Project Akaban

I've really enjoyed Larry Vicker's videos on Russian small arms. The AN-94 has always had some mystery about it, and his first time behind the trigger of one was less than impressive, but the most recent high speed video demonstrating the 1800rpm two-round burst setting was pretty cool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJxpncKswEg

But more interesting to me is the fact that while the AN-94 seems destined for obscurity, back in 1994 it triumphed over the AEK-971 in the 'Project Abakan' trials to select a successor to the AK-74. Yet the AN-94 is out of production, but it appears the AEK-971 is lingering on with the improved A-545 (which was recently selected along with the AK-12 as a candidate to replace the AK-74...though that decision has seemingly been superseded by an AK74 modernization effort). The A-545 and AEK-971 are descendants of an even earlier effort to supplant the Kalashnikov known as the AL-7, which introduced a novel balanced recoil system. Deemed too expensive at the time, this innovation appears in the A-545, AEK-971 and the recently introduced AK-107/108. What's old is new again I guess...and Larry got to play with some of these too...

AEK-971
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNx9kxgUQzg

AN-94 and AEK-971
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9gy3mvkGAU

AK-107
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJs9sBBjLls

He also has videos on the AK-12, and AK-400. Great use of the high speed video...interesting stuff!

I find the arms industry - especially military arms industry - is a slow moving behemoth. And that's not all bad. I rather like the AN-94 but I'm not sure if it makes a huge enough difference in all shooting scenarios to warrant the investment, tooling, etc.

I'd like to have one! ❤️


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"One cannot awaken a man who pretends to be asleep."

I'm just intrigued by watching different approaches to similar issues...the Germans ramped up the cyclic rate of the HK G11 to 2400rpm in three round burst mode by eliminating the entire ejection cycle through caseless ammunition...the Russians instead introduced a controlled slam fire via a complex pulley system with the AN94 to achieve a similar effect...fascinating stuff.

After watching all of the videos I prefer these - AEK-971, the AK-12 and the 400 Series better than our own carbine.


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"One cannot awaken a man who pretends to be asleep."

When I first saw his Russia video series, I was most looking forward to the AN-94 review, but I left most intrigued by the AEK-971...when I saw that the A-545 had been selected as a possible AK-74 successor and was descended from the AEK-971, I really got interested. The A-545 is pretty cool.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...14part4-11.jpg

I'm fascinating by watching the US and Russia experiment with each other's concepts...the SCAR seems very much an attempt to 'AK' the AR-15...(we can debate the merits of the HK 416 as well). Meanwhile, the Russians have been adopting picatinny rails, EOTech sights, and AR style collapsing stocks...

I have a SLR-107CR that is just begging to be turned into one of these...(yes, another gratuitous Vickers video...his Russia stuff was really good)...and I've already snagged the Zenitco rail...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxhTNZ1wAsc

TFB: BREAKING: Russia will Adopt Both AK-12 and AEK-971 Rifles

Fascinating - looks like the AK-12 for conventional forces and the AEK-971 for special operations units. Interesting how the design legacy of the AL-7 held on this long to finally enter service.

I'm a bit mystified at the nomenclature - I had thought the A-545 was the successor version of the AEK-971 that was entered into the Ratnik trials.

https://i.redd.it/wzhihe61r2px.jpg

Perhaps the future is simply adopting better performing ammo... why use a very complex gun to fire two rounds closely in full auto, when you can accomplish the same results (or better) with a different round? This way you improve terminal effects, range and accuracy (coupled with optics), and cut down on ammo expenditure.

Caseless ammo is long dead, and these complicated contraptions hold no merit to me.