AN-94: Too Complicated for its Own Good
The AN-94 was developed by Izmash as a successor to the AK-74 line of assault rifles. Ingenious but over-engineered, this firearm boasts two rates of fire: 600RPM in full auto and 1800RPM in a semi-auto “2 rounds burst” mode. The two rounds burst mode is what makes the AN-94 unique. Thanks to a complicated assembly of rods, springs, and pulleys, the AN-94 can fire two rounds almost simultaneously. The action happens so fast (1800RPM) that by the time the shooter feels the recoil of the first round, two 5.45×39mm rounds have exited the barrel. This enables “double taps,” or two bullets hitting the target almost simultaneously at nearly the same point of impact, resulting in increased penetration and lethality.
Why Haven’t We Seen More AN-94s?
So why haven’t we seen more AN-94s, then?
Well, that complicated assembly of pulleys, rods, and springs makes this weapon very difficult to maintain and disassemble in the field. Besides not being very user-friendly, it also costs more to manufacture. This explains why only a limited amount of AN-94s have been issued to elite troops since 1997.
-RBM.
