Kalashnikov AKV-521
Kalashnikov Concern · Assault Rifle · In Production · 2020
Also known as: AKV-521, Kalashnikov 500-series
Overview
The Kalashnikov AKV-521 is a Russian gas-operated assault rifle developed by Kalashnikov Concern and first revealed as a prototype in late 2020. It departs from the traditional Kalashnikov layout by adopting a two-piece upper and lower receiver design, where the barrel and full-length Picatinny rail are fixed to a swappable upper, giving a rigid, repeatable mounting platform for modern optics and night-vision devices. The modular upper allows the rifle to be quickly converted between 5.45x39mm, 5.56x45mm and 7.62x39mm and between short (345 mm) and standard (415 mm) barrels. It retains the proven long-stroke gas piston operating system and rotating two-lug bolt, with a free-floating handguard and folding telescoping stock borrowed from the AK-12 family. It is currently marketed as a civilian semi-automatic rifle.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3500 g (123.5 oz) |
| Overall Length | 935 mm (36.81") |
| Folded Length | 685 mm (26.97") |
| Barrel Length | 415 mm (16.34") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 880 m/s (2887 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1329 J (980 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Aluminum Alloy |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Polymer |
| Finish | Phosphate |
Calibers
- 5.45x39mm · primary — also known as 5.45x39mm Soviet, 5.45mm Kalashnikov
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Ambidextrous Safety Selector
- Features: Two Piece Receiver, Free Floating Handguard, Full Length Picatinny Rail, Folding Telescoping Stock, Modular Caliber Conversion, Swappable Upper Receiver, Threaded Muzzle
Production
Production years: 2020-present
Marketed as a civilian semi-automatic rifle; chambering and barrel length swappable via modular uppers.
Origin
Country of origin: Russia
Designer: Valentin Vlasenko
Notes
Developed from the AK TR3 platform; showcased at the ARMY-2021 exhibition. The two-receiver layout and swappable uppers are the rifle's defining innovation over classic AK pattern rifles.
Background
The AKV-521 was designed to address a long-standing AK limitation: the lack of a stable, rigid base for mounting modern low-power variable optics and night-vision devices. By fixing the optics rail to a swappable upper receiver, Kalashnikov Concern adopted a layout conceptually similar to the SIG SG 550, while keeping the long-stroke piston action that made the Kalashnikov pattern famous.