M76

Description

The Yugoslavian Zastava M76 sniper rifle is ultimately a heavily modified version of their M70, which in tern is a licensed copy of the Soviet AK/AKM Assault Rifle.

The Kalashnikov family of weapons was the creation of Russian Mikhail Kalashnikov towards the end of World War Two and without question his design became the most iconic and widely used weapon of the 20th Century.

The semi-automatic M76 utilizes a high power 7.92×57mm Mauser cartridge as opposed to the standard Soviet 7.62×39mm cartridge of the M70.

Externally the differences between the weapons are great, with the most obvious being its longer barrel, modified sniper stock and pistol grip, a shorter 10 round box magazine and its optical scope. which is mounted to a rail on the left side of the receiver.

Like all other weapons within the Kalashnikov family, the M76 has seen extensive use since its introduction in 1976. Not only in the 1990’s Yugoslav Civil War, but also in the Middle East, by irregular forces/terrorist groups.