Zastava M77
- Category
- Battle Rifle
- Barrel
- 500 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.35 kg
- Introduced
- 1977
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Zastava M77 is a select-fire battle rifle chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO, produced by Zastava Arms since 1977. 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 20-round magazine capacity, this battle rifle offers generous firepower for duty use and home defense. The 19.7-inch barrel maximizes accuracy potential and ballistic performance, making this an excellent choice for target shooting, competition, or field use. At 4350g (153.4 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 M77 predates Russia's own NATO-caliber AK (the AK-308) by over 40 years, making Yugoslavia one of the first nations to successfully scale the AK platform up to handle the full-power 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge. The civilian ZPAP M77 in .308 Winchester has found an enthusiastic following among American shooters who want AK reliability with the long-range capability of a .308 battle rifle.
The M77 fills the same niche as the Russian AK-308 - a full-power NATO-caliber AK - but predates it by over 40 years. The enlarged receiver and heavier barrel add approximately 650g over the standard M70. The M77 B1 modernized variant adds polymer furniture and folding stock. The civilian ZPAP M77 semi-automatic variant in .308 Winchester is available on the US commercial market. The rifle saw combat use in the Yugoslav Wars (1991-2001). Compatible with proprietary 20-round magazines only - not interchangeable with standard AK magazines due to the different cartridge dimensions.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Zastava Arms
- Category
- Battle Rifle
- Country
- Yugoslavia
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1977
- Variant of
- Different caliber
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 500 mm
- Overall length
- 1035 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.35 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 4.90 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated long stroke
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 20
- 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
- 838 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 3347 J
- Effective range
- 600 m
- Maximum range
- 1200 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
Cold hammer forged barrel
Rotating bolt
Select fire- Bulged trunnion 1 5mm
Enlarged receiver
Flash suppressor
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 86 7.62x51mm NATO battle rifles | 4.35 kg | 4.30 kg | Heavier than about 60% |
| Overall lengthAmong 85 7.62x51mm NATO battle rifles | 1035 mm | 1025 mm | Near the median |
| Barrel lengthAmong 87 7.62x51mm NATO battle rifles | 500 mm | 458 mm | Longer than about 60% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 87 7.62x51mm NATO battle rifles | 20 | 20 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the Zastava M77
How much does the Zastava M77 weigh?
The Zastava M77 weighs 4.35 kg (9.59 lb) empty and 4.90 kg (10.80 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Zastava M77?
The Zastava M77 is chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO.
How many rounds does the Zastava M77 hold?
The Zastava M77 holds 20 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Zastava M77?
The Zastava M77 is 1035 mm (40.7 in) long overall, with a 500 mm (19.7 in) barrel.
Who makes the Zastava M77?
The Zastava M77 is made by Zastava Arms (Serbia).
When was the Zastava M77 introduced?
The Zastava M77 was introduced in 1977.
How does the Zastava M77 operate?
The Zastava M77 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
- 1977
- Serbian Armed Forces
- 2006
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/zastava-m77' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "zastava-m77", "name": "Zastava M77", "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": "battle-rifle", "name": "Battle Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in full-power cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "YU", "year_introduced": 1977, "barrel_length_mm": 500, "weight_empty_g": 4350, "action_type": "gas_operated_long_stroke"}