Rynnakkokivaari 91
| rynnakkokivaari malli-1991 | |
|---|---|
 rynnakkokivaari at the 2000 ACIS Weapons Expo | |
| Type | Assault Rifle |
| Place of origin | Talvistova |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1991-present |
| Used by | |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Harri Huhtala |
| Manufacturer | kansalliset aseistot |
| Unit cost | 9,500Ӄ |
| Produced | 1990-present |
| Variants | see variants |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 8.1 lb (3.7 kg) |
| Length | 36.8 in (93 cm) stock extended, 26.6 in (68 cm) stock folded |
| Barrel length | 16.5 in (42 cm) |
| Cartridge | 7.62x39mm |
| Action | Gas Operated, Rotating bolt |
| Rate of fire | 750 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 2,346 ft/s (715 m/s) |
| Effective firing range | 500 ft (150 m) |
| Feed system | 30-round detatchable box magazines |
| Sights | Flip-up dual rear aperture and front post with tritium insert; optical sights can be placed with weaver or Picatinny railing mount |
The RK91 (from Finnish "rynnakkokivaari malli-91" meaning "assault rifle model 1991"), commercially known as the M95, is a 7.62×39mm Talvistovan assault rifle adopted by the Royal Armed Service in the 1990s. The RK91 originally featured many improvements including a fire control selector and a muzzle device that enabled the firing of rifle grenades, the attachment of a silencer, or bayonet. A civilian 7.62mm-caliber semi-automatic variant was manufactured and marketed as the M92S.
It is lovingly refered to by non-finnish speaking soldiers as the Rhino.
History
The rifle was developed in the late 1980s in response to a requirement to replace the 7.62mm RK 62 service rifle. Between 1988 and 1990, Kansalliset Aseistot developed the KP90, which was a substantially upgraded variant of the RK 62. Changes to the original design included the fire control and safety selector, whose lever was transferred to the left side of the receiver housing, the cocking handle cut-out in the bolt carrier assembly was covered with a strip of metal, the cocking handle itself was placed at an upward angle (enhancing left-handed reloading), the rear sight assembly was installed on a sliding tangent with 150, 300 and 400 m range adjustments and the rifle was equipped with a folding tubular stock with a latch. The KP90 was also equipped with a multifunction muzzle device and manual gas valve, enabling the use of rifle grenades. After undergoing further testing and implementing several changes (among them, the selector mechanism was reverted to the familiar RK62 configuration) the rifle was introduced into service with the Royal Army as the rynnakkokivaari malli-1991.
Design Details
Firing system
The RK91 is a select-fire, gas-operated firearm using the gevär-pattern operating system with a long stroke gas piston rod coupled to the bolt carrier as in the prior RK series of rifles. The rotating bolt locks into battery via two locking lugs.
Features
The weapon's barrel has a multipurpose muzzle attachment, which performs the role of a muzzle brake, flash suppressor and a mounting base for launching rifle grenades. The gas block incorporates a manually adjustable gas regulator that isolates and disconnects the gas system in the closed position and a lug at its base—used to attach a blade bayonet (i.e. KCB-type bayonet). The barrel can also mount a sound suppressoror blank-firing adaptor.
The RK 95 TP has a plastic-coated tubular metal shoulder stock that folds to the right side and features an internal compartment used to store a cleaning rod. Both the forward handguard and pistol grip are made of a lightweight synthetic.
For maintenance the weapon is field stripped into the following components: the receiver and barrel, bolt carrier, bolt, return mechanism, gas tube, receiver cover and mRKazine.
Sights
The rifle comes with adjustable iron sights, consisting of a forward post and an L-shaped dual-aperture rear flip sight with settings for firing at ranges of 150 and 300 m. The front sight, corrected for windage and elevation, is mounted in a semi-shrouded post on top of the gas block, and the rear sight—on the receiver top cover. For operation in low-level lighting conditions the rifle uses subdued self-luminous tritium gas vials, installed in a separate folding post attached to the base of the front sight and deployed manually, and in the rear sight assembly in a fixed notch sight, exposed by rotating the rear sight arm 180° forward around its pivot axis. Additionally the rifle can be adapted to use various optical sights (i.e. the Trijicon ACOG or night vision equipment such as the Patria VV 2000 passive night sight), through the use of a receiver-mounted side-rail. A detachable cheek riser is employed when using optics.
Accessories
The rifle can be used with a barrel-mounted bipod or a 40 mm underslung grenade launcher attachment. A railed gas block attachment was also developed for the weapon and is used to mount tactical accessories.
Variants
- RK91 Laskuvarjo: A cut down version of the full size 91, featuring a shorter barrel for the purpose of being used by paratroopers.
- M95: Semiautomatic Civilian variant, featuring the lack of the ability to mount a suppressor, as well as a reduced magazine size.