AN-94

The AN-94 is the newly (2003) adopted Russian assault rifle. The acronym stands for Avtomat Nikonova (after Gennidy Nikonov) Model 1994, and it was chosen over many other excellent competing firearms, including one designed by a team led by the son of Mikhail Kalashnikov, inventor of the AK-47. The AN-94 was designed at the Izhmash state factories, as a replacement for the aging AK-74 assault rifle currently in use in the Russian military.

It is chambered in the same 5.45x39mm cartridge as the AK-74, and it too utilizes a rotating bolt to lock the action. This is where the similarities end. When the bolt-carrier is driven backwards by the force of the gas from the cartridge, a pulley activates a cartridge-feeding device. This mechanism allows a much higher rate of fire than would otherwise be possible. The high rate of fire (1800rpm) is employed in two-round bursts. These form the first two shots on fully-automatic fire. This feature increases the probability of hitting the target, because the bullets leave the firearm before recoil can affect the shooter's point-of-aim.

The rear peep sight is a dramatic improvement over the standard Kalashnikov notch and post. The muzzle brake is very effective, and much less harsh on the ears than the AK-74's muzzle brake. The recoil on full-auto fire has been described as a gentle, constant push, rather than a series of sharp jabs as in most firearms.

It is unlikely that the AN-94 assault rifle will become standard issue for the Russian Army for a significant period of time. This is due to the weak status of the Russian economy, where it is impossible to replace the enitre bulk of AK-74 rifles - especially seeing as how the AN-94 costs five to six times more to produce than that which it is intended to replace. Furthermore, due to the internals of the AN-94 not being as user friendly as those of the AK-74 further money must be spent on training the soldier to use the rifle effectively. However, it has found use among the elites forces of the Russian military, the Russian police forces, and the Internal Ministry of Affairs.