Military Wiki
AK-47 type II Part DM-ST-89-01131

The AK-47 assault rifle designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov and chambered for the intermediate 7.62x39mm cartridge. It is the most widely known assault rifle in the world.

An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle or carbine typically firing ammunition with muzzle energies and sizes intermediate between those of handgun and more traditional high-powered rifle ammunition. Assault rifles are categorized between light machine guns, intended more for sustained automatic fire in a support role, and submachine guns, which fire a handgun cartridge rather than a rifle cartridge. Assault rifles are the standard small arms in most modern armed forces, having largely replaced or supplemented larger, more powerful rifles, such as the World War II-era M1 Garand and Tokarev SVT. Belt-fed weapons or rifles with very limited capacity fixed magazines are generally not considered assault rifles.

Semi-automatic rifles are not always classified as assault rifles as they are not fully automatic and some are not designed for military use. However, in media firearms reporting the term "assault rifle" usually refers to visual appearance rather than internal functionality. Similar full sized weapons, with full-auto capabilities chambered in full-sized rifle rounds, are known as Battle rifles. Examples of Battle Rifles are the FN FAL, H&K G3 and M14 rifle. For these type of firearms, see List of battle rifles.

Name Year of intro Country of origin Primary cartridge Users Notes
2B-A-40 1956 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union 7.62x39mm n/a The 2B-A-40 is an assault rifle of Russian origin. The weapon uses a delayed-blowback operation and is chambered in the 7.62x39mm round. The 2B-A-40 also came as a light machine gun as the 2B-P-40.
80.002 1970s Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union 5.45x39mm n/a The 80.002 is a combined Assault Rifle/Grenade Launcher based on the AK platform that predated the similar OICW. In developing this set of designers participated V. Minaev, VI Chelikin, GA Jan. The main difference from the Kalashnikov is the presence of weapons of two adjacent shafts 5.45 mm and 12.7 mm respectively.
AC-556 1973 Flag of the United States United States 5.56x45mm NATO United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Bermuda The AC-556 or Mini-14 is an offshoot designed by Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. of the famous "M1" family of military rifles. The AC-556 is very similar both in the way it looks and functions to the M1 carbine, however it is chambered in the more powerful 5.56x45mm round and features a fire selector switch to allow for fully automatic fire.
Ak 5 1985 Flag of Sweden Sweden 5.56x45mm NATO Sweden Ak 5 is the Swedish version of Belgian FN FNC. It is the main service rifle of the Swedish Armed Forces.
AK-47 1947 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union 7.62x39mm Russia, many others The simple, easy to manufacture AK-47 was one of the earliest designs for an assault rifle. Once designed and distributed by the Soviet Union for use by the Warsaw Pact nations, it has become the most widespread, most copied assault rifle design in the world.
AK-63 1977 Flag of Hungary Hungary 7.62x39mm Hungary The AK-63 is a Hungarian variant of the AKM assault rifle manufactured by the Fegyver- és Gépgyár (FÉG) state arms plant in Hungary. It is currently used by the Hungarian Ground Forces as its standard infantry weapon, and by most other branches of the Hungarian Defence Forces.
AK-74 1974 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union 5.45x39mm Russia, many others The AK-74 is an adaptation of the AKM (which used the 7.62x39mm cartridge) down to the smaller 5.45x39mm cartridge.
AK-101 1990s Flag of Russia Russia 7.62x39mm, 5.45x39mm, 5.56x45mm NATO Russia, many others In the 1990s, Izhmash designers developed the unified complex of Kalashnikov assault rifles chambered for domestic 7.62 x 39mm, 5.45 x 39mm cartridges as well as the 5.56 x 45mm NATO cartridge to expand the export capabilities of the enterprise.

These assault rifles can be supplied to traditional Russian clients and NATO standard-oriented countries.

The complex comprises assault rifles for general purpose use (AK-74M, AK-101, AK-103) and for auxiliary designation (AK-102, AK-104, AK-105). All of them feature a high degree of unification in the construction of the assemblies and parts as well as the in technology of their manufacture.

AKM 1959 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union 7.62x39mm Russia, many others The AKM is a redesign of the AK-47 made for ease of mass production. The design is simplified somewhat which also reduced the substantial weight of the AK-47, while adding to its accuracy and reliability.
AMD-65 1965 Flag of Hungary Hungary 7.62x39mm Hungary AMD-65 is a Hungarian-manufactured variant of the venerable AKM rifle for use by that nation's armored infantry and paratrooper ("descent") units.
AMP-69 1969 Flag of Hungary Hungary 7.62x39mm Hungary AMP-69 is a Hungarian-manufactured assault rifle which is capable of firing rifle grenades.
AN-94 1994 Flag of Russia Russia 5.45x39mm Russia: Used in limited numbers by the Russian army, police, Federal Security Service and Ministry of Internal Affairs. The AN-94 (sometimes called the "Abakan") is an advanced Russian assault rifle. The initials stand for Avtomat Nikonova (after chief designer Gennadiy Nikonov) Model of 1994.
AO-38 1965 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union 5.45x39mm Never in active service The AO-38 is the first assault rifle to use the Balanced Automatic Recoil System(BARS) to improve stability giving better accuracy over AK-74's. Its derivatives are the AK-107 and AEK-971.
AO-62 1965 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union 5.45x39mm Never in active service The AO-62 was an AK derivative that is recoil operated with a special device that can resist recoil when the first three rounds are fired. This rifle predates the similarly operated Heckler & Koch G11 and AN-94 assault rifles.
AO-63 1986 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union 5.45x39mm Russia Abakan Trials The AO-63 was intended as a more accurate alternative to the standard issue AK-74 with capabilities firing from 850 to a theoretical 6,000RPM when the two round burst selected making it effective against body armour. It was used during the Abakan trials with the AN-94 being the winner.
Armtech C30R 1986 Flag of Australia Australia 5.56mm Caseless Never in active service The Armtech C30R was a concept using 5.56mm caseless rectangular round similar to that used in the H&K G11.
AVB-7.62 1990s Flag of Russia Russia 7.62x39mm/7.62x54mm Never in active service The AB and AVB rifles were designed to reduce recoil force by using a Lever-Delayed Blowback operation and came in both Assault and Battle rifle forms. One variant was produced in Czechoslovakia in the 7.62x51mm NATO calibre. These rifles were not adopted by any military.
Bakalov 1996 Flag of Bulgaria Bulgaria 7.62x39mm, NATO 5.56x45mm and 7.62x51mm cartridges Bulgaria The Bakalov is a Bulgarian assault rifle of bullpup configuration, named for its creator Georgi Delchev Bakalov.

It consists of 72 pieces, many of which based on the Kalashnikov design, reconfigured as a bullpup rifle.

Barrett REC7 2007 Flag of the United States United States 6.8 mm Remington SPC United States The REC7 (formerly known as the M468) is the designation for an upgrade to the M16/M4. The REC7 is manufactured by Barrett Firearms Company, who are best known for producing the M82 .50 caliber sniper rifle.
Beretta AR70/90 1980s/1990s Flag of Italy Italy 5.56x45mm NATO Italy First born in the early 1970s, its early incarnation (the AR-70/.223) was jointly developed and built alongside the SG 530 with SIG and saw use only within some Italian Special Forces as well as exports and civilian sales. The design was later modernized to comply with NATO standards, and became in the late 1980s the main assault rifle of the Italian military, retaining such role up to date. The most widely issued version of this weapon is the SC-70/90 folding-stock variant.
Beretta ARX-160 2008 Flag of Italy Italy 5.56x45mm NATO Italy (entering limited service as of year 2010) The ARX-160 is an assault rifle manufactured by Pietro Beretta S.p.A.. Developed for the Italian armed forces as part of the Soldato Futuro (Future Soldier in English) program, the ARX-160 has been launched in the year 2008 as a commercial weapon system independent from the Soldato Futuro ensemble, complete with a companion single-shot 40mm NATO low-velocity grenade launcher, called GLG-160, which can be underslung to the rifle or used with an ad-hoc stock system as a stand-alone weapon.
BSA 28P 1949 Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom .280 British n/a The BSA 28P is an assault rifle of British origin. The weapon was considered to replace the .303 Lee-Enfield after 1945. However, the BSA 28P was outdated compared to its rival, the EM-2 and the L1A1 SLR asides the 7.62 x51mm NATO calibre.
Bushmaster ACR 2006 United States 5.56x45mm NATO experiment weapon\ United States The Bushmaster ACR was developed by the Magpul Industries for the United States armed forces as part of the individual carbine program for future replacement of the individual M4 Carbine for service of the U.S Marine Corps, the U.S Army, and the U.S Navy until it was recalled back for further testing, but still serve for the individual units.
CETME 1950s Flag of Spain Spain 7.62x51mm NATO Spain Based on the prototype Sturmgewehr 45 design, the CETME would, in turn, be influential on the design of the Heckler & Koch G3 family of rifles. The CETME was used by the Spanish military.
CETME Model L 1981 Flag of Spain Spain 5.56x45mm NATO Spain The CETME Model L was a similar weapon to the HK33 and HK G41. It has been replaced by a Licenced copy of the H&K G36.
Cherkashin assault rifle 19?? Flag of Kazakhstan Kazakhstan 5.45x39mm n/a The Cherkashin assault rifle uses an operation similar to the AN-94 and can be fitted with a GP-25 launcher.
Colt Canada C7 rifle 1982 Flag of Canada Canada 5.56x45mm NATO Canada and others The C7 is a Canadian variant of the M16. It is the service rifle of the Canadian Forces, and is also used by the military forces of Norway, Denmark, Iceland, and the Netherlands, and by United Kingdom Special Forces.
ČZ 522 1950s Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia 7.62x45mm vz. 52 Never in active service The ČZ 522 was an assault rifle of Czechoslovak origin prior to the Vz. 58, designed by Jiří Čermák at České zbrojovky. It used components similar to that of a German MG34 and slight resemblance to the StG-44 and StG-45.
ČZ 2000 1980s/1990s Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic 5.45x39mm M74/5.56x45mm NATO Never in active service The ČZ 2000 is a prototype 5.56 mm caliber Czech weapon system, consisting of a standard rifle, carbine and light machine gun.
CZ-805 BREN 2009 Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic 5.56x45mm NATO Czech Republic The CZ-805 BREN is a Czech assault rifle created in 2009 to replace the Sa vz. 58 in the Armed Forces of Czech Republic.
ČZW-556 2000s Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic 5.56x45mm NATO Not yet in active service The ČZW-556 assault rifle is an improved derivative of the LCZ-B20 platform. Both the ČZW-556 and its ČZW-762 light machine gun alternative uses lever-delayed blowback which has more reliable accuracy, maintainability and performance over the gas operation.
Daewoo K1 1980 Flag of South Korea South Korea 5.56x45mm NATO South Korea, Bangladesh The K1 is the primary assault carbine of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. Used extensively in the Afghanistan War and Iraq War. While K1 assault carbine is commonly regarded as a short version of Daewoo K2 assault rifle, it is actually different from K2 for the following reasons: * The development of K1 was completed earlier than that of K2. * The K1 uses the direct impingement gas system, while the K2 uses AK-47 style gas piston system. * The K1 has 1-in-12 rifling twist for .223 Remington, while the K2 has 1-in-7.3 rifling twist for 5.56x45mm NATO (FN SS109).
Daewoo K2 1984 Flag of South Korea South Korea 5.56x45mm NATO South Korea, Fiji, Peru, Nigeria The K2 is the primary service rifle of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. It is based on the designs of the M16 and AK-47 although the parts are not interchangeable.
Daewoo XK8 n/a Flag of South Korea South Korea 5.56x45mm NATO Never in active service
DCR 1973 Flag of the United States United States 5.56x45mm NATO Never in active service The Dual Cycle Rifle (DCR) is a revolver-type assault rifle that used a unique gas operation with a webley-fosbery type grooved cylinder enabling 3-round burst capabilities of firing 4,900RPM.
Diseños Casanave SC-2005 2005 Flag of Peru Peru 5.56x45mm NATO Peru The SC-2005 is an FN FAL derivative with external parts from the IMI Galil and M4 Carbine.
EM-2 1951 Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom .280 British Never in active service The EM-2 was an experimental British bullpup assault rifle. It was designed to fire the experimental .280 British round that was being considered to replace the venerable .303 British. The rifle was never brought into service, but it did help lay the groundwork for the development of later, more successful British bullpup rifles such as the SA80.
EMERK 2010 Flag of Myanmar Burma 5.56x45mm NATO Burma The EMERK is a bullpup rifle currently in partial issue in Burma as the EMERK-1 and EMERK-3. The EMERK is roughly based on the Chinese QBZ rifle, but with additional features taken from the American M16 and British SA80.
FAD assault rifle 2008 Flag of Peru Peru 5.56x45mm NATO Peru (not yet in service) The FAD(Fusil Automático Doble) is a Bullpup assault rifle currently under development by SIMA Electronica, A 40mm pump action grenade launcher is also to be installed to it.
FAMAS 1978 Flag of France France 5.56x45mm NATO France and others The bullpup designed FAMAS is the service rifle of the French military. The weapon is also the primary infantry weapon of Djibouti and is used by the Philippine National Police Special Action Force.
FARA 83 1983 Flag of Argentina Argentina 5.56x45mm NATO Argentina, Venezuela Externally resembling the Israeli IMI Galil, internally similar to the Heckler & Koch HK33, the FARA 83 was designed in Argentina to become the service rifle for the Argentine Army. The rifle was brought into service starting in 1984, but never replaced the existing FMAP FSL variant of the Belgian FN FAL which remains Argentina's main service rifle to the present day.
Floro PDW 2000s? Flag of the Philippines Philippines 5.56x45mm NATO n/a The Floro PDW is a compact carbine that has been developed the by Floro International of the Philippines for conventional forces, as a replacement for their 9mm caliber sidearms and submachine guns.
FN CAL 1966 Flag of Belgium (civil) Belgium 5.56x45mm NATO Gabon, Lebanon The FN CAL was designed to be a lower cost, easier to manufacture alternative to the existing FN FAL, although the two guns are not directly related. The CAL never met with any significant interest and was later dropped in favour of the even less expensive FN FNC.
FN F2000 2001 Flag of Belgium (civil) Belgium 5.56x45mm NATO Belgium and others The F2000 incorporates many advanced features into its ambidextrous bullpup design. The F2000 is currently in use by Belgian special forces and is being considered as a possible replacement for the FN FNC as the service rifle for the Belgian armed forces.
FN FNC 1979 Flag of Belgium (civil) Belgium 5.56x45mm NATO Belgium and others A much better received follow-up to the less successful FN CAL, the FNC has been the main service rifle of the Belgian military since its introduction. Variations on the design have been adopted in several countries with the Swedish Ak 5 and the Indonesian Pindad SS1 being among the more notable examples.
FN SCAR 2007 Flag of Belgium (civil) Belgium 5.56x45mm NATO United States (experimental) The SCAR is Belgian arms maker Fabrique Nationale de Herstal's entry into (and eventual winner of) the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM)'s SCAR competition to select a new rifle for special forces. The weapon is still in production and has not yet entered service.
Franchi LF-58 1958 Flag of Italy Italy .30 Carbine Never in active service The Franchi LF-58 is a carbine of Italian origin chambered in .30 Carbine. The weapon is gas operated and comes with a side folding wire stock similar to that of the LF-57 submachine gun.
Franchi mod. 641 1980s Flag of Italy Italy 5.56x45mm NATO n/a The Franchi mod. 641 is an assault rifle of Italian origin manufactured by Franchi. The weapon is somewhat a derivative of the CETME/H&K G3 but using a gas operation.
FX-05 Xiuhcoatl 2006 Flag of Mexico Mexico 5.56x45mm NATO Mexico The Xiuhcoatl was designed and built in Mexico to be the next generation service rifle for the Mexican Army. Though similar to the Heckler & Koch G36, the two are different enough that Heckler & Koch elected not to pursue proposed copyright infringement claims.
G5 rifle 2012 Flag of Georgia Georgia (country) 5.56×45mm NATO Georgia G5 is an upgraded analog of M4 carbine, and other rifles. Georgia plans to supply Georgian armed forces and Georgian reserve army with G5 rifle. Until 2014 Georgia will produce 200,000 G5 rifles.
Gordon CSWS 1970 Flag of Australia Australia 5.56x45mm NATO Never in active service The Gordon Close-Support Weapon System (Gordon CSWS) was a very unusual weapon system was proposed at one time Australian Duncan Gordon. The CSWS assault rifle variant was based on weapons such as the Johnson M1941 LMG, FG-42 and EM-2.
Grad 2010 Flag of North Ossetia North Ossetia–Alania 5.45x39mm M74 Not in service yet The Grad assault rifle is a bullpup weapon of North Ossetian origin. The weapon is chambered in the 5.45x39mm round and can be fitted with a silencer. The Grad operates on the AK Platform and is compatible with existing AK-74 components.
Heckler & Koch G11 1980s Flag of Germany West Germany 4.73x33mm caseless Never in active service Developed in the 1970s and 1980s as a non-production prototype platform for experimental caseless ammunition.
Heckler & Koch G36 1995 Flag of Germany Germany 5.56x45mm NATO Germany, many NATO and others Developed as a successor to the Heckler & Koch G3, the G36 is currently the service rifle of the Bundeswehr (German armed forces.) It is also widely used by other armies and police forces worldwide.
Heckler & Koch G41 1981 Flag of Germany West Germany 5.56x45mm NATO Italy, Lebanon, Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey Produced in small numbers as an intended replacement for the Heckler & Koch HK33, The G41 never found the major military market at which it was aimed and the rights to the design were later sold to Italian arms manufacturer Luigi Franchi. Production has since been discontinued.
Heckler & Koch HK33 1960s Flag of Germany West Germany 5.56x45mm NATO Brazil, Turkey, Thailand, others The HK33 was designed as an addition to the successful Heckler & Koch G3 family of weapons. It was designed mostly for export and was never used militarily by the Bundeswehr (German armed forces.) The rifle has sustained moderately widespread use in various parts of the world for several decades. The weapon is also used by police forces in several countries.
Heckler & Koch HK416 2005 Flag of Germany Germany 5.56x45mm NATO Norway, Turkey, United States, others Designed along the lines of the M4 carbine, the HK416 was built with an eye towards taking over the market share currently held by the M4. It is currently in limited use by the United States Army and by special forces units from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Netherlands, and the United States. The rifle has also, reportedly, been selected by Norway and Turkey to become their primary service rifles.
Howa Type 89 1989 Flag of Japan Japan 5.56x45mm NATO Japan The Howa Type 89 is currently in service with the Japan Self-Defense Forces, Japan Coast Guard and the Japanese Special Assault Team. It has never been exported due to strict Japanese anti-export laws.
IMBEL MD2 1985 Flag of Brazil Brazil 5.56x45mm NATO Brazil Brazilian arms manufacturer IMBEL's MD2 is based on the design of the Belgian FN FAL and is the current service rifle of the Brazilian Army.
IMI Galil 1972 Flag of Israel Israel 5.56x45mm NATO Israel and others Based on the Finnish Rk 62 (in turn based on the AK-47, ) the Galil is used by the military and police forces in several nations including Colombia, Estonia, Israel, Italy, Nepal, and others. It is available in several configurations, some using the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge.
IMI Tavor TAR-21 2002 Flag of Israel Israel 5.56x45mm NATO Israel and others The bullpup designed TAR-21 has been selected to become the new service rifle for the Israel Defense Forces. The rifle is also on order for the special forces or police of several other nations.
INSAS rifle 1997 Flag of India India 5.56x45mm NATO India, Nepal The INSAS is a composite design drawn from several existing rifles including the AK-47, FN FNC, AK-74, IMI Galil, and the Heckler & Koch G3. It is the service rifle of the Indian army and has also been exported to Nepal & Oman.[1]
Kalantak Micro Assault Rifle 5.56mm 2012 Flag of India India 5.56x45mm NATO (India) The MIcro Assault Rifle 5.56 is a composite design drawn from several existing rifles including the INSAS, FN FNC, AK-74, IMI Galil, and the Heckler & Koch G3.[2]
Interdynamics MKR 1980s Flag of Sweden Sweden 4.5x26mm MKR Never in active service The MKR assault rifle is chambered in a small calibre rimfire round to reduce recoil but retaining good accuracy and ballistics of the 5.56x45mm NATO round, The weapon and calibre proved successful but never got beyond prototype stage .
Interdynamics MKS 1970s Flag of Sweden Sweden 5.56x45mm NATO Never in active service The MKS assault rifle has a high rate of fire but most notably has the magazine for its grip.
Kbk wz. 1988 Tantal 1988 Flag of Poland Poland 5.45x39mm Poland, Iraq The Tantal is a Polish designed and produced assault rifle based on the highly successful AK-47 family of rifles.
Kbs wz. 1996 Beryl 1996 Flag of Poland Poland 5.56x45mm NATO Poland Designed to replace the older AK-47 and AK-74 models then in use, the Beryl quickly became the main service rifle of the Polish Armed Forces.
LAPA FA-03 1970s Flag of Brazil Brazil 5.56x45mm NATO Brazil (BOPE) A Bullpup design far ahead of its times, produced with great usage of polymer materials, the LAPA FA-03 was manufactured only in few hundred samples. With both domestic military adoption and foreign sales crippled by Brazilian policy, this rifle is still today kept in stock by some Brazilian Police units.
Leader Dynamics T2 MK5 1980s Flag of Australia Australia 5.56x45mm NATO Never in active service The Leader Dynamics T2 MK5 represents an attempt to produce Australia's first domestically designed and produced gas-operated auto-rifle for the Australian Army. The rifle was never brought into service.
L64/65 1970s Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 4.85x49mm Never in active service The L64/65 was an intermediate step in the design of British bullpup style assault rifles. Though this rifle was never used by any military force, it helped lay the foundation for the successful SA80 series of weapons.
M4A1,M4A2 Carbine and the M4A2 Commando 1994 Flag of the United States United States 5.56x45mm NATO United States, many others A shorter, lighter version of the M16, the M4 is heavily used by the United States Armed Forces especially for close quarters combat, special operations, and other roles where small size is a major factor. The M4 and its many variants have also been exported to a number of nations around the world.
M16 rifle 1961 Flag of the United States United States 5.56x45mm NATO United States, many others The M-16 has been the primary service rifle of the United States Armed Forces since its introduction in 1961. The rifle has also been used, in one variation or another, by dozens of other nations making it one of the most popular assault rifle designs ever.
NIVA XM1970 1970 Flag of Sweden Sweden 5.56x45mm NATO Never in active service The XM1970 was a combined Bullpup rifle / RPG launcher concept by SAAB Bofors.
Pindad SS1 1991 Flag of Indonesia Indonesia 5.56x45mm NATO Indonesia, Cambodia, Nigeria, and United Arab Emirates The Pindad SS1 built in Indonesian is licensed built Belgian FN FNC The weapon is the main service rifle of the Indonesian armed forces.
Pindad SS2 2006 Flag of Indonesia Indonesia 5.56x45mm NATO Indonesia An updated version of the Pindad SS1, the SS2 is currently being phased in as the service rifle of the Indonesian armed forces.
PVAR Rifle 2011 Flag of the Philippines Philippines 5.56x45mm NATO Philippines Replacement for the currently M16s issued to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and its branches. The rifle uses the new and more reliable Pneumatic Valve and Rod system, which was created as a more reliable design than the traditional Direct Gas Impingement system of the AR-15 family.
QBZ-95 1997 Flag of the People's Republic of China China 5.8x42mm DBP87 People's Republic of China, Cambodia, Sri Lanka QBZ-97 in service with the 911 Special Forces of Cambodia-champered for the 5.56x45mm NATO A Bullpup design introduced to replace the aging Type 56 rifles in Chinese service, the QBZ-95 was first introduced when the United Kingdom returned control of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China. Fires the proprietary 5.8x42mm DBP87 cartridge solely intended for the Chinese military, but the QBZ-97 export variant chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO saw some foreign sales as well as civilian adaptations.
QBZ-03 2003 Flag of the People's Republic of China People's Republic of China 5.8x42mm DBP87 People's Republic of China, in limited service with the People's Liberation Army -
R4 assault rifle 1980 Flag of South Africa South Africa 5.56x45mm NATO South Africa, Haitian police Developed in 1980 for the South African Defence Force to replace the R1, which was a variant of the Belgian FN FAL, The R4 was first issued during the early 1980s. Its design can trace its ancestry back through the Israeli IMI Galil, and the Finnish Rk 62, back to the AK-47.
RH-70 1970 Flag of Germany West Germany 5.56x45mm Germany The RH-70 was a bullpup rifle intended to supplement and eventually replace the H&K G3 in Bundeswehr service using the same action. It somewhat had a "Thumbhole" stock and the ambidextrous ability to enable left/right-handed shooters to fire it.
Rk 62 1962 Flag of Finland Finland 7.62x39mm Finland Based on the design of the AK-47, the Rk 62 is the service rifle of the Finnish Defence Forces.
Rk 95 TP 1990s Flag of Finland Finland 7.62x39mm Finland The Rk 95 was accepted in limited numbers into the Finnish Defence Forces as a possible future replacement for the Rk 62, though this may or may not ultimately occur.
Robinson Armament XCR 2006 Flag of the United States United States 5.56x45mm NATO United States The Robinson Armament Co. XCR is a multi-caliber, gas piston weapon system developed by Robinson Armament Co. for U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to satisfy the requirements of the SOF Combat Assault Rifle, or SCAR competition, but was disqualified on a technicality due to late delivery of blank firing adapters. Robinson Armament continued development and the XCR is now being offered to law enforcement, the military and general public.
Rung Paisarn RPS-001 1986 Flag of Thailand Thailand 5.56x45mm NATO Thailand A development of the Czechoslovak Sa vz. 58 assault rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO with components from the M16A2.
Sa vz. 58 1958 Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia 7.62x39mm Czechoslovakia and others Easily mistaken for the oft-copied AK-47, the Sa vz. 58 is a unique design that has seen service with several nations' armies including the present day Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
SA80 1985 Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 5.56x45mm NATO United Kingdom, Jamaica, Zimbabwe, Nepal The SA80 is the primary service rifle of the United Kingdom. Its bullpup design is a repackaging of the AR-18.
SAR-80 1980s Flag of Singapore Singapore 5.56x45mm NATO Singapore and others Born in the early 1980s out of the cooperation between the Sterling Armament Company of United Kingdom and Chartered Industries of Singapore, the SAR-80 was a conventional design based upon the American Armalite AR-18 fed by STANAG magazines. Saw very little rear-line use in its homeland, but has since been spotted in conflicts and civil wars in eastern Europe, Asia and Middle East.
SAR-21 1999 Flag of Singapore Singapore 5.56x45mm NATO Singapore and others Unveiled in 1999, the SAR-21 is now the service rifle of the Singapore Armed Forces. It is also in service with the armed forces of Brunei, Indonesia, and Morocco, as well as the special forces of Bangladesh.
Safir T-16 2000s Flag of Turkey Turkey 5.56x45mm NATO Not yet in service The T-16 is a full-auto variant of the T-15 rifle manufactured by Safir Arms.
Safir T-17 2009 Flag of Turkey Turkey 5.56x45mm NATO Not yet in service The T-17 is a bullpup variant of the latest Turkish assault rifle concept by Safir Arms.
San Cristobal 1950 Flag of the Dominican Republic Dominican Republic .30 Carbine Cuba, Dominican Republic A derivative of the Danuvia 43 submachine gun chambered in the .30 carbine round. This weapon is still in use with the Dominican Military Academy.
SIG SG 540 1970s Flag of Switzerland  Switzerland 5.56x45mm NATO Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Chad, Chile, Ecuador, France, Indonesia, Jordan, and others The SG 540 series, consisting of the SG 540 and SG 543 Carbine in 5.56x45mm NATO and the SG 542 chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge, has entered service with the armed forces of several countries in Africa, Asia and South America as well as numerous law enforcement and security agencies. Most notably the SG 540 served as the basis for the SG 541 prototype, which would later become the SIG SG 550.
SIG SG 550 1986 Flag of Switzerland  Switzerland 5.6 mm Gw Pat 90 Switzerland and others Built as a successor to the SIG SG 510, the SG 550 is the standard service rifle of the Swiss Army based on the earlier design of the SIG SG 540. The rifle has been exported for use by the armies of Chile, France, Indonesia, and Spain, and counter-terrorism units in Germany and Serbia. The SG 550 is also used by some federal agencies in the United States and by the Papal Swiss Guard at the Vatican.
SOAR 2006 Flag of the Philippines Philippines 5.56x45mm NATO Philippines The Special Operations Assault Rifle was used by Special Action force (SAF).
SOCIMI AR-831 1980s Flag of Italy Italy 5.56x45mm NATO n/a The SOCIMI AR-831 is an assault rifle of Italian origin based on the AR-15 platform. The weapon is gas operated and is chambered in the 5.56x45mm NATO round.
Sterling SAR-87 1987 Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 5.56x45mm NATO Never in active service The SAR-87 was a derivative of the Armalite AR18, It was a reliable design but rejected as the SA80 was selected by the British Forces so it remained as a prototype but formed the basis of various Singapore produced weapons like the SR-88.
Steyr ACR 1987 Flag of Austria Austria 5.56x45mm flechette Never in active service The Steyr ACR was an entry in the United States Army's Advanced Combat Rifle program. The experimental flechette firing weapon was not adopted by the US Army and the rifle has not seen active service.
Steyr AUG 1978 Flag of Austria Austria 5.56x45mm NATO Austria and others The Austrian Army's main service rifle, the AUG uses a bullpup design that is modular and very adaptable. The same gun can be quickly fitted with an assortment of barrels and switched for left or right-handed operation. The AUG is used by a number of military forces and government agencies worldwide.
Stoner 63 1963 Flag of the United States United States 5.56x45mm NATO United States (limited, no longer in service) The Stoner 63 was a family of infantry weapons including assault rifles and light machine guns produced in the 1960s for the United States Armed Forces. The US Navy SEALs and the US Marine Corps field tested the rifles in limited numbers, but the weapons system was never widely used and had been completely phased out by the late 1980s.
Sturmgewehr 44 1944 Flag of German Reich (1935–1945) Nazi Germany 7.92x33mm Kurz Nazi Germany (WWII) Considered by many to be the first true assault rifle, the StG44 was the first weapon to see widespread action that combined the portability and powerful cartridge of a rifle with the automatic firing rate of a machine gun. Previous, similar designs such as the American Thompson submachine gun and M3 submachine gun had fired less powerful pistol cartridges and were, therefore, not true assault rifles.
StG45 1945 Flag of German Reich (1935–1945) Nazi Germany 7.92x33mm Kurz Nazi Germany (WWII) This was the last attempt for Nazi Germany to produce an assault rifle but cheaper and easier to produce/maintain etc. Like the previous and similar Sturmgewehr 44, It retained the same ammunition/ergonomics/magazines but instead used a roller-locking system that later became used in the CETME/Heckler & Koch series of weapons.
TKB-022PM 1962 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union 7.62x39mm Never in active service The TKB-022PM was a prototype bullpup carbine designed for Armoured Vehicle crew members. It has also been one of the most unusual designs to draw mass attention to firearms enthusiasts as its external layout was bakelite and has the magazine at the very far back it required a vertically moving bolt and a separate rammer/extractor to cycle its operation. Apart from this, Russian Generals thought this weapon was complicated and far ahead of its time and didn't trust if it could withstand harsh battlefield conditions and years of storage.
TKB-059 1966 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union 7.62x39mm Never in active service The TKB-059 assault rifle was a bullpup weapon with rapid burst capabilities. It had a unique recoil operation with the spent brass ejecting downwards behind the magazine area enabling the weapon to be used ambidextrously. The TKB-059 recoil operation was used as the basis of the AN-94.
TKB-517 1950s Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union 7.62x39mm Never in active service Designed to be an easier to produce, more accurate and reliable alternative to the externally similar AK-47, the TKB-517 was never adopted by the Soviet military.
T65 assault rifle 1976 Flag of the Republic of China Taiwan 5.56x45mm NATO Taiwan, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Panama The T65 was the main service rifle of Taiwan's ROC Army from 1976 through the mid-1990s when it was phased out in favour of the newer T86 and T91 models.
T86 assault rifle 1998 Flag of the Republic of China Taiwan 5.56x45mm NATO Taiwan, Jordan Similar in design to the American M16, the T86 was slated to replace the older T65 model as the service rifle of Taiwan's ROC Army, but the intended replacement was delayed and the T86 was superseded by the T91 and was only deployed in limited numbers.
T91 assault rifle 2003 Flag of the Republic of China Taiwan 5.56x45mm NATO Taiwan, Jordan, Kuwait A continuation of the T86 assault rifle's design, the T91 incorporated more features from other existing weapons such as the M16 and the Heckler & Koch G36. The T91 is currently the primary service rifle of Taiwan's ROC Army.
Truvelo Raptor 2000s Flag of South Africa South Africa 7.62x39mm/5.56x45mm NATO Not in service yet The Truvelo Raptor is an assault rifle concept from South Africa based on the Vektor R4.
TVGK 2000s Flag of Ukraine Ukraine 4.92x34mm Not in service yet The TVGK is a combined Assault rifle/ Airburst grenade launcher concept from Ukraine. It is of Bullpup configuration and is developed by KB Shar.
Type 11 2000s Flag of Thailand Thailand 5.56x45mm NATO Thailand The Type 11 is a bullpup assault rifle of Thai origin, manufactured by the Ministry of National Defence. The weapon is a derivative of the Heckler & Koch HK33 assault rifle.
Type 56 assault rifle 1970s Flag of the People's Republic of China China 7.62x39mm China, many others The Type 56 assault rifle is a Chinese copy of the Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle, which has been manufactured since 1956. The Type 56 is likely the most widely proliferated AK-47 type rifle in the world having shown up on battlefields in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, South America, etc.
Type 63 assault rifle 1970s Flag of the People's Republic of China China 7.62x39mm China, Albania, Cambodia, Vietnam Externally similar to the Chinese SKS rifle, the mechanism is more closely related to the AK-47. The Type 68 is currently no longer in service with the Chinese armed forces; during the Cold War, it has been given in quantities to Albania, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
Type 81 assault rifle 1980s Flag of the People's Republic of China China 7.62x39mm China and others The Type 81 combines elements of several earlier rifles to create a design that is externally similar to the AK-47 family of rifles, but with significant internal differences. The Type 81 was the service rifle of the Chinese People's Liberation Army from the mid-1980s until 1995.
Valmet M82 1978 Flag of Finland Finland 5.56x45mm NATO Never in active service Only about 2,000 M82s were built during its brief life. The bullpup style rifle was tested in small numbers by Finnish paratroopers, but found to be unsuitable.
VB Berapi LP06 2006 Flag of Malaysia Malaysia 5.56x45mm NATO Not yet in service The VB Berapi LP06 is the first assault rifle designed and manufactured indigenously in Malaysia. The weapon is of bullpup form and can be fitted with an optical sight.
Vektor CR-21 1997 Flag of South Africa South Africa 5.56x45mm NATO Never in active service The CR-21 is a bullpup design of assault rifle introduced as a proposed successor to the South African Army's current R4 assault rifle. The rifle has not yet been selected by any military force and remains a prototype.
Vepr 2003 Flag of Ukraine Ukraine 5.45x39mm Ukraine (not yet in service) The Vepr is the first assault rifle designed and built in the Ukraine. The weapon—a bullpup modification of the AK-74—is listed by the Ukrainian government as a sub-machinegun, but it fires a rifle cartridge and is, therefore, an assault rifle. The Vepr is slated to be introduced into service with the Ukrainian Ground Forces by 2010.
VHS Assault Rifle 2007 Flag of Croatia Croatia 5.56x45mm Croatia, Kuwait, Venezuela The VHS assault rifle was first introduced in Karlovac in 2007. In October 2008, it was published into the ground force of Croatia. It is currently the service rifle of Croatia. Venezuela and Kuwait have shown interest for the rifle.
W+F Bern C42 2000s Flag of Switzerland  Switzerland 5.56x45mm NATO / 6.8 mm Remington SPC Not in active service The C42 is an Assault rifle manufactured by the Government owned W+F Bern of Switzerland. It is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO and 6.8mm SPC.
W+F Bern StG-52 1952 Flag of Switzerland  Switzerland 7.5mm Kurzpatrone Never in active service The Sturmgewehr 52 was an assault rifle heavily patterned after the German FG42 as it was fed from the side from a 30 or 40 round magazine, also fitted with a muzzle attachment capable of launching rifle grenades. It was also chambered in the 7.5x55mm Swiss service round as the StG-54 fed from the right hand side.
Wimmersperg Spz-kr 1945 Flag of German Reich (1935–1945) Nazi Germany 7.92x33mm Kurz Nazi Germany (WWII) One of the desperate attempts by the Third Reich to manufacture an assault rifle from existing firearm parts, most notably from Sten MKII and StG-44 components.
XM8 rifle 2002 Flag of the United States United States 5.56x45mm NATO Never in active service Jointly designed by German arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch, the United States Army, and the US company General Electric, the XM8 was intended to be the next generation of light assault rifle for the US Army; the project was formally cancelled in 2005, but the prototypes are sometimes still used for comparative testings with other rifle designs.
Z-M Weapons LR 300 2000 Flag of the United States United States 5.56x45mm NATO Never in active service The LR 300 is a variation on the general design of the M16; it has never been used in military service.
Zastava M21 2004 Flag of Serbia Serbia 5.56x45mm NATO Serbia and others The Zastava M21 is based on the ubiquitous AK-47 family of weapons, but chambered for the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge. It is currently in service with the military of Serbia.
Zastava M70 1970 Flag of Serbia Serbia 7.62x39mm Serbia and others The Zastava M70 is very closely related to the famous AK-47. The rifle has seen service with several armies including that of Serbia, its producer.
ZB-530 1954 Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia 7.62x45mm vz. 52 Never in active service The ZB-530 was an assault rifle chambered in the 7.62x45mm vz52 round. The rifle was fed from a top mounted 30 round box magazine. After the success of the ZB vz. 26 and Bren light machine guns, the Czech government felt that a lightweight derivative of these weapons as an assault rifle was to be the standard rifle of the Czech forces.

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