Oh Christ on a cracker. . . :suicide2:
To date, what Russian assault rifles have been fielded with a Mil-STD-1913 Picatinny top rail?
Relax. No need to get upset. Take a look at the Izhmash and Molot 12 gauge military shotguns. They’ve had the hinged top covers with pic rails incorporated into the rsb’s for a good while now. It’s nothing new for them.
Here’s a pic of one -
My original post was misconstrued by a couple of the posters here. To date no Russian/Soviet assault RIFLE that has been fielded has a top rail that I know of. Shotguns are another story that have nothing to do with the OP.
In my original post in this thread I simply stated a mere observation as to what the latest concept reminded me of and now we have to argue over what particular nation or manufacture had said rail system first. I do not care if TWS, The Picatinny Arsenal, Marc Krebs, the Russians or the Klingons came out with it first the point was what it resembled.
Little late on planned obsolescence
Oooookay. :lol:
I believe Baryl rail might be first one here, however original (Gen 1 and 2) POPC had not used Picatinny standard and all scope adjustement (windage and elevation) was made by adjusting rear hinge and did not keep zero or removing/mounting. In shot - abomination :nono:
Much better are Gen 3 (Weaver) and Gen 4 (Picatinny) POPC rails, that does not use rail adjustments to zero optic and returns to zero on mounting (acceptable zero for assault rifle with red dot anyway).
More here (credits to VLODPG for finding this one): http://sadefensejournal.com/wp/?p=295
BTT AK-12 looks like attempt to bring AK into world of modern rifle ergonomics and modularity. You can push AK only “so far”, but looks like Izmash guys really tried to listen to the people. Most things we are communicating to FB Radom re: Beryl improvements seem more less addressed in AK-12.
Only other way is either completely new rifle or… throw whole AK into extruded alu railed body and solve internal problems (bolt hold open, safety operation, stock-optics relation, etc.) from the outside.
… sorry, too fast finger on the mouse
If I had to guess the Poles did the AK top rail first with the Beryl- not that it matters however
What I do find interesting is how much the Russians are copying/imitating the American tactical gun culture- meaning guys like us; proof positive are the recently surfaced photos with the Russian CT guys meeting Putin - when I first saw the pics I could not believe my eyes; some of those guys are reading this forum, watching my You Tube videos, and so on
To me that is wild- and a reminder to be careful what you say on the Internet as not everyone reading it is on our side…
Cheers
LAV
Glad to know I’m not the only one that did a little double take when those came out. At least to me it was interesting how their kit is evolving, as you noted with the very obvious American influence.
Hopefully they are reading TOS as well 
Add new images to the first post.
I had to do a double take myself when I first saw those pics.
Here is one of President Dmitry Medvedev.
And the one I believe you are referencing.
There is something about the top photo with the president holding the gun that just screams photoshop to me.
I thought the same thing when I first happend along that pic.
Here is another one of him (some PR range day) wearing the same clothes holding a SR2-M.
Is the concept of cheek weld and height of optic not prevalent in other countries?
Eotech on AK, that raised optic in the last pic, etc…
someone invite obama to a pr range day
Russians have for a long time been big on sights that are completely ABOVE the plane of the iron sights. If the optic craps out, you just lower your face and continue killing, no interruption. That’s why all their optics are also quick detach. You’d be hard pressed to find a Soviet optic that isn’t quick detach.
So has this new AK variant completely dispensed with the underbarrel cleaning rod?