Zastava M87
- Category
- Machine Gun
- Barrel
- 1100 mm
- Weight, empty
- 24.80 kg
- Introduced
- 1987
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Zastava M87 is a heavy machine gun chambered in 12.7x108mm, manufactured under license from the Soviet NSV (Nikitin-Sokolov-Volkov) design. The gas-operated weapon fires from an open bolt at 700 rounds per minute, feeding from 60-round belts. Weighing 24.8 kg (gun body only), the M87 features a quick-change chrome-plated barrel, forward cartridge case ejection, and an adjustable gas regulator. The weapon can be mounted on infantry tripods, vehicle turrets, tank cupolas, and naval platforms. An optional electric trigger is available for remote-fired vehicle installations. The M02 Coyote variant mounts the M87 on an infantry tripod, while the M07 Hummer variant is optimized for vehicle mounting.
Spare barrel weighs 9.3 kg. Effective against air targets at 1,500 m and ground targets at 2,000 m. Maximum range is 6,000 m.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Zastava Arms
- Category
- Machine Gun
- Country
- Serbia
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1987
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 1100 mm
- Overall length
- 1560 mm
- Weight, empty
- 24.80 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated long stroke
- Firing mechanism
- Open bolt
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 60
- Magazine
- Belt
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Finish
- Matte black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 845 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 16235 J
- Effective range
- 2000 m
- Maximum range
- 6000 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.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Quick change barrel
Chrome plated barrel
Forward case ejection
Gas flow regulator
Vehicle mounting- Tripod mounting
Electric trigger option
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 261 machine guns | 24.80 kg | 10.50 kg | Heavier than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 260 machine guns | 1560 mm | 1156 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 257 machine guns | 1100 mm | 605 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 222 machine guns | 60 | 50 | Holds more rounds than about 60% |
Answers
Questions about the Zastava M87
How much does the Zastava M87 weigh?
The Zastava M87 weighs 24.80 kg (54.67 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Zastava M87?
The Zastava M87 is chambered in 12.7x108mm and .50 BMG.
How many rounds does the Zastava M87 hold?
The Zastava M87 holds 60 rounds, fed from a belt.
How long is the Zastava M87?
The Zastava M87 is 1560 mm (61.4 in) long overall, with a 1100 mm (43.3 in) barrel.
Who makes the Zastava M87?
The Zastava M87 is made by Zastava Arms (Serbia).
When was the Zastava M87 introduced?
The Zastava M87 was introduced in 1987.
How does the Zastava M87 operate?
The Zastava M87 uses a gas operated long stroke action, and its firing mechanism is open bolt.
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
- Serbian Armed Forces
- 1987
- Croatian Armed Forces
- 1991
- Bangladesh Armed Forces
- Bangladesh
Provenance
Confidence in this record
85%
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-m87' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "zastava-m87", "name": "Zastava M87", "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": "machine-gun", "name": "Machine Gun", "description": "Fully automatic firearms for sustained fire" }, "country_of_origin": "RS", "year_introduced": 1987, "barrel_length_mm": 1100, "weight_empty_g": 24800, "action_type": "gas_operated_long_stroke"}