QBZ-191 service rifle family

The AN-94 was not produced in greater numbers for two reasons. It was perceived to be hard to maintain in the battlefield. And the kicker was that the two shot burst mode became useless in terms of ensuring further lethality. It was originally designed to penetrate NATO body armor. But the latest US body armor plates, as used in Iraq and Afghanistan, could protect against such fire. So you got an expensive rifle that wouldn't even be suitable for the thing it was supposedly designed for. Penetrating NATO body armor.

The new intermediate round is based on a prior Soviet intermediate round research project which was shelved several decades ago. It was supposed to replace 7.62x39mm. But after the Russians got captured US M16 rifles from Vietnam they decided to adopt the 5.45x39mm. It had more than enough lethality against uniformed troops and was much lighter. With today's proliferation of body armor the 5.45x39mm does not cut it anymore. So they dusted off the abandoned intermediate round project and modernized it. I wouldn't be surprised if the new intermediate round entered service in some limited numbers in the near future. Of course it is unlikely a complete changeover will happen in the middle of the conflict as this would cause ammo supply issues for combat troops.

As for talk that Russia cannot start serial production of new small arms, the fact they started serial producing the Lebedev pistol with 10,000 produced last year shows that this isn't true.

Kalashnikov Concern has been modernizing the tooling in its production facilities all of last year and this year. So they are going to be producing something for sure.

gelgoog said:

The AN-94 was not produced in greater numbers for two reasons. It was perceived to be hard to maintain in the battlefield. And the kicker was that the two shot burst mode became useless in terms of ensuring further lethality. It was originally designed to penetrate NATO body armor. But the latest US body armor plates, as used in Iraq and Afghanistan, could protect against such fire. So you got an expensive rifle that wouldn't even be suitable for the thing it was supposedly designed for. Penetrating NATO body armor.

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No one reason. As the Body armor factor wasn’t really an issue until after the Russians had ended serious production. The problem was it was the 1990s till 2000s and Russia couldn’t afford it.

However my point was not the cause but the outcome. A rifle as you state an expensive rifle only used by elite of elite because they are elite. With no actual benefit.
Without the training, enabling accessories and a mounting system capable of allowing the zero of said enablers. This is the next AN 94

gelgoog said:

The new intermediate round is based on a prior Soviet intermediate round research project which was shelved several decades ago. It was supposed to replace 7.62x39mm. But after the Russians got captured US M16 rifles from Vietnam they decided to adopt the 5.45x39mm. It had more than enough lethality against uniformed troops and was much lighter. With today's proliferation of body armor the 5.45x39mm does not cut it anymore. So they dusted off the abandoned intermediate round project and modernized it.

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Neat but unless that statement can act as an incantation turning Pvt Konscriptovich into a better soldier with the eyes, skills and aim of Vasily Zaitsev. It won’t change anything for the positive.

gelgoog said:

I wouldn't be surprised if the new intermediate round entered service in some limited numbers in the near future. Of course it is unlikely a complete changeover will happen in the middle of the conflict as this would cause ammo supply issues for combat troops.

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That’s generally how it works.

gelgoog said:

As for talk that Russia cannot start serial production of new small arms, the fact they started serial producing the Lebedev pistol with 10,000 produced last year shows that this isn't true.

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Big difference between a pistol that’s using existing ammunition and offers no major shift in capabilities and a supposedly game changing rifle.

gelgoog said:

Kalashnikov Concern has been modernizing the tooling in its production facilities all of last year and this year. So they are going to be producing something for sure.

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Sure… maybe. Yet that still doesn’t address the issue at hand. Because that tooling could be for the AK12, new Machine guns, new sniper rifles.
It doesn’t automatically mean the AK22 and its ammo.
Even if it was without the other changes in training and equipment to justify the change it’s back to a Potemkin village.

The AN-94 stopped being produced after the US had widespread use of armor plates with ballistic protection against rifle rounds.
The Russians had to fight Georgian troops with such ballistic protection in 2008. And then they cut production of the AN-94 afterwards. Do you think it is a coincidence?
Acquisition price has nothing to do with it. Assault rifles are cheap compared to other weapon systems. How many assault rifles can you buy for the price of a single Tu-160M? If newer assault rifles gave soldiers enough an edge they would have bought them.

Production ended in 06. At least that’s my understanding some have claimed even earlier.
however it was already a failure at a time when the Russian economy was strapped for money. Sure a rifle is cheap but the factory and tooling, employees and materials particularly for one that had a lot more machining and skilled labor at a time when the Russian Air Force was maintaining what flight hours it could by tourism and the Russian Navy had just sold a Squadron to Pepsi co.
Still atleast AN94 used the existing magazines and 5.45x39mm cartridges. Where the 6.04x41mm would require both to also be developed along with new training and documentation and doctrine. Potentially even ranges built to support it. Assuming it was done properly. A big if.

sndef888 said:

I wonder if there's a chance China will flood the third world militaries and police/militias with free QBZ-95s chambered in 5.8x42

With the US switching away from 556, it seems like a good chance for 5.8x42 to become a new mainstream round globally

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No they won't.

China has not pushed their propitiatory 5.8mm beyond the border even to this day, and as the current stockpile of QBZ-95 series phased out from combat unit's arsenal, they'll find their way into:

1. lower-tier outfits;
2. police units;
3. combat unit that appreciate carbine's merit in terms of its size; and
4. militia outfits.

The said stockpile will form spares poll for them to burn through in the decades to come, or perhaps faster if there's a war (eg. Taiwan, South China Sea, Philippines...) to accelerate the attrition.

As such, China has no intent to export 5.8mm based weapons.

What may catch the attention of foreign parties would be those new generation MGs and sniper rifles that utilized .338LM or 7.62mm NATO.

Exactly. I think the “Sino Scar” from a few years back exemplifies the Norinco and PRC assault/Battle rifle strategy. 5.56x45mm, 7.62x39mm and 7.62x51mm. Anything else they might give if the client pays the R&D budget.

Real cockblock tease

Saru said:

Real cockblock tease
View attachment 126630

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That sling going through the stock opening is actually why the standard stock shouldn't be used as a rear sling position.

As it is, the sling is tied around the button for the adjustable stock, and probably simultaneously presents a danger of accidentally causing the stock position to shift if it is pushed down, while also making it more difficult to push on the button directly itself.

Are there more photos of this handguard? It looks so good

Just realized the spear is at the end instead of start also has a additional hole to it, comparing to the old one's looks like they are changing it a bit or its either the QBU191 Custom Handguard.

With the name censored Im confident its the QBU191 handguard