Venezuela Begins Production of AK-103 Rifles

TFB ^ | 12 June, 2013 | Steve Johnson

[marktwain]

Venezuela’s centrally planned economy may have run out of the essentials like toilet paper, milk and sugar, but a shortage of AK-103 rifles is not something they need worry about now that the government’s new rifle and ammunition factory has come online.

The factory, long overdue to have begun production, is a collaboration between the Venezuelan government and Russia’s Izhmash. Izhmash has supplied the tooling and will be paid royalties for each rifle manufactured.

The factory is expected to produce 25,000 rifles per year. This works out to be 80 – 90 completed rifles per day. This is on top of the 100,000 AK-103 and AK-104 the country purchased in 2005. The factory will also produce 70 million rounds of ammunition per year, or about 200,000 rounds per day.

Given that they only have 113,000 active duty personnel in the military and 60,000 police officers, I can only conclude that they plan on exporting both rifles and ammunition.

[marktwain]

I wonder who they will be sending the factory production to?

[BipolarBob]

Not a bad looking gun.

[no-to-illegals]

Fun Times Await ... but not really.

[gaijin]

[Jewbacca]

It is a good rifle.

It’s the AK-74 (a much-improved AK-47), but chambered in the older, larger, AK-47 round.

[LucianOfSamasota]

Peaceful socialists.

The worker’s paradise has guns - but not food.

[Arm_Bears]

That’s a purty weapon.

Democrat panties are rapidly bunching.

[nascarnation]

I’d be suspicious of the quality control unless the Russkis provided management along with the tooling.

[marktwain]

It would be much more useful if they wouldhave included an integral rail for the installation of optical sights or lasers.

[ModelBreaker]

“Democrat panties are rapidly bunching.”

Nah. If Venezuela sells them, they won’t end up in the hands of law abiding Americans, conservatives or Christians. That’s the only firearm issue that worries dems.

[nitzy]

Ah crap...This is not good.

They are black and have a pistol grip. That means they are really dangerous.

[RightOnTheBorder]

They are black and have a pistol grip. That means they are really dangerous.

Don't forget the bayonet and collapsible stock. Why that thing might qualify as a WMD!!!!

[LegendHasIt]

If they wanted to fix their economy, they should start producing .22LR and selling it to USA folks.

[OldNewYork]

You need something good when you have to guard the stocks of toilet paper.

[Spktyr]

They did, it’s on the left side of the receiver. All the Russian gear goes on that rail and has a wrapover bracket.

[BfloGuy]

Hey, they're going under. Gotta have something to export.

[Billthedrill]

Hmm...well, I don't have an open slot in my gun safe. That can only mean one thing:

Yes. I need another safe. BTT

[Taylor42]

It would be much more useful if they wouldhave included an integral rail for the installation of optical sights or lasers.

The optics rail is in the picture.

[bravo whiskey]

that is a sweet looking weapon

[marktwain]

It the optics rail on the left side of the reciever where the stock folds?