AK74M

The AK-74M is a Russian assault rifle developed by the Izhmash design bureau (later part of Kalashnikov Concern) as a modernized variant of the AK-74. Chambered for 5.45×39mm, it entered service in the 1990s as part of a broader effort to update the Soviet-era platform while retaining the general AK action. The rifle uses a gas-operated, rotating bolt with a long-stroke gas piston and maintains the 30-round detachable box magazine common to the AK-74 family.

Design features include a stamped receiver with improved geometry and a modular concept that allows mounting of optics and accessories via a left-hand side rail on the receiver. The AK-74M generally incorporates polymer furniture, including a buttstock, handguards, and pistol grip, reducing weight and improving durability compared with older wooden models. A distinctive muzzle device provides recoil reduction and improved muzzle control.

The AK-74M is compatible with standard 5.45×39mm magazines and shares many components with other AK-74 family rifles, aiding logistics and maintenance. It became a standard-issue rifle for the Russian armed forces and saw widespread export use, alongside various post-Soviet customers. Although later superseded in some roles by newer AK variants in the AK-100 family (such as AK-101 and AK-103), the AK-74M remains in service in several units and appears in ongoing export and reserve applications, reflecting its role as a transitional modernization of the AK platform.