Produced as the sister model to the fixed stock AK-74, the AKS-74 was designed for use by paratroops and other personal who would find special use in it's compact storage size (when the stock was folded and overall length was reduced from 933mm to 694mm). This particular rifle was made in Izhevsk in 1983. We are told this rifle is in stock, unmodified condition. The AKS-74 was issued to troops in the Russian Army from the inception of the AK-74 until 1992, when the AK-74M was adopted for service. This example can be considered "mid-production", and is possibly among the latest units to be equipped with laminated wood furniture.
	Laminated pistol grips were used on the AKS-74 from it's inception, later being replaced by the polyamide grips most commonly seen on rifles made after the upgrades on the 1977-78 model years. The earlier models used angled gas blocks, straight angle receiver rear edges, and stocks that folded straight across the receiver instead of angling upward. The '83 model featured here has the more modern folding stock trunnion, with angled rear receiver edge, extended internal trunnion extensions (with corresponding rivet repositioning) on each side of the receiver, and a stock that angles slightly upward towards the rear sight base when folded.
	Detail of the right side indicates full automatic selective fire capability, with standard Russian Cyrillic selector markings. Also note the late style investment cast trigger, and the last three digits of the serial number of the rifle are stamped into the bolt carrier. Stock latch button, trigger/hammer/safety sear pivot pins, rear sight leaf, and various other minor parts are left in zinc phosphate rather than having the black top coat applied. Note the sheet metal receiver reinforcement plate sandwiched between the pistol grip and the receiver. This plate is used on the AKMS as well as all AK-74 folding stock variants (except AKSU) and is actually spot welded to the receiver. It helps to make the receiver more rigid and keeps it from beign damaged if the rifle is dropped on the grip when the rifle stock is folded.
	Special recognition must be paid to the original factory side plate affixed to this rifle, a rarety indeed. This would make the normally standard AKS-74 into a much less seen AKS-74N, the "N" prefix denotes that the rifle has the ability to mount night vision devices. This was the main reason side mounting optics plates were installed onto the Kalashnikov rifle. The Russian side plate of this era is the same design copied by Germany and also (in a modified style) by Romania. Note also the casting numbers molded into the trigger. This side mounted optics plate is the first design adopted after the AK-74 received it's new rear trunnion rivet pattern in 1978.
	This is a very clear image of an enigmatic set of late production laminated handguards. These have been seen in very few media images. The upper is devoid of cooling vent holes, and the lower has a much more shallow tapered finger groove, which matches the upper perfectly. We have seen these handguards only on very late laminated rifles, which were produced in the early 1980's until the adoption of the plum polyamide furniture in around 1985-86. It was most likely very rare to encounter these rifles in service in Afghanistan, and many may have been exported after the Russian Army adopted plastics as the primary furniture material.
	This is the original Russian pattern two-piece muzzle brake, with the standard stepped collar of the earlier "zig-zag" style. Although details are hard to acquire, it seems that the zig-zag pattern was Russian issue when the German's began preparations for AK-74 manufacturing in 1982, and the two-piece shown here was Russian issue when the Bulgarians began license production of the AK-74 in 1985. Russian receiver markings would indicate this is fairly accurate. By 1987-88 a new, more smoothly shouldered two-piece brake, with tapered steps can be detected.
	Standard deep black enamel over phosphate in a semi-matte finish contrast sharply to the orange varnish of the laminated wood. Receiver cover is of the later style with a dimple added above the selector thumb ledge. A Russian PSO-1 4x24 sniper scope is mounted to the rifle in this photo.