Tabuk Assault Rifle
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 415 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.80 kg
- Introduced
- 1980
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Tabuk Assault Rifle is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 7.62x39mm, produced by Al-Qadissiya Establishments since 1980. Featuring a 30-round magazine capacity, this assault rifle offers generous firepower for duty use and home defense. The 16.3-inch barrel maximizes accuracy potential and ballistic performance, making this an excellent choice for target shooting, competition, or field use. At 3800g (134.0 oz), this is a substantial firearm whose weight contributes to reduced felt recoil and enhanced stability during precision shooting. The steel frame provides a solid, premium feel with the durability to withstand decades of regular use and thousands of rounds. Safety features include manual safety selector, hammer notch, reflecting modern design standards that prioritize safe handling and operation. This firearm represents its manufacturer's commitment to delivering a well-engineered, reliable product that serves the needs of discerning shooters seeking quality, accuracy, and dependable performance from a proven platform. As a recognized participant in the global firearms industry, Al-Qadissiya Establishments applies modern manufacturing technology and quality control processes to deliver products that compete effectively in a market where reliability and performance are non-negotiable requirements for both civilian and professional end users.
The Tabuk was Iraq's domestically produced AK variant, built on Yugoslav Zastava M70 tooling sold during the Saddam Hussein era. Quality declined significantly during the sanctions period of the 1990s. Many captured examples were brought home by Coalition soldiers as war trophies after 2003.
The Tabuk's manufacturing quality varied over its production life, with earlier examples being closely comparable to Yugoslav originals and later production (particularly during sanctions-era Iraq) showing declining quality control. The Tabuk Sniper variant featured an extended barrel (approximately 600mm) and scope mount, serving as Iraq's primary designated marksman rifle - an unusual role for a 7.62x39mm platform normally considered underpowered for precision shooting. Production ceased with the fall of the Ba'athist government in 2003 and destruction of the Al-Qadissiya factory. Captured Tabuk rifles were extensively documented by Coalition forces and many were brought back to the United States as war trophies. Compatible with all standard AKM/AK-47 magazines.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Al-Qadissiya Establishments
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- Iraq
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 1980 to 2003
- Variant of
- Foreign production
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 415 mm
- Overall length
- 875 mm
- Height
- 190 mm
- Width
- 45 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.80 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 4.20 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
- Wood
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 720 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 2067 J
- Effective range
- 400 m
- Maximum range
- 900 m
- Rate of fire
- 620 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- Bulged trunnion 1 5mm
- Zastava m70 derivative
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 | 3.80 kg | 3.60 kg | Heavier than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 58 7.62x39mm assault rifles | 875 mm | 880 mm | Shorter than about 60% |
| 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 |
Answers
Questions about the Tabuk Assault Rifle
How much does the Tabuk Assault Rifle weigh?
The Tabuk Assault Rifle weighs 3.80 kg (8.38 lb) empty and 4.20 kg (9.26 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Tabuk Assault Rifle?
The Tabuk Assault Rifle is chambered in 7.62x39mm.
How many rounds does the Tabuk Assault Rifle hold?
The Tabuk Assault Rifle holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Tabuk Assault Rifle?
The Tabuk Assault Rifle is 875 mm (34.4 in) long overall, with a 415 mm (16.3 in) barrel.
Who makes the Tabuk Assault Rifle?
The Tabuk Assault Rifle is made by Al-Qadissiya Establishments (Iraq).
When was the Tabuk Assault Rifle introduced?
The Tabuk Assault Rifle was introduced in 1980 and discontinued in 2003.
How does the Tabuk Assault Rifle operate?
The Tabuk Assault Rifle 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
- Iraqi Armed Forces
- 1980
- Iraqi Republican Guard
- 1980
Provenance
Confidence in this record
80%
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/tabuk' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "tabuk", "name": "Tabuk Assault Rifle", "manufacturer": { "id": "al-qadissiya", "name": "Al-Qadissiya Establishments", "countryCode": "IQ", "foundedYear": null, "website": null, "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:40", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:48", "version": "894bf70e1d2ef5dee8936c4baa556321e6aa0407b9a58d0c34acd143f4ed4d0b" }, "category": { "id": "assault-rifle", "name": "Assault Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "IQ", "year_introduced": 1980, "barrel_length_mm": 415, "weight_empty_g": 3800, "action_type": "gas_operated_long_stroke"}