Weapon Name- Ak-103
Round Type- 7.62mm x 39mm, 6.5mm Grendel, .50 Beowulf
Over-all length- 943 mm (37.1 in) stock extended / 700 mm (27.6 in) stock folded
Barrel length- 415 mm (16.3 in)
Weight- 3.4 kg (7.5 lb) without magazine
Rate of Fire- 850 rounds/min
Feed Mechanism- Magazine Fed, Ak-47/AKM Banana Clips
Round Capacity- 30 rounds standard, 40 rounds Assualt, 75 round Drum
Effective Range- 500m 7.62mm, 600m 6.5mm Grendel, 200m Beowulf
Range- 850m 7.62mm, 1200m 6.5mm Grendel, 350m Beowulf
Accuracy- 2 MOA 500 meters 7.62mm, 1.25 MOA 600m 6.5mm Grendel, 2 MOA 200m Beowulf
Accessories- Picanty Rail
Quick switch firing mechanism- N/A
Scope/Sights- Picanty Rail
Muzzle Velocity- 710 m/s 8 gram spizter 7.62mm, 820m/s Norma FMJBT 6.5mm Grendel, 600 m/s 334 gr (21.6 g) Rainer FMJ .50 Beowulf
Firing System- Differences from the AKM series include redesigned rear and front trunnions, as well as a 90 degree gas block, AK-74 style front sight block, the use of a black ribbed 30-round magazine constructed of phenolic resin (which is AKM-compatible as well), an AK-74-type muzzle brake, and black synthetic furniture with a heat shield. The weapon also steals the newly developed design from the AK-108 series.
Miscellaneous/electronic information-
Basic Information
The AK-107 and AK-108 represent a significant change to the Kalashnikov operating system originally designed in the late 1940s. The new rifle features a balanced system that functions along the lines of Newton's third law of motion, which states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. This system uses a recoil-dampening countermass mechanism with two operating rods that move in opposite directions, thereby providing "balance". One operating rod, the upper, has a gas piston facing forward while the bolt carrier also has a gas piston. The gas tube at the forward end of the handguard is double-ended to accommodate the two rods. The enlarged gas tube cover of the upper handguard guides both rods in their travel.
When the rifle is fired, gas is tapped from the gas port to enter the gas tube, driving the bolt carrier to the rear and the counter-recoil upper rail forward. The critical timing of the reciprocating parts is accomplished by a star-shaped sprocket that links and synchronizes both components, causing both to reach their maximum extension, or null point where forces are exactly equal, at exactly the same instant. The felt recoil is therefore eliminated, enhancing accuracy and assisting control during fully automatic fire. The travel distance of the AK-107 reciprocating parts is less than other Kalashnikov designs, so the cyclic rate is higher at 850–900 rounds/min rather than 600 rounds/min on other AK rifles. However, as the felt recoil is virtually eliminated, the manufacturer claims that accuracy is enhanced, especially during burst fire. An enhancement of 1.5 to 2 times has been reported.
The AK-103 is a selective fire weapon, with a three-round burst capability in addition to semi-automatic and fully-automatic firing modes. External differences between the AK-103 and its predecessors are minor. They include a modified ejection port and a much thicker operating rod cover. The method of attaching the receiver cover now involves a rotating latch in place of the traditional Kalashnikov button at the rear of the receiver cover. The rear sight is also attached directly to the receiver cover rather than to the receiver itself and the selector has four positions instead of three. Optical and night sights can be installed, the rifle can also accept a 40 mm GP-25 grenade launcher.
Like the rest of the AK-100 series, these newer AKs use synthetic materials such as black fiberglass-reinforced polymer for the pistol grip and heat shield. This material is more cost efficient and much stronger than the original AKM/AK-74 wood furniture. The weapon also sports a somewhat enhanced barrel, using a heavy hammer forged polygonal barrel for the 6.5mm to compensate for the lack in length, although the length for both the 7.62mm and .50 beowulf does not serve as a detriment to it's performance, and use regular rifled barrels, being cheaper and considered somewhat more reliable as a result.
