Arsenal AK-74 Series Rifle and Arsenal AK-74M1 Assault Rifle

Arsenal AK-74 Assault Rifle In the early 1980s, Bulgaria decided to switch to a locally-produced version of the AK-74 assault rifle that was at that time being adopted by the rest of the Warsaw Pact nations. The AK-74M1 generally conforms to late-production standards of the AK-74 assault rifle, but uses different plastics and production methods better suited to Bulgarian manufacturing methods. It is otherwise virtually identical to its Russian counterpart. In the late 1990s, the Bulgarians began producing a version of the AK-74M1 in 5.56mm NATO caliber, both for export to other countries and in anticipation of joining NATO. The rumor mill has said that large numbers of these 5.56mm-firing versions have been bought by the US to equip some units of new Iraqi military and police forces. Folding-stock AKS-74M1 models are also built in both calibers.

Arsenal AK-74 Assault Rifle

The Arsenal AKS-74U Assault Rifle is basically a Bulgarian equivalent of the Russian AKS-74U short assault rifle. It does have a slightly longer barrel than the AKS-74U, though the overall dimensions are in fact slightly smaller. The main difference between the AK-74U and the AKS-74U is that most AK-74Us have been produced in 5.56mm NATO caliber, due to the late introduction of the weapon (late 1990s). It should be noted that the Bulgarian military refers to this weapon as a submachinegun instead of a “short assault rifle” or carbine.

Arsenal AK-74U Assault Rifle

In mid-2009, Arsenal’s US facility began to manufacture and sell a civilian equivalent of the AK-74M1, called the SGL-31 Assault Rifle. It is essentially an AK-75M1 with semiautomatic fire-only capability. It is otherwise identical to the AK-74M1. Twilight 2000 Notes: The 5.56mm NATO version was never produced in the Twilight 2000 timeline (since Bulgaria never had a chance to join NATO). Very few AK-74Us were produced, and most of these were built shortly before the start of the Twilight War. They are exclusively in 5.45mm caliber.

SGL-31 Assault Rifle

The SGL-31 Assault Rifle does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline. Merc 2000 Notes: Bulgaria would probably also not joined NATO in the Merc 2000 world; however, the 5.56mm NATO versions were still produced as export products, though in smaller numbers. Arsenal USA does not exist in the Merc 2000 timeline, nor does the SGL-31 Assault Rifle.