A-91
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 415 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.97 kg
- Introduced
- 1998
About
What it is, and why it matters
The A-91 is a Russian bullpup assault rifle with an integrated grenade launcher developed by the KBP Instrument Design Bureau in Tula. It is an evolution of the earlier 9A-91 compact carbine, redesigned with a bullpup configuration that places the magazine and action behind the trigger group, resulting in a significantly shorter overall length while retaining a full 415mm barrel. The rifle employs a gas-operated long-stroke piston system with a rotating bolt and features forward ejection of spent casings, enabling true ambidextrous operation without the typical bullpup limitation of brass ejecting into a left-handed shooter's face. The standard A-91M variant is chambered in 7.62x39mm, with additional variants available in 5.45x39mm and 5.56x45mm NATO for export markets. One of the most distinctive features is the integrated 40mm grenade launcher capable of firing VOG-25 series grenades to a range of 400 meters. The polymer body construction keeps weight manageable despite the added grenade launcher.
The A-91's forward ejection system was an innovative solution to one of the key complaints about bullpup rifles. By routing spent casings forward through a tube above the barrel, KBP eliminated the left-hand/right-hand shooter problem that plagues most bullpup designs. The A-91 platform eventually served as the foundation for the ADS amphibious assault rifle, which adapted the bullpup layout for dual-medium underwater and surface operations.
Early prototypes of the A-91 featured an unusual configuration with the 40mm GP-95 grenade launcher mounted above the barrel, but this was later changed to a conventional underbarrel position due to sighting issues. The A-91 was entered into the Russian military's Ratnik program trials in 5.45x39mm configuration but was withdrawn before completion. The weapon's bullpup layout provides a favorable barrel-length-to-overall-length ratio, with 415mm of barrel in only 660mm of total length. The 7.62x39mm primary chambering is unusual for a bullpup design and provides greater stopping power than the more common 5.45mm, though at the cost of increased recoil. Weight of 3.97 kg is without magazine and without the grenade launcher attachment.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- KBP Instrument Design Bureau
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- Russia
- Status
- Limited production
- Produced
- 1998
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 415 mm
- Overall length
- 660 mm
- Height
- 190 mm
- Width
- 45 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.97 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
- Polymer
- Barrel
- Steel
- Finish
- Matte black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 880 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 2010 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.
Bullpup configuration
Rotating bolt
Select fire
Integrated grenade launcher
Forward ejection
Carrying handle
Ambidextrous operation
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 59 7.62x39mm assault rifles | 3.97 kg | 3.60 kg | Heavier than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 58 7.62x39mm assault rifles | 660 mm | 880 mm | Among the shortest tenth |
| Barrel lengthAmong 57 7.62x39mm assault rifles | 415 mm | 415 mm | Near the median |
| Magazine capacityAmong 59 7.62x39mm assault rifles | 30 | 30 | Near the median |
Its place in the rankings
Answers
Questions about the A-91
How much does the A-91 weigh?
The A-91 weighs 3.97 kg (8.75 lb) empty.
What caliber is the A-91?
The A-91 is chambered in 7.62x39mm and 5.45x39mm.
How many rounds does the A-91 hold?
The A-91 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the A-91?
The A-91 is 660 mm (26.0 in) long overall, with a 415 mm (16.3 in) barrel.
Who makes the A-91?
The A-91 is made by KBP Instrument Design Bureau (Russia). It was designed by Vasily Gryazev.
When was the A-91 introduced?
The A-91 was introduced in 1998.
How does the A-91 operate?
The A-91 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
- 2000
- Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD)
- 2000
Provenance
Confidence in this record
82%
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/kbp-a-91' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "kbp-a-91", "name": "A-91", "manufacturer": { "id": "kbp-instrument-design-bureau", "name": "KBP Instrument Design Bureau", "countryCode": "RU", "foundedYear": 1927, "website": "https://www.kbptula.ru", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "version": "8cf3636cc6feb712f7e7bc2310f7debf3eeaf1744eafd9ea9064629b666dd69c" }, "category": { "id": "assault-rifle", "name": "Assault Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "RU", "year_introduced": 1998, "barrel_length_mm": 415, "weight_empty_g": 3970, "action_type": "gas_operated_long_stroke"}