Pusca Automata model 1986
Encyclopedia
The Puşcă Automată model 1986 (Automatic Rifle Model 1986, abbreviated PA md. 86 or simply md. 86) is the standard assault rifle
used by the Romanian Military Forces and manufactured in Cugir
, Romania by firm RomArm S.A. located in Bucharest
, Romania
. The export name for this variant is the AIMS-74.
switched from the 7.62x39mm caliber AK-47
to the 5.45x39mm caliber AK-74
, it encouraged other nations of the Warsaw Pact
to follow suit.
By the mid 80s, Romania
decided to switch calibers, however it was decided that the new rifle be developed independently, and not represent a clone of the Soviet AK-74. In doing so, the PA md. 86 has several anachronistic AKM elements that were found only on the prototype Soviet AK-74.
, and thus the siderail is lengthened.
It uses either the bird-cage flash suppressor, or a flash hider (designed for Special Forces). The design also incorporated an upward curved charging handle, a wire sidefolder, based on the East German design, but offset slightly to the left, and the traditional vertical handgrip. The md. 86 use laminated wood lower handguards, and Bakelite pistol grips and upper handguards. None of the components have had any polymer versions.
The AG-40 grenade launcher
can be attached as a lower handguard after removing the standard one. Lasers/lights can also be clamped to the barrel in two ways. The rifle is one of only a few AK versions that have a 3-round burst option. The selector markings are as follows, from top to bottom: ∞, 1, 3. Only ribbed steel
magazines are used.
Combat divers also use a version with straight handguards, as the grip is considered to be cumbersome for amphibious operations.
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...
used by the Romanian Military Forces and manufactured in Cugir
Cugir
Cugir is a town in Alba county, the central settlement of the Breadfield, in Romania. About 45 kilometers south-west of Alba-Iulia, the capital of the county, and 300 meters above sea level at the base of the Surianu Mountains...
, Romania by firm RomArm S.A. located in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. The export name for this variant is the AIMS-74.
History
As the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
switched from the 7.62x39mm caliber 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...
to the 5.45x39mm caliber AK-74
AK-74
The AK-74 is an assault rifle developed in the early 1970s in the Soviet Union as the replacement for the earlier AKM...
, it encouraged other nations of the Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
to follow suit.
By the mid 80s, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
decided to switch calibers, however it was decided that the new rifle be developed independently, and not represent a clone of the Soviet AK-74. In doing so, the PA md. 86 has several anachronistic AKM elements that were found only on the prototype Soviet AK-74.
Features
The most easily recognized AKM feature is the gas block design (45 degree versus 90 degree). Incidentally, although the gas block is purely AKM, the gas vent in the barrel did change to a 90 degree design to minimize bullet shearing (a problem with early Soviet AK-74's with 45 degree gas blocks). This means the Romanian AK-74 has a double angle gas port, which makes it much harder to clean the gas vent. This variant also uses the AK-47 rear trunnionTrunnion
A trunnion is a cylindrical protrusion used as a mounting and/or pivoting point. In a cannon, the trunnions are two projections cast just forward of the centre of mass of the cannon and fixed to a two-wheeled movable gun carriage...
, and thus the siderail is lengthened.
It uses either the bird-cage flash suppressor, or a flash hider (designed for Special Forces). The design also incorporated an upward curved charging handle, a wire sidefolder, based on the East German design, but offset slightly to the left, and the traditional vertical handgrip. The md. 86 use laminated wood lower handguards, and Bakelite pistol grips and upper handguards. None of the components have had any polymer versions.
The AG-40 grenade launcher
Grenade launcher
A grenade launcher or grenade discharger is a weapon that launches a grenade with more accuracy, higher velocity, and to greater distances than a soldier could throw it by hand....
can be attached as a lower handguard after removing the standard one. Lasers/lights can also be clamped to the barrel in two ways. The rifle is one of only a few AK versions that have a 3-round burst option. The selector markings are as follows, from top to bottom: ∞, 1, 3. Only ribbed steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
magazines are used.
Combat divers also use a version with straight handguards, as the grip is considered to be cumbersome for amphibious operations.