Serbia’s Zastava Arms Company has developed a new gas-operated modular assault rifle in same as M17. The company highlighted that the rifle development is currently at Technology Readiness Level 6.
According to Zoran M Susic, the marketing and research manager at the Zastava Arms, the base for the modular M17 modular AR is the Zastava M05 in the calibre 7.62×39 mm. The rifle developed with the system of the Kalashnikov, which is the standard calibre of the Serbian Army as well as many other countries. The rifle has a standard curved plastic magazine that holds 30 rounds of ammunition.
Susic further added that AR’s barrel can be changed in less than 60 seconds with a new barrel which fires 6.5×38.7 mm rounds using at present a 20-round magazine. However, he indicated that this is expected to be replaced by a 30-round magazine in the future.
Another feature is a standard Picitanny rail on top of the rifle. There is a selector on both sides of the rifle for single shot, safe modes or for fully automatic.
The cover under the forward part of the rifle can also be removed to show another Picatinny rail that can mount a single shot grenade launcher, light, or other peripheral. The rifle has a telescopic butt that can be folded alongside to reduce its length.
According to the Serbian Ministry of Defense (MoD), the rifle’s 6.5×38.7 mm round has better aerodynamic characteristics leading to a slower loss of velocity, flatter trajectory, and more kinetic energy when it hits the target. The round has a range of 800 meters.
