1970–1982 (limited use) 1982–present (standard service rifle)
Used by
See Users
Wars
Rhodesian Bush War
South African Border War
Lebanese Civil War
Iran-Iraq War
Gulf War
Yugoslav Wars
Rwandan Civil War
First Congo War
Kosovo War
Insurgency in the Republic of Macedonia
War in Afghanistan
Iraq War
Kivu conflict
Libyan Civil War
Syrian Civil War
Northern Mali conflict
War in Iraq[1]
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine[2]
Production history
Designer
Zastava Arms
Designed
1962–1968
Manufacturer
Zastava Arms
Produced
1970–present
No. built
4,000,000[3]
Variants
See Variants
Specifications
Mass
3.70 kg (8.2 lb)[4]
Length
890 mm (35 in)[4]
Barrel length
415 mm (16.3 in)[4]
Cartridge
7.62×39mm[4]
Action
Gas-operated (rotating bolt)
Rate of fire
600-650 rounds/min[4]
Muzzle velocity
720 m/s (2,400 ft/s)[4]
Effective firing range
350 m (380 yd)[4]
Feed system
30-round AK-47 detachable magazine[4]
Sights
Iron sights graduated from 100 to 1,000 meters[4]
The Zastava M70 (Serbian Cyrillic: Застава М70) is a 7.62×39mm assault rifle. Developed in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia by Zastava Arms during the 1960s, the M70 was an unlicensed derivative of the Soviet AK-47 (specifically the Type 3 variant).[4] Due to political differences between the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia at the time, namely the latter's refusal to join the Warsaw Pact, Zastava was unable to directly obtain the technical specifications for the AK and opted to reverse engineer the weapon type.[5] Although the M70 was functionally identical to the AK, it had unique in-built features that better enabled it to fire rifle grenades.[5] These included a thicker receiver, a new latch for the dust cover to ensure it would not be jarred loose by a grenade discharge, and a folding grenade sight bracket over the rifle's gas block, which also shut off the gas system when raised.[5]
The M70 became the standard issue infantry weapon in the Yugoslav People's Army in 1970, complementing and later superseding the Zastava M59/66. The M70 was also used by Republika Srpska in the Bosnian War alongside the AK-74 and other weapons.[6] Both the original M70 design, as well as commercial variants of the weapon without select-fire capability, known as the Zastava PAP series, are still produced by Zastava for export.
^Iraq: Turning a blind eye: The arming of the Popular Mobilization Units (PDF) (Report). Amnesty International. January 5, 2017. p. 26. MDE 14/5386/2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 13, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
^Cite error: The named reference N1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"M70". Weapon Systems Net. Archived from the original on September 18, 2014. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
^ abcdefghijEzell, Edward (1986). The AK47 Story: Evolution of the Kalashnikov Weapons. Harrisburg: Stackpole Books. p. 196. ISBN 978-0811722476.
^ abcMcNab, Christopher (January 2022). Armies of the Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. pp. 20, 50. ISBN 978-1472845573.
^Wybranowski, Dariusz (2013), Chmielewski, Paweł; Szczesio, Sławomir Lucjan (eds.), "Armia Republiki Serbskiej w Bośni (1992–1995) – geneza, struktura i pierwsze lata istnienia", Bałkany Zachodnie — między przeszłością a przyszłością, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego, doi:10.18778/7525-969-8.09, hdl:11089/39911, ISBN 978-83-7525-969-8
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