The AK-12 and its prototypes
The development of the AK-12 started in 2010, where the Russian MOD stated for trials to begin in 2011. The Russian military needed a new modular rifle to replace the AK74M.The first prototype was presented in 2011 and during its prototype stages, it had 4 different variants.In 2014 the AK-12 passed state trials and would be further trialed by operational units in 2015.
In 2016, Kalashnikov concern presented a completely new variant of the AK-12, based of the AK-400 series. The AK-400 series was closer to the traditional AK than the older prototypes. In 2018 the final AK-12 was adopted into service and it was intended to replace the AK74M, but with Russia making a huge mistake to invade another country and running low both on rifles and money, and issueing soldiers rusty AKM’s, the AK-12 will never be the standard issue rifle.
The older prototypes are commonly named ‘’Zlobin prototypes’’ (named after its designer). These prototypes had alot of interesting features not seen on any other AK.
The 2012 first prototype
The first prototype (AK-12 izd. 2012) is for most people pretty familair, but its just a mere prototype that is not in actual use. Mechanically it is just your standard Ak, long stroke gas piston rotating bolt etc. Also when it comes to some parts, a removable dust cover, similair mounted lower handguard, stamped receiver with front trunion.
The rifle features a hinged dustcover (so it holds zero and is able to mount opitcs on) and it has a lever on the right side to open up the dustcover. The selector lever on all AK's also act as a dust cover for the charging handle slot, on this rifle that is not present and uses selector with a smaller lever. The charging is handle moved forward so it eliminates the use of a charging handle slot. The charging is also non-reciprocating and can be switches to either the left or right side. There is a ejection port on both sides on the rifle so i assume it is able to eject either way, making it a truely ambidextrous rifle. It also has a folding and collapsible stock with a adjustable cheekrest. Reliable and durable wise, this rifle was not ready to be used.
The 2014 AK-12 prototype
It was presented in 2013 and was tested in 2014. The rifle had a bunch of new features. It now has 2 round burst setting (mandatory by Russian officials), the charging is now reciprocating again and has been moved back (still able to switch to the left or right side), and for the charging handle slot there is a cover now, a bolt hold open, the top rail and dustcover is now one long monolithic piece extended all the way from the back of the receiver to the front of the handguard, a new 1 piece handguard (excluding the toprail), a new stock without cheekrest, lightning cuts to the bolt carrier.
The rifle had a fair number of problems regarding parts breakages. The bolt carrier was now made xtra light due to the lightning cuts, which made recoil softer but it broke on some prototypes, and the same counts for the stocks.
The 2015 AK-12 prototype
This rifle is very similair to the 2014 prototype, now having a handguard with slots to attach attachments to it, the gas block and front sight tower is now one single piece, some slight changes to the dustcover/top rail. The problem with this prototype (and the 2014 prototype) was that the heat of the gas system transfered to the top rail. And when metal gets hot it expands, causing the top rail to shift in zero.
The AK-12 6P70, the final AK-12 that got adopted into service. The final AK-12 is now more traditional with less funky experimental features. It has your traditional charging handle, selector and construction. The rifle now has a similair receiver and bolt carrier, and dustcover. It now features a railed dust cover, railed upper and lower free floating handguard, fixed gas tube (for some reason), a adjustable gas block and a folding and collapsing AR-15 styled stock. This rifle has issued to Russian forces since 2018 and in large quantities, but with some slight issues. Which i will explain later on.
AK-12 6P70M and further upgrades through the years. What the hell is that latest handguard, atleast the 2018 version looked dope as hell but what the actual fuck did they smoke in 2023.
Some ''bruh moments'' of the AK-12
The AK-12 came with a number or issues. The selector lever is hard to switch between settings since the early AK-12’s still have the 2 round burst setting. The top cover has a shifting zero when removed and attached again, which is a major design flaw. The handguards are free floating, but also cant hold zero. The point of modernizing a rifle is to be able to mount optics on and laser aiming devices, but when it doesnt hold zero, and Russians not using optics in general, why even adopt it?
And there is the problem with the gas assembly and the muzzle device. The AK-12 is chambered in the 5.45x39mm 7N6 cartridge, which is corrosively primed. When corrosive primed munition is fired, the primer leaves behind a corrosive salt that absorbs moisture and causes metal to easily rust. On previous AK’s, you can easily clean the inside of the gas block by removing the gas tube, but on the AK-12 the gas tube is fixed, making it harder to clean. You can still acces the gas block and tube by removing the gas plug, but it sure isnt as easy as on a regular AK. The AK-12 has a quick detachable muzzle device, which is improperly designed having a near impossible channel to clean.
Oh and i said Russia lacks behind with engineering.... well kinda with everything at this point
All AK-400/AK-12 variants
AK-12, the standard Ak-12 chambered in 5.45x39mm (6P70M shown here)
The AK-15: chambered in 7.62x39mm
The AK19: chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO
The RPK-16: prototype squad automatic weapon, dropped in favor of the RPL-20
The AK308: chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO, with a longer receiver and beefed up parts, including a RPK like trunion
The AK12/15K: Shortened barrel carbine version, both a 5.45 and 7.62x39mm variant of it
The TR3: Civillian semi-auitomatic only version of the AK-12 chambered in either 7.62x39mm, 5.45x39mm or .222
The AK-12SP(K): an AK-12 variant specifically for Special units version, both a rifle (AK-12SP) and carbine version of it (AK-12SPK)
The AK-19 Compact: short barreled AK-19 (shjorter than the AK-12k), unknown information about it
Little meme for yall, see u guys later and have a nice day :)