AK-74 AK-74 The AK-74 (Russian: or "Kalashnikov automatic rifle model 1974") is an assault rifle developed in the early 1970s by Russian designer Mikhail Kalashnikov as the replacement for the earlier AKM (itself a refined version of the AK-47). It uses a smaller 5.45×39mm cartridge, replacing the 7.62×39mm chambering of earlier Kalashnikov-pattern weapons. The rifle first saw service with Soviet forces engaged in the 1979 Afghanistan conflict. The head of the Afghan bureau of the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence claimed that the CIA paid $5,000 for the first AK-74 captured by the Mujahideen during the Soviet–Afghan War. Presently, the rifle continues to
AK-101 AK-74M is still the main assault rifle of the Russian Federation, with the AK-105 being introduced alongside, both chambered for 5.45×39mm. The AKM firing 7.62 mm Soviet rounds is in limited service with selected units in the Russian army, and the AK-103 is in service with some Russian civil police agencies and spec ops units. The advanced AN-94 is entering limited service in the elite forces of the Russian military, some Russian police forces, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The AK-101 is a selective fire weapon that can be fired in either semi-automatic or fully automatic mode. The disassembly