| The AK-101 assault rifle is an export version of the 5.45mm Kalashnikov AK-74M assault rifle. The main difference between AK-101 and AK-74M is in ammunition used - the AK-101 is chambered for 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition. Otherwise it is basically the same as the AK-74M, which is current standard issue rifle of the Russian army. The Kalashnikov AK-103 assault rifle is a modification of the current Russian standard issue AK-74M rifle for older 7.62x39mm ammunition. It is primary intended for export, although it is belived that few AK-103 are in use by various Russian special Law Enforcement groups, which prefer 7.62mm over 5.45mm for its better stopping power. So far the biggest buyer for AK-103 assault rifles was the Venezuela, which in 2006 bought 100000 AK-103 rifles and is sintent to purchase the manufacturing license and necessary equipment for domestic production of this weapon. The AK-103 is technically similar to AK-74M except for caliber and magazines used; any 7.62mm AK / AKM type magazine can be used in AK-103, but rifles now are issued with new production 30-round magazines made of black polymer. The AK-102, AK-104 and AK-105 rifles are essentially similar to one another, being different only in the caliber and type of magazine used. All three are 'compact' versions of the 5.56mm AK-101, 7.62mm AK-103 and 5.45mm AK-74M, respectively. The main visible differences between those 'Hundredth series compact assault rifles' and earlier 5.45mm AKS-74U compact assault ... |
