AK-12
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 415 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.30 kg
- Introduced
- 2018
About
What it is, and why it matters
The AK-12 (Avtomat Kalashnikova obrazets 2012 goda, GRAU index 6P70) is a fifth-generation Russian assault rifle developed by Kalashnikov Concern under the Ratnik future soldier program. Designed by Vladimir Zlobin and Sergey Urzhumtsev as a comprehensive modernization of the AK-74M platform, the AK-12 retains the proven long-stroke gas piston and rotating bolt action of previous Kalashnikov designs while incorporating significant ergonomic and capability improvements. It features a full-length Picatinny rail on the top cover for optics mounting, additional side and bottom rail sections on the handguard, an adjustable and foldable polymer stock, ambidextrous fire controls, and a four-position selector offering safe, semi-automatic, two-round burst, and fully automatic fire modes. The rifle accepts standard AK-74 pattern magazines as well as 45-round, 60-round extended box magazines and 95-round RPK-16 drum magazines. Officially adopted by the Russian Ministry of Defence in January 2018 for issue to Infantry, Airborne, and Naval Infantry troops, an initial contract for 150,000 rifles was placed for delivery between 2019 and 2021.
The AK-12 went through such extensive redesign between its radical 2012 prototype and the conservative 2016 production model that they are essentially different rifles sharing a name. Combat experience in Ukraine led to a rapid 'Model 2023' revision that replaced the traditional AK safety lever with an ambidextrous thumb selector.
The AK-12 went through extensive redesign between its initial 2012 prototype and the 2016 production model. Early prototypes featured a balanced recoil system and different ergonomics that were ultimately abandoned in favor of a more conventional and cost-effective design closer to the AK-74M. The Model 2023 revision, developed in response to combat feedback from the Russo-Ukrainian War, introduced several changes: removal of the two-round burst mode, an ambidextrous thumb safety lever replacing the traditional AK safety paddle, adjustable dual-aperture rear peep sights (1.8mm and 4.5mm), a reinforced lower handguard with side rail attachment points, a cross-pin top cover retention system replacing the rotating lever, an integrated trigger guard and pistol grip assembly, and a non-removable flash suppressor-compensator with a quick-detach suppressor interface. The AK-15 variant chambers the 7.62x39mm cartridge (GRAU index 6P71) and was adopted concurrently. Qatar became the first confirmed export customer in 2018. The 5.45x39mm caliber specifications in this entry reflect CIP maximum pressure standards; Russian military loads (e.g., 7N6M, 7N10) typically operate at 300-303 MPa.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Kalashnikov Concern
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- Russia
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2018
- Variant of
- Modernized
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 415 mm
- Overall length
- 945 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.30 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 3.60 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated long stroke
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 30
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Phosphate
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 900 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1389 J
- Effective range
- 600 m
- Maximum range
- 1000 m
- Rate of fire
- 700 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Chrome lined barrel
Chrome lined chamber
Muzzle brake compensator
Rotating bolt
Select fire- Two round burst
Picatinny rail top
Picatinny rail sides
Picatinny rail bottom
Adjustable stock
Folding stock
Free floating barrel
Optics rail compatible
Grenade launcher compatible
Suppressor compatible
Ambidextrous controls
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 25 5.45x39mm assault rifles | 3.30 kg | 3.40 kg | Lighter than about 60% |
| Overall lengthAmong 25 5.45x39mm assault rifles | 945 mm | 940 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 25 5.45x39mm assault rifles | 415 mm | 415 mm | Near the median |
| Magazine capacityAmong 25 5.45x39mm assault rifles | 30 | 30 | Near the median |
Its place in the rankings
Answers
Questions about the AK-12
How much does the AK-12 weigh?
The AK-12 weighs 3.30 kg (7.28 lb) empty and 3.60 kg (7.94 lb) loaded. It is the 9th lightest of 25 5.45x39mm assault rifles in the catalogue.
What caliber is the AK-12?
The AK-12 is chambered in 5.45x39mm.
How many rounds does the AK-12 hold?
The AK-12 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the AK-12?
The AK-12 is 945 mm (37.2 in) long overall, with a 415 mm (16.3 in) barrel.
Who makes the AK-12?
The AK-12 is made by Kalashnikov Concern (Russia). It was designed by Vladimir Zlobin.
When was the AK-12 introduced?
The AK-12 was introduced in 2018.
How does the AK-12 operate?
The AK-12 uses a gas operated long stroke action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Russian Armed Forces
- 2018
- Russian Airborne Troops (VDV)
- 2018
- Russian Naval Infantry
- 2018
- Qatar Armed Forces
- 2018
Provenance
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/ak-12' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "ak-12", "name": "AK-12", "manufacturer": { "id": "kalashnikov-concern", "name": "Kalashnikov Concern", "countryCode": "RU", "foundedYear": 1807, "website": "https://kalashnikovgroup.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": "active", "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": true, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:38", "version": "3593fe6aaed7a4f74f79c1f4f9b92bb1f45e039a826875e780967c2ed2b49d04" }, "category": { "id": "assault-rifle", "name": "Assault Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "RU", "year_introduced": 2018, "barrel_length_mm": 415, "weight_empty_g": 3300, "action_type": "gas_operated_long_stroke"}