APS-95 and APS-96 Assault Rifle By Raptor Croatia

When I first saw pictures of the Raptor in the March 2010 issue of Small Arms Review, I thought to myself, “I’ve seen a rifle almost identical to that one before…” And then it occurred to me where I’d seen a rifle that looked very much like the Raptor:
the Croatian APS-95 Assault Rifle. And then I thought, “The APS-95 Assault Rifle is derived from the Galil, the R-4 series is derived from the Galil…it’s got to be more than a coincidence.”

However, this remains my own speculation at this point; I’ve found no documentation that the Raptor is based on the R-4/Galil or is inspired by APS-95 Assault Rifle. Just a thought at this point. It does, however, look like a more-evolved version of the APS-96 Assault Rifle, with the light, built-in, low carrying handle about the point of balance and similar lines. The Raptor, however, has MIL-STD-1913 rails behind and in front of that carrying handle, atop the handguard and receiver. It also had three more MIL-STD-1913 rails, two short ones on the sides of the handguards near the front which extend halfway down the handguard, and a longer one under the handguard that extends the length of the handguard.

APS-95 Assault Rifle

The carrying handle looks like that of the APS-95 Assault Rifle, but it is shorter, and does not contain the optic sight that the APS-95’s carrying handle does. The flash suppressor is appears in most pictures to be an A2-type, though some pictures show it with a flash suppressor that has twisting openings, and some also show it with an open birdcage-type suppressor. The hooded front sight is on a triangular post and is fixed, while the rear sight is mounted on the MIL-STD-1913 rail, is adjustable, and removable. Most optics can be mounted on the receiver’s MIL-STD-1913 rail to clear the carrying handle, either in stock form or by use of low risers.

Maruzen APS-96 Assault Rifle

The carrying handle, like the handguards, are polymer and has the same shape as an R-4’s pistol grip; it is also hollow. The sidefolding stock is skeletonized and reinforced with a central spar. Controls are ambidextrous and mounted in front of and above the pistol grip instead of being AK-type. Listed magazine sizes are 30 and 35 rounds; presumably, these are the same 35-round magazines as used on the R-4 series, but I have not been able to discover if the Raptor can use NATO-standard or NATOcompatible magazines. The 7.62mm Kalashnikov chambering uses standard AK-type magazines. Three models are available: The Infantry Rifle, with a 17-inch barrel, the Carbine Rifle, with either a 9-inch barrel (for 5.56mm) or 12-inch barrel (for 7.62mm Kalashnikov), and the Support Rifle, a dual-purpose weapon designed both for limited supporting fires and as a designated marksman rifle.

Maruzen Type APS-96 Assault Rifle

The Support Rifle uses a heavy 22-inch barrel and comes with a bipod as standard. The Raptor is normally issued with an Aimpoint Comp M2 ACOG-type sight, and this is included in the cost of the rifle. The Raptor is a new weapon as of Spring 2010, and still being shopped around.