Zastava M80
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 460 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.10 kg
- Introduced
- 1980
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Zastava M80 is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, produced by Zastava Arms since 1980. 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 18.1-inch barrel maximizes accuracy potential and ballistic performance, making this an excellent choice for target shooting, competition, or field use. At 3100g (109.3 oz), this is a substantial firearm whose weight contributes to reduced felt recoil and enhanced stability during precision shooting. The stamped 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 M80 represented Yugoslavia's pragmatic approach to small arms: taking the proven Kalashnikov platform they were already manufacturing and rechambering it in 5.56mm NATO to make it compatible with Western ammunition supplies, hedging their bets during the Cold War as a Non-Aligned nation.
The M80 featured a fixed wooden stock, while the M80A variant had an underfolding metal stock for paratroopers and vehicle crews. Both shared the same barrel length and internal mechanism. The rifle was later modified in 1990 as the Zastava M90, which added a flash eliminator and redesigned magazine well. The M85 is a shortened carbine derivative. All models feed from proprietary curved box magazines rather than STANAG magazines.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Zastava Arms
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- Yugoslavia
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 1980
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 460 mm
- Overall length
- 870 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.10 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
- Stamped steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Wood
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 914 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1670 J
- Effective range
- 400 m
- Rate of fire
- 600 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.
Rotating bolt
Gas operated long stroke piston
Chrome lined barrel
Select fire
Adjustable iron sights
Bayonet lug
Ak pattern receiver
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 158 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 3.10 kg | 3.60 kg | Lighter than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 156 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 870 mm | 920 mm | Shorter than about 60% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 157 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 460 mm | 449 mm | Longer than about 70% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 158 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 30 | 30 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the Zastava M80
How much does the Zastava M80 weigh?
The Zastava M80 weighs 3.10 kg (6.83 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Zastava M80?
The Zastava M80 is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO.
How many rounds does the Zastava M80 hold?
The Zastava M80 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Zastava M80?
The Zastava M80 is 870 mm (34.3 in) long overall, with a 460 mm (18.1 in) barrel.
Who makes the Zastava M80?
The Zastava M80 is made by Zastava Arms (Serbia).
When was the Zastava M80 introduced?
The Zastava M80 was introduced in 1980.
How does the Zastava M80 operate?
The Zastava M80 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
- 1980
- Serbian Armed Forces
- Serbia
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-m80' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "zastava-m80", "name": "Zastava M80", "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": 1980, "barrel_length_mm": 460, "weight_empty_g": 3100, "action_type": "gas_operated_long_stroke"}