APS-95
Encyclopedia
The APS-95 was an assault rifle
manufactured in Croatia
by Končar-Arma d.o.o since 1995 and offered for export up to at least 2007 (the year when the Končar-Arma website, where the APS-95 had been featured, disappeared from the web). The manufacturing company, a subsidiary of the Croatian ARMA-GRUPA Corporation, has been manufacturing the ERO and Mini-ERO submachine guns (copies of the Israel
i UZI and Mini-UZI respectively) since the mid-1990s. The APS-95 was developed under request of the Croatian Army, which wanted to shift as soon as possible from the then-issued Yugoslavian-made 7.62x39mm Zastava M-70 Kalashnikov assault rifles
to a service rifle chambered for the NATO standard 5.56x45mm cartridge
. During the Croatian War of Independence
, the Croatian side had been supplied by the Croatian businessman Antun Kikaš of several batches of the Vektor R4
, a South Africa
n copy of the Israeli IMI Galil
assault rifle. The Croatian fighters appreciated the weapon and wanted a locally-manufactured version of it as the new standard Croatian Army rifle.
The APS-95 was a conventional select-fire assault rifle operating via a gas-driven piston
and employing a 35-rounds detachable magazine for 5'56mm ammunition, in all similar to the ones used in the Israeli Galil or South-African R4 assault rifles. The APS-95 was made around a stamped receiver, rather than the refined milled receiver of the Galil and R4, thus achieving reduction in cost and manufacturing time. Its fire selector was based upon two distinct commands located on both sides of the rifle, similarly to the Galil and Vektor R4 but different in operation. The lever located on the right side of the receiver, based upon the AK-47
selector, had only two positions: lowered for "Fire" and raised for "Safe" (when raised, it blocked the bolt working as a dust cover). The small switch located over the grip on the left side of the receiver, at easy thumb reach, had two positions for semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. The folding stock was made out of stamped steel, and folded on the right side of the receiver; its profile didn't caused any hindrance to the handling of the weapon nor to the operation of the bolt - as such, the APS-95 could be safely fired with the stock folded.
The most prominent features of the APS-95 over the Galil and the R4 were its distinctive handguard and front sight, and its carrying handle integrating an 1.5x optical sight and optional backup back iron sights. The pistol grip was also different, featuring finger grooves, much in the style of the American M-16 assault rifle
. Available optionals for the APS-95 included a removable bipod, sling, bayonet, and the RGB-1 - a quick attach/detach undercarried single-shot grenade launcher chambered for 30mm grenades. The RGB-1 was built with simplicity in mind, and equipped with a general mounting system to allow usage on many different assault rifles; the main drawback of the RGB-1 was its very sensitive single-action trigger which had no trigger guard or protection whatsoever, thus posing risks of accidental discharges in case of snags over a soldier's equipment.
The APS-95 was officially adopted by the Croatian Army around 1998, acquired and distributed in very small quantities before budgetary constraints stopped procurement. The manufacturer tried to push the APS-95 on ther international market for several years, with no success. The number of rifles manufactured, and the quantity adopted by the Croatian Forces are unknown to date; so is the current status of the weapon. Photographs and video from the 2011 Libyan civil war
show that some purchases were made by the Libyan Gaddafi regieme.
Assault rifle
An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
manufactured in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
by Končar-Arma d.o.o since 1995 and offered for export up to at least 2007 (the year when the Končar-Arma website, where the APS-95 had been featured, disappeared from the web). The manufacturing company, a subsidiary of the Croatian ARMA-GRUPA Corporation, has been manufacturing the ERO and Mini-ERO submachine guns (copies of the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i UZI and Mini-UZI respectively) since the mid-1990s. The APS-95 was developed under request of the Croatian Army, which wanted to shift as soon as possible from the then-issued Yugoslavian-made 7.62x39mm Zastava M-70 Kalashnikov assault rifles
Zastava M70
The Zastava M70 is a 7.62mm assault rifle developed in Yugoslavia by Zastava Arms. The M70 was designed on the basis of the AKM and became the standard issue assault rifle in the Yugoslav People's Army in 1970. The M70 is air-cooled, magazine-fed, selective fire rifle...
to a service rifle chambered for the NATO standard 5.56x45mm cartridge
5.56x45mm NATO
5.56×45mm NATO is a rifle cartridge developed in the United States and originally chambered in the M16 rifle. Under STANAG 4172, it is a standard cartridge for NATO forces as well as many non-NATO countries. It is derived from, but not identical to, the .223 Remington cartridge...
. During the Croatian War of Independence
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
, the Croatian side had been supplied by the Croatian businessman Antun Kikaš of several batches of the Vektor R4
R4 assault rifle
The R4 is a 5.56mm assault rifle that was introduced into service with the South African Defence Force in 1982, replacing the earlier 7.62mm FN FAL rifle, that was manufactured in South Africa under a license agreement from Fabrique Nationale as the R1...
, a South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n copy of the Israeli IMI Galil
IMI Galil
The Galil is a family of Israeli small arms designed by Yisrael Galil and Yaacov Lior in the late 1960s and produced by Israel Military Industries Ltd of Ramat HaSharon...
assault rifle. The Croatian fighters appreciated the weapon and wanted a locally-manufactured version of it as the new standard Croatian Army rifle.
The APS-95 was a conventional select-fire assault rifle operating via a gas-driven piston
Gas-operated reloading
Gas-operation is a system of operation used to provide energy to operate autoloading firearms. In gas-operation, a portion of high pressure gas from the cartridge being fired is used to power a mechanism to extract the spent case and chamber a new cartridge. Energy from the gas is harnessed...
and employing a 35-rounds detachable magazine for 5'56mm ammunition, in all similar to the ones used in the Israeli Galil or South-African R4 assault rifles. The APS-95 was made around a stamped receiver, rather than the refined milled receiver of the Galil and R4, thus achieving reduction in cost and manufacturing time. Its fire selector was based upon two distinct commands located on both sides of the rifle, similarly to the Galil and Vektor R4 but different in operation. The lever located on the right side of the receiver, based upon the AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
selector, had only two positions: lowered for "Fire" and raised for "Safe" (when raised, it blocked the bolt working as a dust cover). The small switch located over the grip on the left side of the receiver, at easy thumb reach, had two positions for semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. The folding stock was made out of stamped steel, and folded on the right side of the receiver; its profile didn't caused any hindrance to the handling of the weapon nor to the operation of the bolt - as such, the APS-95 could be safely fired with the stock folded.
The most prominent features of the APS-95 over the Galil and the R4 were its distinctive handguard and front sight, and its carrying handle integrating an 1.5x optical sight and optional backup back iron sights. The pistol grip was also different, featuring finger grooves, much in the style of the American M-16 assault rifle
M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
. Available optionals for the APS-95 included a removable bipod, sling, bayonet, and the RGB-1 - a quick attach/detach undercarried single-shot grenade launcher chambered for 30mm grenades. The RGB-1 was built with simplicity in mind, and equipped with a general mounting system to allow usage on many different assault rifles; the main drawback of the RGB-1 was its very sensitive single-action trigger which had no trigger guard or protection whatsoever, thus posing risks of accidental discharges in case of snags over a soldier's equipment.
The APS-95 was officially adopted by the Croatian Army around 1998, acquired and distributed in very small quantities before budgetary constraints stopped procurement. The manufacturer tried to push the APS-95 on ther international market for several years, with no success. The number of rifles manufactured, and the quantity adopted by the Croatian Forces are unknown to date; so is the current status of the weapon. Photographs and video from the 2011 Libyan civil war
2011 Libyan civil war
The 2011 Libyan civil war was an armed conflict in the North African state of Libya, fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and those seeking to oust his government. The war was preceded by protests in Benghazi beginning on 15 February 2011, which led to clashes with security...
show that some purchases were made by the Libyan Gaddafi regieme.