The genesis of the AKS-74U is rooted in the evolving tactical doctrines of the Soviet military in the early 1970s. Following the adoption of the AK-74 and its revolutionary 5.45x39mm small-caliber, high-velocity cartridge, a distinct capability gap was identified. While the new rifle provided a significant advantage in accuracy and effective range for front-line infantry, its full-length barrel and fixed stock were cumbersome for a large contingent of military personnel. This created a doctrinal requirement for a highly compact, select-fire weapon chambered in the new service cartridge, intended to arm “second-echelon” troops who operated in confined spaces and for whom a full-size rifle was a hindrance rather than a primary tool.¹

The Doctrinal Need

The demand was for a weapon that bridged the gap between a submachine gun and an assault rifle, a concept that would later be defined in the West as a Personal Defense Weapon (PDW). The intended users included armored vehicle crews, artillerymen, helicopter pilots, combat engineers, radio operators, and rear-echelon support units.⁴ For these soldiers, the primary need was for a self-defense firearm that was more potent and had a greater effective range than a standard service pistol but was compact enough to be stowed and deployed within the tight confines of a vehicle cabin or cockpit. Existing solutions, such as the 9x18mm Stechkin APS machine pistol, had proven inadequate for the modern battlefield, lacking the range and armor-penetrating capability of a rifle cartridge.⁸ The goal was to equip these personnel with a weapon that shared ammunition and training commonality with the standard-issue AK-74, thereby simplifying logistics and supply chains across the armed forces.

The “Modern” (Модерн) Competition (1973-1979)

To address this requirement, the Soviet Ministry of Defense initiated a formal research and development program in 1973, codenamed “Modern” (Модерн).³ This competition brought together the premier small arms design bureaus of the Soviet Union—from Izhevsk, Tula, and Kovrov—to develop a weapon that met a stringent set of Technical-Tactical Requirements (TTT).³ The TTT specified a weapon with a maximum weight of 2.2 kg (approximately 4.9 lbs), a maximum length of 75 cm with the stock extended and 45 cm with the stock folded, and an effective firing range of 500 meters.⁵

The competition saw entries from the most prominent Soviet designers of the era:

• Mikhail T. Kalashnikov (Izhmash): Kalashnikov’s team submitted a design, designated PP1, that was fundamentally a radically shortened version of the recently adopted AKS-74 paratrooper rifle.³ This approach prioritized reliability and manufacturability by leveraging an existing, proven platform. A second prototype, the A1-75, was also presented, featuring an experimental muzzle device for enhanced flash and sound suppression.⁵
• Yevgeny F. Dragunov (Izhmash): The famed designer of the SVD sniper rifle presented a highly innovative and forward-thinking design known as the MA (Малогабаритный Автомат, or “small-sized automatic rifle”).⁵ The MA was a departure from traditional Kalashnikov architecture, featuring extensive use of polymers, a unique hinged upper and lower receiver, and a folding stock that collapsed over the top of the receiver.¹¹
• Igor Y. Stechkin (Tula): Stechkin, creator of the APS pistol, submitted the TKB-0116, another unconventional design that explored alternative operating principles.⁵
• Sergei G. Simonov (Klimovsk): The veteran designer entered the AG-043 prototype.³
• A.S. Konstantinov: Submitted the AEK-958 design.⁵

The Verdict – Pragmatism Over Innovation

Following extensive trials, the GRAU (Main Missile and Artillery Directorate) selected Kalashnikov’s design in 1977.⁵ The decision was not based on overwhelming performance superiority; in fact, the weapon’s performance was judged to be “no worse than the competition”.⁵ The decisive factor was industrial and logistical pragmatism. The Kalashnikov entry shared approximately 50% of its components—including pins, springs, and screws—with the full-size AK-74 already in mass production.¹⁴ This high degree of commonality promised immense cost savings, as it could be manufactured on existing tooling and machinery. Furthermore, it simplified armorers’ training, maintenance procedures, and the supply of spare parts in the field.³

This outcome highlights a core tenet of Soviet military procurement: a “good enough” solution that can be mass-produced efficiently and maintained easily is strategically superior to a technically more advanced or innovative solution that would require retooling factories and disrupting the established industrial base. The Dragunov MA, while lighter and more ergonomic, represented a completely new system.¹¹ The adoption of Kalashnikov’s design was a low-risk, economically sound decision that provided the required capability with minimal disruption.

Interestingly, the final adopted weapon failed to meet the original TTT specifications. The AKS-74U, with an empty weight of 2.7 kg and a folded length of 490 mm, was both heavier and longer than the program’s initial targets of 2.2 kg and 450 mm.⁵ This discrepancy suggests that during the trial phase, the emphasis shifted from adhering to the ambitious physical parameters to achieving acceptable ballistic performance while ensuring maximum manufacturability. A functional compromise was ultimately deemed the only achievable and practical outcome. The weapon was officially adopted into service in 1979 under the GRAU designation 6P26, though its formal name, AKS-74U, tied it to the 1974 rifle family.⁶

Section 2: Engineering the “Ukorochenniy” – A Technical Deep Dive

The transformation of the AKS-74 into the AKS-74U was not a simple matter of shortening components. It was a complex engineering challenge that required a series of interconnected solutions and compromises to maintain reliable function in a drastically smaller package. Each modification had a cascading effect on other aspects of the weapon’s design and performance.

The Barrel and Ballistics

The most defining feature of the AKS-74U is its extremely short barrel. Reduced from the AK-74’s 415 mm (16.3 inches) to just 206.5 mm (8.1 inches), this change was the source of most of the weapon’s subsequent engineering hurdles.²

• Muzzle Velocity and Range: This nearly 50% reduction in barrel length resulted in a significant loss of muzzle velocity. The 5.45x39mm projectile, which exits an AK-74 at approximately 900 m/s, leaves the AKS-74U at a much-reduced 735 m/s.⁶ This drop in velocity directly impacted the weapon’s ballistic performance, reducing its effective range and the terminal effectiveness of the projectile, which relies on high velocity to yaw and fragment upon impact.²
• Rifling Twist Rate: To ensure the projectile remained stable in flight after leaving such a short barrel, the rifling twist rate had to be dramatically increased. The standard AK-74 barrel features a 1:200 mm (1:7.87 inches) twist. The AKS-74U barrel was given a much faster 1:160 mm (1:6.3 inches) twist rate.⁵ This was a critical modification to impart sufficient rotational velocity on the bullet to prevent it from tumbling or “keyholing” after exiting the muzzle, which would have rendered the weapon uselessly inaccurate.⁴

The Gas System and Muzzle Device

Shortening the barrel had a profound effect on the Kalashnikov’s long-stroke gas piston operating system. The gas port had to be moved rearward, necessitating a proportionally shortened gas piston and operating rod.⁵ This created a new problem: the “dwell time”—the brief period the bullet travels in the barrel after passing the gas port but before exiting the muzzle—was drastically reduced. In a standard AK, this dwell time ensures the system is pressurized long enough to reliably cycle the heavy bolt carrier group. In the shortened system, there was insufficient pressure for reliable operation.

The solution was the single most visually distinctive feature of the AKS-74U: its large, cylindrical muzzle device. This is not merely a flash hider but a purpose-built muzzle booster.¹ This device is a non-optional, critical component of the operating system. It functions by creating a large internal expansion chamber. As the bullet exits the barrel, this chamber momentarily traps the rapidly expanding propellant gases, creating a pocket of high back-pressure at the muzzle.² This pressure surge provides the necessary impulse to the gas piston, ensuring a robust and complete cycle of the action. Without this device, the weapon would fail to cycle reliably.¹⁹

The booster has secondary effects as well. The expansion chamber allows more complete combustion of unburned powder, which helps to mitigate what would otherwise be a blinding muzzle flash from the short barrel. Despite this, the weapon is notorious for its concussive and highly visible muzzle blast.² The device attaches via standard M24x1.5 right-hand threads to the integrated gas block and front sight base.²⁰ The entire functionality of the AKS-74U, therefore, hinges on this clever but brute-force engineering workaround.

Receiver, Sights, and Furniture

The radical shortening of the weapon necessitated a complete redesign of the sighting system and receiver cover.

• Sights and Top Cover: With the gas block moved so far back, there was no room for the standard AK rear sight leaf on the receiver. The solution was to create a new, hinged receiver top cover that pivots forward from the rear sight block trunnion.⁵ A simple, L-shaped flip aperture sight was integrated directly onto the rear of this cover.¹ This sight is rudimentary, featuring just two settings: a “П” (Постоянная, or “constant”) battle sight zero set for 350 meters, and a “4-5” setting for engaging targets between 400 and 500 meters.⁵ These ranges were highly optimistic, as the sight radius was dramatically shortened, severely limiting practical accuracy.
• Stock and Furniture: The “S” in the weapon’s designation stands for “Skladnoy” (Складной), meaning “folding”.²¹ It was fitted with the same stamped-metal, triangular, side-folding stock developed for the AKS-74 paratrooper rifle, which locks securely to the left side of the receiver.⁴ The handguards were shortened versions of the standard AK-74 pattern, initially produced from laminated wood and later from polymer.⁴

The final design of the AKS-74U is a masterclass in interdependent compromises. The primary requirement for extreme compactness dictated the short barrel. The short barrel, in turn, necessitated the specialized muzzle booster for reliability and the faster rifling twist for stability. This combination produced a violent muzzle blast. The shortened action forced the relocation of the rear sight onto a new hinged top cover, which reduced the sight radius and limited precision. Each engineering solution created a new challenge, resulting in a weapon that was functionally reliable but deeply compromised in terms of accuracy, effective range, and user comfort.

Section 3: Production, Refinement, and Specialization (1979-1993)

The production life of the AKS-74U spanned approximately 14 years, during which it was manufactured at two of the Soviet Union’s primary small arms facilities. Over this period, the weapon underwent material refinements and was adapted into specialized variants to meet emerging operational needs.

Manufacturing History

Initial production of the AKS-74U commenced in 1979 at the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant (Ижмаш), or Izhmash, the same facility responsible for the full-size AK-74.⁸ However, this was a relatively short-lived arrangement. In 1981, the entire production line, including all tooling and documentation, was transferred to the Tula Arms Plant (Тульский Oружейный Завод), or TOZ.⁸ From 1981 onwards, TOZ became the sole manufacturer of the AKS-74U for the Soviet military. Production continued at Tula until it was officially ceased around 1993, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.⁵

Evolution of Furniture

Like its full-sized sibling, the AKS-74U’s furniture—the handguards and pistol grip—evolved with Soviet polymer technology. These material changes are key identifiers for dating a particular rifle.

• Laminated Wood (1979 – mid-1980s): The earliest production models, from both Izhmash and early Tula, were fitted with distinctive reddish-brown laminated wood handguards.¹⁴ These are often considered the most iconic version of the weapon.
• “Plum” Polymer (mid-1980s): Around 1985, in a military-wide transition, production shifted away from wood. The new furniture was made from a glass-fiber reinforced polyamide (PA-6) in a distinctive plum color.²³
• Black Polymer (late 1980s – 1993): The final production runs of the AKS-74U saw a transition to the true black polymer that would become standard on the modernized AK-74M and the subsequent AK-100 series of rifles.²³

Specialized Variants

As the AKS-74U saw wider service, particularly during the Soviet-Afghan War, the need for specialized versions became apparent. This development was largely reactive, adapting the base design to accommodate new technologies and tactical requirements rather than being part of an initial modular concept.

• AKS-74UN (“Night”): The “N” suffix (from Ночной, or “Night”) designates the variant equipped with a standard Warsaw Pact dovetail optics rail.⁶ This rail was riveted to the left side of the stamped steel receiver and allowed for the mounting of Soviet night vision scopes, such as the 1PN51 or 1PN58 (NSPUM), as well as various daytime optics.²⁸ While this provided enhanced low-light capability, the weapon’s inherent ballistic limitations and short sight radius meant it was never a true precision platform.
• AKS-74UB (“Silent”): The “B” suffix (from Бесшумный, or “Silent”) denotes the variant optimized for suppressed fire.²⁶ This model was designed for use by Spetsnaz and other special operations units. It retained the side optics rail of the UN model but was intended to be paired with the PBS-4 suppressor and specialized 7U1 subsonic 5.45x39mm ammunition.²⁹ To account for the drastically different trajectory of the subsonic round, the AKS-74UB was often fitted with a unique rear sight leaf calibrated specifically for its use.²⁶

The following table provides a clear chronological overview of the weapon’s manufacturing and design milestones.

Year(s)	Event	Manufacturer	Key Features / Changes
1973	“Modern” Competition Begins	N/A	Development of a compact 5.45mm weapon initiated.
1979	Official Adoption (GRAU Index 6P26)	Izhmash	Initial production begins with laminated wood furniture.
1981	Production Transferred to Tula	Tula Arms Plant (TOZ)	TOZ becomes the sole manufacturer.
Mid-1980s	Furniture Material Change	Tula Arms Plant (TOZ)	Transition from laminated wood to plum-colored polymer.
Late-1980s	Furniture Material Change	Tula Arms Plant (TOZ)	Transition from plum polymer to black polymer.
~1980s	Introduction of Variants	Tula Arms Plant (TOZ)	Development of AKS-74UN (optics rail) and AKS-74UB (suppressor-ready) models.
1993	Production Ceases	Tula Arms Plant (TOZ)	End of the weapon’s official production run.

Section 4: A Complicated Legacy – Service History and Combat Performance

The operational history of the AKS-74U is one of stark contrasts. It is simultaneously an iconic symbol of Soviet special forces and a weapon frequently criticized by the very soldiers who carried it. This complicated legacy is a direct result of a fundamental mismatch between its intended design role and its actual tactical deployment, a disparity that was laid bare in the mountains of Afghanistan and the urban ruins of Chechnya.

Intended Role vs. Actual Deployment

As conceived under the “Modern” program, the AKS-74U was a PDW, a defensive weapon for personnel whose primary duties were not infantry combat.¹ Its design prioritized extreme compactness for storage and maneuverability inside vehicles.² However, in the field, its small size and light weight proved irresistibly appealing for offensive roles.

The weapon saw its first major combat use during the Soviet-Afghan War, where it began appearing in significant numbers around the summer of 1981.⁸ It was issued not only to its intended users but also widely to airborne (VDV) troops, Spetsnaz units, and even some motor rifle infantry squads who valued its handiness in the mountainous terrain and during helicopter insertions.⁸ This widespread issuance as a primary combat carbine pushed the weapon far beyond its design parameters, exposing its inherent flaws.

Combat Performance Analysis

When evaluated against its intended role, the AKS-74U performed adequately. It was exceptionally compact, with a folded length of just 490 mm (19.3 inches), making it far more practical than a full-length rifle inside a cramped BMP fighting vehicle or a Mi-24 Hind helicopter cockpit.¹⁴ In a last-ditch defensive scenario at close range, it provided a formidable volume of fire.

However, when pressed into service as a frontline infantry weapon, its performance was deeply problematic:

• Severe Overheating: The combination of a high cyclic rate of fire (around 700 rounds per minute) and a short, thin barrel caused the weapon to overheat with alarming speed.⁵ Soldiers reported that after firing just two or three 30-round magazines in quick succession (60-90 rounds), the handguards would become too hot to hold, and accuracy would degrade precipitously as the barrel heated up.⁸ This made it unsuitable for providing the sustained suppressive fire crucial in infantry engagements.
• Limited Effective Range: While the rear sight was optimistically marked for 500 meters, the reality of the weapon’s ballistics and ergonomics rendered such ranges purely theoretical. The significant loss in muzzle velocity, combined with the extremely short sight radius and a sharp, concussive recoil impulse, limited its practical effective range to approximately 200 meters under ideal conditions.² In the heat of combat, many veterans considered its effective range to be as little as 50 to 100 meters.⁸
• Reduced Terminal Effectiveness: The 5.45x39mm 7N6 cartridge’s lethality is largely dependent on its high velocity, which causes the bullet to yaw and fragment upon impact. The AKS-74U’s lower muzzle velocity reduced this effect, leading to reports from soldiers in both Afghanistan and later in Chechnya of the round lacking “stopping power” and failing to incapacitate targets as effectively as the full-size AK-74.²
• Inability to Mount Grenade Launchers: A major tactical drawback was its incompatibility with the standard GP-25 under-barrel grenade launcher. The GP-25 was a vital tool for Soviet infantry in Afghanistan, providing organic, indirect fire capability. Soldiers issued the AKS-74U were deprived of this critical asset, placing them at a significant disadvantage.⁸

Reputation and the “Krinkov” Myth

This doctrinal mismatch created a dual reputation for the weapon. Among the Soviet troops who were forced to use it as a primary assault rifle, it was often disliked and viewed as a poor substitute for the AKS-74.⁸ Conversely, among their adversaries, the Afghan Mujahideen, the weapon became a highly coveted status symbol. They gave it the nickname “Krinkov,” a name of Pashtun origin with no Russian etymology.⁴ To the Mujahideen, possessing a “Krinkov” was a sign of prestige, as it was most often carried by high-value targets like vehicle commanders, pilots, and Spetsnaz officers. Capturing one implied a successful ambush against elite Soviet forces.¹⁶ This mystique, born from its use by adversaries, cemented its iconic status in the West, often overshadowing its well-documented shortcomings.

Section 5: The Line of Succession – Post-Soviet Replacements

The operational shortcomings of the AKS-74U, particularly when used outside its intended PDW role, created a clear impetus for its replacement. The post-Soviet Russian arms industry did not seek a single, direct successor. Instead, the tactical roles the AKS-74U had been forced to fill were bifurcated and addressed by two distinct, specialized weapon systems: a true compact carbine and a dedicated submachine gun. More recently, a third, technologically advanced platform has emerged, aiming to finally fulfill the original “Modern” program’s goals in a single package.

5.1 The Carbine Successor: The AK-105

Developed in 1994 as part of the AK-100 series, the AK-105 is a direct engineering correction of the AKS-74U’s ballistic failures.²¹ It represents the perfection of the compact carbine concept within the Kalashnikov lineage.

• Design and Improvements: The AK-105 is essentially a shortened version of the modernized AK-74M. Its most critical improvement is a longer barrel, measuring 314 mm (12.4 inches).³⁵ This intermediate length strikes a balance, restoring much of the muzzle velocity lost by the AKS-74U (up to ~840 m/s) while remaining significantly more compact than a full-length rifle.¹⁵ This enhanced ballistic performance extends its practical effective range and improves terminal effectiveness. The longer barrel also allows for a more conventional gas system placement, eliminating the need for the AKS-74U’s oversized muzzle booster in favor of a smaller, more efficient design derived from it.³⁵ It incorporates all the modern features of the AK-74M, including the more robust, solid polymer side-folding stock and a standard dovetail side rail for mounting optics.²¹
• Role and Users: The AK-105 is a true carbine, effective in CQB but far more capable at the intermediate ranges where the AKS-74U struggled. It has been adopted in limited numbers by the Russian Army and is a favored weapon for various law enforcement and special forces units, including the Federal Security Service (FSB) and Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) teams.³⁵

5.2 The Submachine Gun Descendant: The PP-19-01 Vityaz

Where the AK-105 addressed the carbine role, the PP-19-01 Vityaz was developed to perfect the submachine gun/PDW role. Developed in 2004 by Izhmash (now Kalashnikov Concern), the Vityaz was a direct response to a request from the elite MVD “Vityaz” special forces unit.³⁹ They required a weapon with the familiar ergonomics and manual of arms of the Kalashnikov platform but chambered in the 9x19mm Parabellum pistol cartridge, which is better suited for law enforcement and CQB scenarios where over-penetration is a critical concern.⁴¹

• Design and Heritage: The Vityaz is a masterful example of platform commonality. It utilizes the receiver, trigger group, safety selector, and folding stock of the AKS-74U and AK-100 series.³⁹ However, its internal mechanism is a simple, reliable straight blowback system, with the gas piston and rotating bolt of the rifle design removed.⁴³ This fusion of proven ergonomics with a more appropriate operating mechanism and caliber resulted in a highly effective and easily adopted submachine gun.
• Role and Users: The Vityaz has become the standard submachine gun for a wide array of Russian special units, including the FSB, the Federal Protective Service (FSO), and various Spetsnaz elements of the MVD and National Guard.⁴⁴ It has effectively replaced the AKS-74U in the close-quarters, urban law enforcement role for which the rifle-caliber weapon was ill-suited.

5.3 The Future Replacement: The AM-17

The most recent development in this lineage is the AM-17 (Автомат Малогабаритный, or Small-sized Automatic Rifle), a 21st-century weapon designed as the ultimate replacement for the entire AKS-74U fleet.⁴⁵ In a remarkable historical turn, the AM-17 is a direct descendant of the Yevgeny Dragunov MA prototype—the very rifle that lost to the Kalashnikov design in the original “Modern” competition nearly 50 years prior.¹⁰

• Design and Improvements: The AM-17 abandons the traditional stamped steel Kalashnikov receiver in favor of the MA’s innovative layout: a hinged upper and lower receiver assembly made extensively from high-strength polymers with steel reinforcements.⁴⁵ This modern construction makes it lighter than the AKS-74U, weighing only 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs).⁴⁹ It incorporates features now standard on modern carbines, including a full-length, monolithic Picatinny rail on the upper receiver for stable optics mounting, a side-folding and adjustable telescopic stock, fully ambidextrous controls, and a reversible charging handle.⁴⁵ Its 230 mm barrel offers a ballistic improvement over the AKS-74U in a lighter, more ergonomic, and vastly more modular package.⁴⁵
• Status: The AM-17 has completed state trials, with design modifications made based on feedback from operational testing in Ukraine. Kalashnikov Concern has announced that serial production is scheduled to begin in 2025.¹⁰ The AM-17 represents a re-convergence, leveraging five decades of advancements in materials and design to finally create a single weapon that is as compact as a submachine gun while firing a true intermediate rifle cartridge, resolving the compromises that defined its predecessor.

The technical evolution from the AKS-74U to its successors is summarized in the table below.

Specification	AKS-74U	AK-105	PP-19-01 Vityaz	AM-17
Caliber	5.45x39mm	5.45x39mm	9x19mm Parabellum	5.45x39mm
Action	Gas-operated, long-stroke piston	Gas-operated, long-stroke piston	Simple Blowback	Gas-operated, short-stroke piston
Barrel Length	206.5 mm (8.1 in)	314 mm (12.4 in)	237.5 mm (9.4 in)	230 mm (9.1 in)
Muzzle Velocity	~735 m/s	~840 m/s	~380 m/s	~750 m/s
Cyclic Rate	~650-735 RPM	~600 RPM	~800 RPM	~850 RPM
Weight (Empty)	2.7 kg (6.0 lbs)	3.2 kg (7.1 lbs)	2.9 kg (6.4 lbs)	2.5 kg (5.5 lbs)
Length (Folded)	490 mm (19.3 in)	586 mm (23.1 in)	480 mm (18.9 in)	490 mm (19.3 in)
Length (Extended)	730 mm (28.7 in)	824 mm (32.4 in)	705 mm (27.8 in)	750 mm (29.5 in)
Optics Mounting	Dovetail Side Rail (UN model)	Standard Dovetail Side Rail	Picatinny Rail / Dovetail Side Rail	Integrated Full-Length Picatinny Rail

Conclusion

The AKS-74U occupies a unique and paradoxical position in the history of Soviet small arms. Born from the pragmatic, cost-conscious “Modern” program, it was an exercise in compromise—a weapon that met the immediate need for a compact 5.45mm firearm by leveraging an existing production base, even at the cost of failing to meet its own initial design specifications. Its engineering is a testament to the ingenuity required to make a fundamentally unsuitable platform function reliably under extreme modification, with the muzzle booster standing as the lynchpin of a system of cascading trade-offs.

In service, its legacy is bifurcated. For its intended users—vehicle crews and support personnel—it was a functional PDW. However, its widespread deployment as a primary infantry carbine in Afghanistan and Chechnya exposed its profound limitations in range, thermal endurance, and terminal ballistics. This doctrinal mismatch cemented its controversial reputation: an iconic “Krinkov” to its adversaries and a flawed tool to many of its users.

Ultimately, the most enduring legacy of the AKS-74U is not the weapon itself, but the clear lessons it provided. Its shortcomings in the field directly informed the development of a new generation of Russian firearms. Its dual roles were logically separated and perfected in two successor platforms: the AK-105, which corrected its ballistic flaws to become a true compact carbine, and the PP-19-01 Vityaz, which adopted its ergonomics for a more suitable submachine gun role. The recent emergence of the AM-17, a direct descendant of the design that lost to the AKS-74U fifty years ago, marks the completion of this evolutionary cycle. By utilizing modern materials and design principles, the AM-17 promises to finally deliver what the “Modern” program originally sought: a weapon that successfully merges the power of a rifle cartridge with the compact dimensions of a submachine gun, closing a chapter that the AKS-74U opened but could never fully write.

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