Zastava M70
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 415 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.70 kg
- Introduced
- 1970
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Zastava M70 is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 7.62x39mm, produced by Zastava Arms since 1970. This Serbian-manufactured firearm reflects the engineering traditions and quality standards of its country of origin, designed to meet the demands of both civilian and professional users in a competitive global marketplace. 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 3700g (130.5 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. 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.
The M70 was reverse-engineered from captured and imported AK rifles because Yugoslavia's refusal to join the Warsaw Pact prevented direct technology transfer from the Soviet Union. Its distinctive 1.5mm thick receiver (50% thicker than a standard AKM) and integrated grenade-launching capability became hallmarks of Yugoslav small arms design. Iraqi copies known as 'Tabuk' rifles were produced at the Al-Qadissiya Establishments and saw extensive combat in the Gulf War and Iraq War.
The Zastava M70 is one of the most widely produced and combat-proven AK variants outside of Russia. Due to Yugoslavia's non-aligned political status, the M70 was exported extensively throughout Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, seeing combat in the Yugoslav Wars, Gulf War, Afghanistan, Iraq, and numerous African conflicts. The M70's thicker 1.5mm receiver provides superior rigidity over the standard 1mm AKM receiver. The grenade launching capability is a distinctive Yugoslav feature not found on standard Soviet AK rifles. Iraqi copies are known as the 'Tabuk' rifle. The modern civilian ZPAP M70 produced by Zastava Arms USA features a cold hammer-forged chrome-lined barrel and bulged trunnion and is one of the most popular AK-pattern rifles on the US commercial market. Compatible with standard AKM/AK-47 30-round magazines.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Zastava Arms
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- Yugoslavia
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1970
- 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
- 3.70 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 4.10 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
- 410 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
Chrome lined chamber
Rotating bolt
Select fire
Grenade launching sight- Grenade launcher gas cutoff
- Thicker receiver 1 5mm
Rubber buttplate
Teak furniture
Cooling slots handguard
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 | 3.70 kg | 3.60 kg | Heavier than about 60% |
| 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 Zastava M70
How much does the Zastava M70 weigh?
The Zastava M70 weighs 3.70 kg (8.16 lb) empty and 4.10 kg (9.04 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Zastava M70?
The Zastava M70 is chambered in 7.62x39mm.
How many rounds does the Zastava M70 hold?
The Zastava M70 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Zastava M70?
The Zastava M70 is 875 mm (34.4 in) long overall, with a 415 mm (16.3 in) barrel.
Who makes the Zastava M70?
The Zastava M70 is made by Zastava Arms (Serbia).
When was the Zastava M70 introduced?
The Zastava M70 was introduced in 1970.
How does the Zastava M70 operate?
The Zastava M70 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
- Yugoslav People's Army
- 1970
- Serbian Armed Forces
- 2006
- Croatian Armed Forces
- 1991
- Bosnian Armed Forces
- 1992
- Slovenian Armed Forces
- 1991
- North Macedonian Armed Forces
- 1991
- Montenegrin Armed Forces
- 2006
- Iraqi Armed Forces
- 1975
- Cypriot National Guard
- Cyprus
- Afghan Armed Forces
- Afghanistan
Provenance
Confidence in this record
87%
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/zastava-m70' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "zastava-m70", "name": "Zastava M70", "manufacturer": { "id": "zastava", "name": "Zastava Arms", "countryCode": "RS", "foundedYear": 1853, "website": "https://www.zastava-arms.rs", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:48", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:48", "version": "1280b11f95e216b0481865c8371fa30b9f7a5b33a8167e7b5ba6166da29d4149" }, "category": { "id": "assault-rifle", "name": "Assault Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "YU", "year_introduced": 1970, "barrel_length_mm": 415, "weight_empty_g": 3700, "action_type": "gas_operated_long_stroke"}