AK-104

AK-104
The AK-104 carbine, seen with red dot sight on the picatinny rail and ATG suppressor attached to the barrel.
Type	Assault Rifle, Carbine
Place of origin	Russia
Service history
In service	2001–present[1]
Used by	See Users
Wars	Syrian Civil War
Production history
Designer	Mikhail Kalashnikov
Designed	1994
Manufacturer	Kalashnikov Concern
Produced	1994
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Mass	3.0 kg (6.6 lb) empty 3.2 kg (7.1 lb) with empty magazine 3.7 kg (8.2 lb) with loaded magazine
Length	824 mm (32.4 in) with stock extended / 586 mm (23.1 in) with stock folded
Barrel length	314 mm (12.4 in)
Cartridge	7.62×39mm
Caliber	7.62mm
Action	Gas-actuated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	600 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	670 m/s (2,200 ft/s)
Effective firing range	300 m (330 yd) at point-blank range 500 m (550 yd)
Feed system	30 round detachable magazine
Sights	Iron sights, there is a dove-tail side rail for optical and night sights

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.

Design

The AK-104 is a 314mm (12.4 in) barreled carbine in the AK-100 series of rifles, the dimensions of the gun is the same to other carbines of the AK-100 series. However, the AK-104 also features a solid, side-folding polymer stock, unlike the shorter, skeleton-stocked AKS-74U. The AK-104 uses an adjustable notched rear tangent iron sight calibrated in 100 m (109 yd) increments from 100 to 500 m (109 to 547 yd). The front sight is a post adjustable for elevation in the field. Horizontal adjustment is done by the armory before issue. The AK-104 has a muzzle booster derived from the AKS-74U.^[2]

Protective coatings ensure excellent corrosion resistance of metal parts. Forearm, magazine, butt stock and pistol grip are made of high strength plastic.^[3]

Variants

AK-105

Main article: AK-105

The AK-105 is a shortened carbine version of the AK-74M rifle. It has identical barrel length.

SLR-107CR

A civilian semi-automatic rifle utilizing a gas block almost identical to the one seen on the Russian original. However the CR is distinctive in having a 16” extended barrel to comply with U.S. regulations, typically shrouded by a false extend booster or simply exposed with a simple nut threaded on at the gas block. Produced in Bulgaria and imported by Arsenal Inc.

PSAK-104

A civilian semi-automatic series of firearms meant to duplicate the aesthetic of the AK-104. Examples in the series utilize a clone more similar to that of the Russian AK-104 gas block/front sight pattern as opposed to the Bulgarian SLR-107CR variant. Based on PSAK-103, however, it is distinct from other examples by utilizing the earlier AKM pattern bolt as well as other AKM pattern parts. Produced by Palmetto State Armory of South Carolina.

KR-104

A short-barreled rifle version of the AK-104 by Kalashnikov-USA.^[4]

Small Production Examples

Due to the scarcity of AK-104 examples in the U.S. consumer market, a variety of small gunsmithing businesses and private individuals have obtained demilled AK-104 parts kits from overseas as well as a variety of U.S. made 922R compliant parts in order to build semi-automatic clones. In addition, a very small number of Saiga rifles built on the AK-104 assembly line in Izhevsk, Russia appear to have been imported and converted to the more customary AK-104 configuration.

Users

A map with AK-104 users in blue

•  Egypt: Used By Special Operations Police and Black Cobra Unit alongside AK 103 and AK101^{[citation needed]}
•  Iran: Manufactured by Iranian Defense Industries Organization and used by Iranian Armed Forces and its proxy forces.^{[citation needed]}
•  Russia: Used by the Russian Federal Protective Service.^[5]
•  Venezuela: Produced under license by CAVIM alongside the AK-103.^[6]
•  Syria: A batch of AK-104's have reportedly been delivered to Syria's Interior Ministry Anti-Terrorism Syrian Special Mission Forces in the Eastern Ghouta front in Rif Dimashq.^[7]
•  Yemen: In service with some units of the Yemeni Army.^[8]
•  Thailand: Directorate of Logistics procured from Russian Federation.^[9]

Gallery

• 
  AK-104 below the AK-103.

References

1. "фициальный сайт группы предприятий "ИЖМАШ"". Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
2. H, Hrachya (18 March 2019). "History and Evolution of Soviet/Russian AK Muzzle Devices". thefirearmblog.com. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
3. "фициальный сайт группы предприятий "ИЖМАШ"". Archived from the original on 14 April 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
4. "Kalashnikov-USA Introduced New Rifles and Calibers at SHOT Show 2022 Including a 5.56mm KR-101 - Soldier Systems Daily". 28 January 2022.
5. Håland, Walter Christian (30 June 2017). "Russian Forces Assault Rifles Today". Small Arms Defense Journal. Vol. 9, no. 2. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
6. "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 29 December 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
7. "Спецназ МВД Сирии опробовал на передовой новые АК-104" [Special Forces Ministry of Internal Affairs of Syria tested on the front lines the new AK-104] (in Russian). 25 February 2016. Archived from the original on 28 February 2016.
8. 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 21 July 2019.
9. สิริกิติ์ - กองทัพบก^{[permanent dead link]}