URZ AP
{{Infobox weapon
|name = URZ AP (Univerzální Ruční Zbraň Automatická Puška)
|image =
|caption =
|origin = Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
|type = Battle rifle; modular weapon system
|is_ranged = yes
|service =
|introduction =
|used_by =
|wars =
|designer = Jiří Čermák
|design_date = 1967
|manufacturer =
|production_date =
|number =
|variants = AP, LK, TK, T
|weight =
|length = 995 mm
|part_length = 500 mm
|crew =
|cartridge = 7.62×51mm NATO
|caliber = 7.62 mm
|action = Delayed blowback
|rate = 800 rpm
|velocity = 800 m/s
|range =
|max_range =
|feed = 50 round belt
|sights = Iron
|commons =
}}
The URZ AP (Univerzální Ruční Zbraň Automatická Puška) is modular weapon system of Czechoslovak origin.
Development
The “series of weapons” concept was first pioneered by the French with the Berthier machine rifle and the Stoner 63 was developed by Jiri Cermak in the late 1960s, who also designed the SA Vz. 58 rifle.{{cite web|language=cs|url=https://www.valka.cz/15316-Ing-Bohuslav-NOVOTNY-prava-ruka-Jiriho-Cermaka|title=Ing. Bohuslav NOVOTNÝ - pravá ruka Jiřího Čermáka|trans-title=Ing. Bohuslav NOVOTNÝ - right hand of Jiří Čermák|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230613155007/https://www.valka.cz/15316-Ing-Bohuslav-NOVOTNY-prava-ruka-Jiriho-Cermaka|archive-date=June 13, 2023}} The weapons series was to replace everything from submachine guns to general purpose machine guns. The URZ APT used the receiver, which in all variants were belt-fed from a cylindrical container.{{cite web|publisher=The Firearm Blog|url=https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014/12/13/ten-forgotten-military-rifles/|last=F|first=Nathaniel|title=Ten 20th Century Military Rifles History Has Forgotten|date=December 13, 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221002040346/https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014/12/13/ten-forgotten-military-rifles/|archive-date=October 2, 2022}} Most unusual for a Warsaw Pact country, the URZ AP was chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO as it was intended for export.{{cite web|url=https://modernfirearms.net/en/assault-rifles/urz-plamen-2/|title=URZ rifle and machine gun weapon family (Czechoslovakia)|last=Popenker|first=Maxim|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325204732/https://modernfirearms.net/en/assault-rifles/urz-plamen-2/|archive-date=March 25, 2023}}
The URZ AP is a 7.62×51mm NATO calibre delayed blowback battle rifle. The weapon uses a rotating bolt delayed blowback operation with 2 lugs with rollers to overcome a quarter twist to accelerate the bolt carrier and unlock. To ease extraction, the barrel has a fluted chamber to prevent ruptured cartridges. The select fire capability fires from a closed bolt in semi-auto and an open bolt in full auto. The belt feed uses a feeding rotor found in the ammo box.
References
{{reflist}}
- L. Popelínský, Československé automatické zbraně a jejich tvůrci
- Little, Joseph; URZ - CZECHOSLOVAKIAN WEAPONS SYSTEM; FROM'75 (Notebook), no. 2, year 19, str. 6-7.
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20230301065659/https://www.armedconflicts.com/topic/view/38624/CZK-URZ URZ AP]
- {{cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US3478644|title=Patent US3478644 - Trigger mechanism for automatic firearms for selective firing of a burst-or ... - Google Patents|website=google.com|access-date=2017-08-15}}
- {{cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US3407702|title=Patent US3407702 - Automatic firearm with retarded blowback breech mechanism - Google Patents|website=google.com|access-date=2017-08-15}}
- {{cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US3507186|title=Patent US3507186 - Magazine for automatic firearms - Google Patents|website=google.com|access-date=2017-08-15}}
Category:Rifles of Czechoslovakia