AK - 107 The AK - 107 is a Russia n 5 . 45 mm assault rifle developed from the AK - 100 - series . It features a " balanced " operating system , similar to that used in the AEK - 971 . In this case , the designation AK does not indicate " Avtomat Kalashnikova " but " Alexandrov / Kalashnikov " . The revised designation indicates the incorporation of a new gas system , designed by Youriy Alexandrov , for Kalashnikov - pattern rifles . These new rifles were derived from the AL - 7 experimental rifle of the early 1970s . The AL - 7 utilized an innovative balanced gas operating system known as the Balanced Automatics Recoil System ( BARS ) developed by Peter Andreevich Tkachev of TsNIITochMash that was first used earlier on the AO - 38 assault rifle of 1965 that essentially eliminated felt recoil and muzzle rise . The system was modified by Alexandrov , then a junior engineer at Izhmash , and prototypes were produced under the designation AL - 7 . The AL - 7 was considered too expensive for production at the time and the Soviet Army selected the AK - 74 instead as the new service rifle . No further development occurred until the mid - 1990s when Alexandrov , by then a senior engineer , was directed to update his design for production as a less expensive alternative to the AN - 94 . The new rifle differs only slightly from the original AL - 7 . The AK - 107 receiver is not fluted and a three - round burst feature has been added . There is otherwise little difference between it and the AL - 7 prototypes . Design details . The AK - 107 and AK - 108 represent a significant change to the Kalashnikov operating system originally designed in the late 1940s . The new rifle features a balanced system that functions along the lines of Newton ' s third law of motion , which states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction . This system uses a recoil - reducing countermass mechanism with two operating rods that move in opposite directions , thereby providing " balance " . One operating rod , the upper , has a gas piston facing forward while the lower also has a gas piston . The gas tube at the forward end of the handguard is double - ended to accommodate the two rods . The enlarged gas tube cover of the upper handguard guides both rods in their travel . When the rifle is fired , gas is tapped from the gas port to enter the gas tube , driving the bolt carrier to the rear and the counter - recoil upper rail forward . The critical timing of the reciprocating parts is accomplished by a star - shaped sprocket that links and synchronizes both components , causing both to reach their maximum extension , or null point where forces are exactly equal , at exactly the same instant . The felt recoil is therefore eliminated , enhancing accuracy and assisting control during fully automatic fire . The travel distance of the AK - 107 reciprocating parts is less than other Kalashnikov designs , so the cyclic rate is higher at 850 – 900 rounds / min rather than 600 rounds / min on other AK rifles . However , as the felt recoil is virtually eliminated , the manufacturer claims that accuracy is enhanced , especially during burst fire . An enhancement of 1 . 5 to 2 times , compared to the original AK100 series , has been reported . The AK - 107 is a selective fire weapon , with a three - round burst capability in addition to semi - automatic and fully automatic firing modes . The system on the AK - 107 resets to three - round burst each time the trigger is released , even if only one or two rounds were fired . External differences between the AK - 107 and its predecessors are minor . They include a modified ejection port and a much thicker operating rod cover . The method of attaching the receiver cover now involves a rotating latch in place of the traditional Kalashnikov button at the rear of the receiver cover . The rear sight is also attached directly to the receiver cover rather than to the receiver itself and the selector has four positions instead of three . Optical and night sights can be installed , the rifle can also accept a 40 mm GP - 25 grenade launcher . The AK - 108 is a version of the AK - 107 chambered in 5 . 56x45mm NATO . Like the rest of the AK - 100 series , these newer AKs use synthetic materials such as black fiberglass - reinforced polymer for the pistol grip and heat shield . This material is more cost efficient and much stronger than the original AKM / AK - 74 wood furniture . MK - 107 . In March 2013 , Izhmash debuted a civilian version of the AK - 107 / AK - 108 rifle designated the Saiga MK - 107 . The MK - 107 features improvements over the original AK - 107 design including a rounded ergonomic charging handle , a button - style safety above the trigger guard , AR - 15 - style pistol grip and stock ( made by Israeli firm CAA Tactical ) , and full length top picatinny rail .