Vasilyev automatic rifle

A 3D CAD render of the weapon.
Vasilyev automatic rifle
Production information
Country of origin	Russia
Designer(s)	Andrey Vasilyev
Year(s) designed	2019
Technical specifications
Weapon type	Assault rifle
Caliber	9.3×40mm SPEAR
Action	Delayed blowback, sliding crank
Feed system	90-round box magazine
Cyclic rate	2000 RPM
Other information
Other name(s)	VAR

The Vasilyev automatic rifle is a prototype Russian bullpup assault rifle.

History

This automatic rifle was designed by Andrey Vasilyev as a proof of concept, as a modular weapon that can be used in a number of roles from squad automatic weapon to an assault rifle. The weapon incorporates a number of different ideas into one single weapon, including larger caliber rounds and delayed recoil impulse. The weapon remains in the concept stage.

Design Details

The VAR uses a bullpup design inside a single-piece chassis. The weapon has a free-floating barrel that is screwed onto the receiver and has a fluted profile. The weapon uses a 90-round magazine similar to that of the Heckler & Koch G11; the magazine is inserted above the barrel. The magazines are estimated to weigh about 900 grams (2.0 pounds); Vasilyev claims that a soldier can carry ten magazines easily, giving 900 rounds of ammunition.

The weapon uses a delayed blowback system with a sliding crank system with a rotating breech of sorts. When the weapon fires, two discs connected to a crank rotate, pulling the bolt to the rear of the weapon. As the weapon fires, a finger on a pivot grabs the first round from the magazine; as the bolt flies rearward, the finger pivots downwards to a horizontal position. As the bolt flies forward, the round is sent into battery, with the finger being pivoted back upwards with assistance of a contour behind the barrel.

These discs contain both the counterweights and return springs. These are touted as making the weapon very controllable; the weapon may also have a rather high rate of fire of about 2000 RPM. Due to the crank system, the weapon lacks any moving parts on the outside of the weapon, which is said to lessen any impact of moving parts onto the receiver and/or chassis.

Ammunition

The VAR uses the 9.3×40mm SPEAR round. The bullet is conical with a segmented sabot in a somewhat cylindrical case.