is used domestically by the Russian Army in contrast to other AK-100 series rifles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AEK-971</span> Assault rifle

The AEK-971 is a selective fire 5.45×39mm assault rifle that was developed at the Kovrov Mechanical Plant (KMZ) by chief designer Stanislav Ivanovich Koksharov, also known as Sergey Koksharov, in the late 1970s and 1980s.

The OTs-14-4 "Groza-4" is a Russian selective fire bullpup assault rifle chambered for the 9×39mm subsonic cartridge. It was developed in the 1990s at the TsKIB SOO in Tula, Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AK-107</span> Assault rifle

The AK-107 is a Russian 5.45×39mm assault rifle developed from the AK-100-series. It features a "balanced" operating system, similar to that used in the AEK-971. In this case, the designation AK does not indicate Avtomat Kalashnikova but Alexandrov/Kalashnikov. The revised designation indicates the incorporation of a new gas system, designed by Youriy Alexandrov, for Kalashnikov-pattern rifles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A-91</span> Russian bullpup assault rifle

The A-91 is a bullpup assault rifle developed during the 1990s by KBP Instrument Design Bureau in Tula, Soviet Union as an offspring of the 9A-91 firearm family.

The AK-102 is a shortened carbine version of the AK-101 rifle, which was derived from the original AK-47 design and its AK-74 successor. The AK-102 is chambered to fire 5.56×45mm NATO ammunition, and is made exclusively for export purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AKM</span> Soviet assault rifle

The AKM is an assault rifle designed by Soviet small arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1959. It was developed as the successor to the AK-47 adopted by the Soviet Union a decade prior.

The Saiga semi-automatic rifles are a family of Russian semi-automatic rifles manufactured by Kalashnikov Concern, which also manufactures the original AK-47 and its variants, Saiga-12 shotguns and Dragunov sniper rifle. Saiga rifles are a sport version of the Kalashnikov rifle, and are marketed for hunting and civilian use. They are sometimes referred to as Saiga Sporters.

The AR-M1 is a Bulgarian assault rifle designed primarily for export. It is a modernized Bulgarian derivative of the AKK, which itself is based on the Soviet AK-47. The AR-M1 can be chambered for both the 5.56×45mm NATO and 7.62×39mm cartridges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalashnikov rifle</span> Russian automatic rifle family

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The AK-12, "Avtomat Kalashnikova, 2012" is a Russian gas-operated assault rifle chambered in 5.45×39mm designed and manufactured by the Kalashnikov Concern, making it the fifth generation of Kalashnikov rifles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AK-104</span> Assault Rifle, Carbine

The AK-104 is a carbine variant of the AK-103. It's chambered to fire 7.62×39mm ammunition and thus feeds from any standard 7.62x39 AK pattern magazine.

The AK-100 family is a series of Kalashnikov rifles, based upon the AK-74M, intended for export sales. The family of rifles offers the AK-74M system, in multiple cartridges and lengths.

CAVIM(Compañía Anónima Venezolana de Industrias Militares or Venezuelan Company of Military Industries in English) is a Venezuelan state-owned firearms manufacturer, which was created by Presidential Decree No. 883 of the then Venezuela President Carlos Andrés Pérez on 29 April 1975.

Indo-Russia Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) is a rifle-manufacturing facility in Korwa, Amethi district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Founded in 2019, the factory manufactures the AK-200 variant of the Kalashnikov family of rifles.

The AK-203 is a Russian gas-operated assault rifle designed to chamber the 7.62×39mm cartridge. It is one of the latest iterations of the AK series of assault rifles originally designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov. The AK-203 was developed in the 2010s by Kalashnikov Concern in Russia.

References

  1. ↑ "Presentation of the unique Kalashnikov small arms collection in the Moscow Kremlin Museum". Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2015. AK-103 – Kalashnikov assault rifle, caliber 7.62 mm. It is designed for the 7.62-mm cartridge of the 1943 model. This model was included in the inventory in 2001
  2. ↑ Noir, War. "MW Exclusive: Ethiopia Using Weapons Supplied by Iran, Turkey, and Azerbaijan". www.militantwire.com. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "AK-103". Kalashnikov Concern. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  4. ↑ Новые разработки знаменитого семейства АК с улучшенными боевыми и эксплуатационными характеристиками // газета "Красная Звезда" от 6 марта 1993 г.
  5. ↑ "7.62 mm Kalashnikov assault rifles AK103, АК104". Archived from the original on 14 April 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 Jenzen-Jones, N.R. (September 2012). "The 100-Series Kalashnikovs: A Primer". Small Arms Review. Vol. 16, no. 3. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  7. ↑ "Официальный сайт группы предприятий "ИЖМАШ"". Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  8. ↑ Rifle Evaluation Study Archived 2012-12-01 at the Wayback Machine , United States Army, Combat Development Command, ADA046961, 20 Dec 1962
  9. ↑ "Are kalashnikov magazines as robust as their reputation? He tormented a selection of AR magazines last year, now he takes on the AK. The results you may find surprising". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  10. ↑ Dockery, Kevin (2007). Future Weapons. Penguin. p. 102. ISBN   978-0-425-21750-4.
  11. 1 2 "Ak 47 Technical Description - Manual". Scribd.com. 30 September 2010. Archived from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
  12. 1 2 Dockery, Kevin (2007). Future Weapons. p. 102.
  13. ↑ "7.62 mm Automatic Rifle Type CS/LR11_Rifle_Weapon_Products_Jing An". cjaie.com. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  14. ↑ "Yemeni Buyer's Guide: How to Distinguish between Russian and Chinese AK-103 -The Firearm Blog". 4 February 2022. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  15. ↑ "SDM AKS-74 and AKS-103: a tale of two AKs". GUNSweek.com. 14 July 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  16. ↑ "Explore Kalashnikov USA KR-103 RIFLE". Kalashnikov USA. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  17. ↑ "The World Defence Almanac". Military Technology Magazine. Vol. XXXIV. March 2010.
  18. ↑ "Armenian assault rifle factory begins production". Janes.com.
  19. ↑ "North Korea and Ethiopia, brothers in arms | NK News" . 4 September 2014. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  20. ↑ "Exclusive: Iran Imports AK-103 Rifles from Russia". Tasnim News Agency. 6 August 2016. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  21. ↑ "Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Deploying AK-103 Rifles". Archived from the original on 12 February 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  22. ↑ Used by Mizoram Police of Indian Navy. 6,000 units inducted by the Mizoram Police (also Mizoram Commando) "Indian Air Force to replace INSAS rifles with new AK-103 weapons, details here". Hindustan Times. 29 August 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  23. ↑ Dubey, Ajit K (28 August 2021). "IAF signs emergency deal for 70,000 AK-103 assault rifles with Russia". ANI News.
  24. ↑ "Update II: AK-103 Exports to Libya". Security Scholar. 31 October 2011. Archived from the original on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  25. ↑ "Namibia receives Russian small arms". defenceweb.co.za. defenceweb. June 2016. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  26. ↑ "Pakistan Ordnance Factories Reveals New PK18 and PK21 Assault Rifles". Quwa. 31 October 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  27. ↑ "Research Report No. 5: A Tale of Two Rifles". Armament Research Services . 2 March 2016.
  28. ↑ "How an AK-103 Works". allinallnews. 3 November 2015. Archived from the original on 18 October 2017.
  29. ↑ "Saudi Arabia to Start Licensed Manufacturing of AK-103 Rifles". 10 October 2017. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  30. ↑ "РФ и Саудовская Аравия подписали меморандум о покупке и локализации продукции ВПК". TASS. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  31. ↑ Moss, Matthew (19 February 2019). "Saudi Arabia to Receive First AK-103s Soon". Overt Defense. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  32. ↑ "From Russia with Love, Syria's AK-74Ms". 19 February 2015. Archived from the original on 6 February 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  33. ↑ полковник С. Сергеев. О реформе вооруженных сил Венесуэлы // "Зарубежное военное обозрение", № 8, 2006. стр.22-24
  34. ↑ Khakee, Anna; Dreyfus, Pablo; Glatz, Anne-Kathrin (10 June 2006). "3. An Uphill Battle: Understanding Small Arms Transfers". Small Arms Survey 2006: Unfinished Business. Geneva, Switzerland: Oxford University Press. p. 87. ISBN   9780199298488 . Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  35. ↑ Christopher Looft (19 July 2012). "Venezuela Set to Mass Produce Kalashnikovs, Sniper Rifles". Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  36. ↑ "Cavim inicia entrega de fusiles de asalto Kalashnikov AK-103 a la Fuerza Armada de Venezuela". Infodefensa.com. 3 June 2013. Archived from the original on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  37. ↑ "Venezuelan AK-103 Factory Will Start Working in 2019 -". 12 December 2016. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  38. ↑ "Venezuelan Kalashnikov Plant to Begin AK-103 Manufacture in 2019 -". 13 April 2018. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  39. ↑ "El Ministerio del Interior de Uruguay adquiere 500 fusiles de asalto AK-103 para su Guardia Nacional".
  40. ↑ "The Yemeni-Made AK-103 -The Firearm Blog". 3 February 2022. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  41. ↑ "Syrie: comment al-Qaïda reprend pied en zone djihadiste". France Soir (in French). 28 June 2018. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  42. ↑ Savannah de Tessières (January 2018). At the Crossroads of Sahelian Conflicts: Insecurity, Terrorism, and Arms Trafficking in Niger (PDF) (Report). Small Arms Survey. p. 24. ISBN   978-2-940548-48-4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
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