Valmet M71/S
Valmet · Rifle · Discontinued · 1971
Also known as: Valmet Model 71/S, Valmet M71S
Overview
The Valmet M71/S is a semi-automatic-only rifle chambered primarily in 7.62x39mm, produced by Valmet as the civilian and export version of Finland's RK 62 / M71 military assault rifle. Built on the stamped-steel-receiver M71 pattern with a chrome-lined 418mm barrel and a long-stroke gas-operated rotating bolt derived from the Kalashnikov design, it fed from detachable box magazines and was offered with all-wood, plastic, and tubular stock options and both plastic and wooden handguards. Marketed to sporting shooters and collectors during the 1970s and also chambered in .223 Remington, the M71/S delivered the legendary reliability and Finnish build quality of the RK 62 platform in a self-loading configuration suited to hunting, target shooting, and recreational use.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3600 g (127.0 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 4050 g (142.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 940 mm (37.01") |
| Barrel Length | 418 mm (16.46") |
| Height | 190 mm (7.48") |
| Width | 60 mm (2.36") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Long Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 715 m/s (2346 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2037 J (1502 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 300 m (328 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 900 m (984 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Polymer |
| Finish | Phosphate |
Calibers
- 7.62x39mm · primary — also known as 7.62mm Soviet, 7.62x39mm M43
- 5.56x45mm NATO · 5.56 NATO — also known as .223 Remington, 5.56mm NATO
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety Selector, Hammer Notch
- Features: Chrome Lined Barrel, Rotating Bolt, Stamped Receiver, Semi Automatic Only, Polymer Furniture, Wood Stock Option, Tubular Stock Option, Multi Caliber Variants
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Civilian sport and collector market · adopted 1971 · as M71/S
Production
Production years: 1971-1978
Semi-automatic export/civilian variant; exact production figures not publicly documented. Part of the wider Valmet RK 62/M71 family of which 350,000+ rifles were produced between 1965 and 1994.
Origin
Country of origin: Finland
Designer: Lauri Oksanen
Discontinued: 1978
Notes
The M71/S is the semi-automatic derivative of the stamped-receiver Valmet M71, itself a development of the milled-receiver RK 62. Civilian chamberings expanded beyond 7.62x39mm to include .223 Remington, and the wider Valmet sporting line was also offered in .222 Remington, .243 Winchester, .308 Winchester, and .30-06 Springfield. Finnish Valmet AK-pattern rifles were extensively studied by Israeli engineers during the development of the Galil.
Background
Semi-automatic Valmet rifles like the M71/S are prized by collectors as some of the best-built AK-pattern rifles ever made, and the Finnish Valmet line directly influenced the design of the Israeli Galil, whose engineers evaluated Valmet AKs before developing their own rifle.