SAKO RK 95 TP (M95)

History

The Finnish Army started developing a new active-duty assault rifle in 1988, although the Finnish Army had previously relied on the "RK 62" series of assault rifles introduced in 1962. The RK 62 is an improved version of the original Rk 60 series, which itself is almost a direct replica of the famous Soviet Kalashnikov AK-47 system. The weapon was fitted for the Soviet 7.62x39mm cartridge introduced during World War II, a choice not without merit given the proliferation of cartridges on the world stage and the Soviet influence in Finland during the Cold War of World War II. This pneumatic weapon was manufactured by SAKO Ltd and Valmet, with over 350,000 copies eventually produced.

It was SAKO that once again set out to develop a new assault system and produced the 1990 "M90" prototype with a side-folding stock, adjustable rear sight, standard tritium night vision goggles and a muzzle flash suppressor (which could also fire rifle grenades) ). Due to its AK-47 lineage, the M90 ??is essentially a highly advanced AK-47 over the RK 62 series. The final modification was followed by a period of formal evaluation before it was introduced into the Finnish Army in 1995 as "RK 95 TP".

About 20,000 of them were already in production, resulting in a limited supply of front-line service rifles.

At the heart of the RK 95 TP is a simple assault rifle system made from proven components and high-quality construction to meet the needs of the Finnish Army. The weapon uses a cylinder mounted above the barrel (like the AK-47), housed in a plastic front case. The cylinder is used for the gas-based operation of the firing action, "tapping" the barrel after each successive shot in order to reuse that high pressure in the next action. The action uses a long-stroke piston and a rotating bolt assembly buried deep in the receiver, like most traditional full-powered rifle systems (including the AK-47). Like the RK 62 that preceded it, the RK 95 TP's chamber fits the Soviet 7.62x39mm M1943 cartridge that debuted in 1943, which makes logistical sense.

The weapon is fed from a detachable 30-round polymer curved magazine to save initial cost and overall weight. There are standard front and rear iron sights for basic long-range accuracy.

The overall length of the weapon is 37", while the folding stock allows for a more compact 26.6" shape. This allows the weapon to be used in a variety of roles, including patrols, airdrops, and special operations. The barrel itself is 16.5 inches long. Total weight is 8.16 lbs.

The weapon can achieve a variable rate of fire of 600 to 750 rounds per minute, with a muzzle velocity of 2,300 feet per second. With the help of iron sights, the weapon has an effective range of 300 meters. While the flash hider can fire rifle grenades, the RK 95 TP can also be equipped with a conventional 40mm single-shot grenade launcher.

Additionally, the weapon can be used for fire support by adding a bipod below the barrel.

RK 95 TP has been introduced as M92S in fixed stock version. SAKO also saw fit to offer this weapon in a 5.56x45mm NATO chamber to increase the marketing value of the type. To date, no units other than the Finnish Defence Forces have used the RK 95 TP series of assault weapons.

The RK 95 TP is also known as "M95".

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

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