PA md. 86
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 415 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.15 kg
- Introduced
- 1986
About
What it is, and why it matters
The PA md. 86 (Pusca Automata model 1986, 'Automatic Rifle Model 1986') is a Romanian selective-fire assault rifle chambered in 5.45x39mm, manufactured by Fabrica de Arme Cugir under the ROMARM umbrella. Developed in the mid-1980s as Romania's response to the Soviet Union's transition from 7.62x39mm to 5.45x39mm, the PA md. 86 is essentially a PM md. 63 (Romanian AKM) re-engineered for the smaller, higher-velocity cartridge. The rifle retains the proven Kalashnikov long-stroke gas piston action with rotating bolt, stamped steel receiver, and the distinctive Romanian integral forward grip on the lower handguard. Key improvements over the PM md. 63 include a side-folding metal strut stock, a flash hider replacing the AKM's slant compensator, and a four-position fire selector offering safe, semi-automatic, three-round burst, and full-automatic modes - the burst fire capability being a notable addition not found on standard AK-74 variants. The PA md. 86 became the standard service rifle of the Romanian Armed Forces.
The PA md. 86 is notable for being one of the few AK-74 derivatives to include a three-round burst fire mode, a feature more commonly associated with Western designs like the M16A2. Combined with the signature Romanian integral forward grip carried over from the PM md. 63, it represents Romania's characteristically independent approach to Warsaw Pact small arms - adopting the Soviet caliber while maintaining distinctly Romanian engineering features.
The PA md. 86 is exported under the name AIMS-74. While it fulfills the same role as the Soviet AK-74, it was developed independently by Romanian engineers at Cugir rather than being a direct licensed copy, incorporating Romanian-specific features such as the integral forward grip inherited from the PM md. 63. The fire selector markings follow the pattern '0 - 1 - 3 - F' (safe, single, three-round burst, full automatic). Weight of 3.15 kg is from WeaponSystems.net; Military Factory lists 3.69 kg (8.14 lbs) which may include accessories. The side-folding stock reduces the overall length from 940mm to 735mm when folded. Romania has since adopted the PA md. 97 (in 5.56x45mm NATO) as part of NATO standardization, though the PA md. 86 remains in widespread Romanian service. The three-round burst mode distinguishes this rifle from most other AK-74 derivatives worldwide.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Cugir Arms Factory
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- Romania
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1986
- Variant of
- Different caliber
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 415 mm
- Overall length
- 940 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.15 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 3.55 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
- Stamped steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Steel
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 880 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1328 J
- Effective range
- 400 m
- Maximum range
- 800 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
Rotating bolt
Select fire
Three round burst
Side folding stock
Integral forward grip
Stamped receiver
Flash hider
Grenade launcher compatible
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 | 3.15 kg | 3.40 kg | Lighter than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 25 5.45x39mm assault rifles | 940 mm | 940 mm | Near the median |
| 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 PA md. 86
How much does the PA md. 86 weigh?
The PA md. 86 weighs 3.15 kg (6.94 lb) empty and 3.55 kg (7.83 lb) loaded. It is the 7th lightest of 25 5.45x39mm assault rifles in the catalogue.
What caliber is the PA md. 86?
The PA md. 86 is chambered in 5.45x39mm.
How many rounds does the PA md. 86 hold?
The PA md. 86 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the PA md. 86?
The PA md. 86 is 940 mm (37.0 in) long overall, with a 415 mm (16.3 in) barrel.
Who makes the PA md. 86?
The PA md. 86 is made by Cugir Arms Factory (Romania).
When was the PA md. 86 introduced?
The PA md. 86 was introduced in 1986.
How does the PA md. 86 operate?
The PA md. 86 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
- Romanian Armed Forces
- 1986
- Romanian Gendarmerie
- Romania
Provenance
Confidence in this record
70%
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/pa-md-86' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "pa-md-86", "name": "PA md. 86", "manufacturer": { "id": "cugir", "name": "Cugir Arms Factory", "countryCode": "RO", "foundedYear": 1799, "website": "https://www.cugir.ro", "logoUrl": null, "description": "Romanian state-owned defense manufacturer producing AK-pattern rifles, WASR-series semi-automatic rifles, and ammunition, established in 1799 as an iron foundry in Transylvania.", "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:40", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:46", "version": "264a6c4524f4bc7ec14bc3f5315071eebe0005e717db04bfa8dd724969eddb6e" }, "category": { "id": "assault-rifle", "name": "Assault Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "RO", "year_introduced": 1986, "barrel_length_mm": 415, "weight_empty_g": 3150, "action_type": "gas_operated_long_stroke"}