The Yugo AK line started in 1964 w/a milled receiver variant of the AK (M64). The M70B1 & M70B2 are the Yugo versions of the Soviet AKM & AKMS. There are some differences in the Yugo M70 compared to the Soviet AKM, most had a folding grenade sight on the gas port w/a gas shutoff, the gas tube was ventilated, the receiver cover was smooth without the reinforcing ridges of the AKM pattern, the wood was solid & didn't have "swells" in the lower handguard, the grip was a black plastic w/a thumbrest on the left, the receiver had the RPK style reinforcement under the chamber area on the right side & the receiver cover had a push button lock in the receiver in addition to the button on the rear of the cover.
Album by willyp. Photos by willyp. 1 - 57 of 57 Total. 38296 Visits.
M70B2 top, M70B1 bottom The B2 folder is one of the Century Arms rifles w/a DCI receiver, the B1 is a pre-ban Mitchell Arms import. This rifle came w/a wood grip as on the M76 sniper, has no grenade launcher sight & has a scope rail on the left side.
B2 & B1 stock views Still looking for info as to whether the wood grip & no launcher sight were ever military "issue" on these rifles.
B2 & B1 muzzle detail The launcher sight is raised on the B2 in this pic, rotating the sight up activates the gas shutoff.
B2 & B1 butt detail
B2, stock folded, & B1 left views
B2 & B1 left view
Yugo bolt hold open in magazine The Yugo AK variants had a "bolt hold open", this was actually part of the magazine follower, the rear on the left side was flat & raised & held the bolt open on an empty mag. This pic is of the top rear of a Yugo mag on left & a Romanian mag on right.
Yugo bayonet The Yugo M70 bayonet was a 2nd pattern AKM w/the square grips/pommel but the plastic was black as was the scabbard. These are very similiar to the East German version, the Yugo variant uses a brown leather hanger & a green web wrist strap opposed to the gray of the E German. The bayonet illustrated is a matching number bayonet/scabbard set.
M70 hilt, strap & hanger detail
Yugo bay serials
Yugo acc Bayonet/scabbard set, Mitchell Arms manual, reproduction Yugo grenade launcher muzzle device, Yugo sling & a military M70 plastic grip. The Mitchell pre-ban guns came w/an M76 style wide wooden grip.
Yugo Manual
Yugon Manual page
Yugo Mitchell gun & accs This view is withe the wooden grip these guns were imported with.
Yugo R wood grip
M70B1 fixed stock right view View of the Mitchell w/military plastic grip.
M70B1 w/bayonet affixed
M70B1 butt right view
Right side view of cover latch lock This button locks the recoil spring & upper receiver in place & is specific to Yugo AK's.
Yugo R mkg
Yugo R Actn wood grip
M70B1 action right Note the RPK style reinforcing ridge under the bolt
Reinforcement ridge detail pic
M70B1 forend right
M70B1 muzzle right Most military M70's had a grenade launcher sight affixed to the gas port (see pics of the underfolder) when the sight was raised the hinge blocked the gas port for safety. The grenade launcher itself was a seperate muzzle attachment which simply replaced the slant brake on the muzzle. The pre-ban Mitchells had neither.
M70B1 muzzle left
M70 front sight A view of the front sight of the Mitchell rifle, note these rifles were equipped w/night sights front & rear which folded up/down, this view shows the night sight folded down (not in use), it's the cross shaped section below the the front sight post.
Yugo Front sight w/night sight up Here's a view of the front sight raised (in use) showing the luminescent dot, note the open portion that the sight folds into when down.
M70B1 forend left The Yugo M70 (Yugoslav version) of the Soviet AKM w/stamped receiver used different handguards, the Soviet guns had finger "swells" on the sides of the lower guard for grip, the Yugo version used the earlier flat sided guards as the Soviet AK47.
Rear sight, night sight down. A view of the rear sight w/the night sight folded down (out of use)
Rear sight, night sight up A view of the rear sight w/the night sight up (in use) showing the 2 luminescent dots.
Rear sight
M70B1 action left side Note the scope rail affixed to the receiver, info from AKE is that this is a military rail used for scope mounting on the these rifles.
Yugo L Actn wood grip
M70B1 scope rail detail pic
Receiver cover lock button, left side
M70B1 stock left Also note position of rear sling swivel on side of receiver, on most other AKM variants (full stock) it was on the buttstock, the placement on the receiver is a carryover from the earlier AK47 milled rifles & is another difference between the Yugo AKM variant & the Soviet, to my knowledge the only other AKM variant (European) that uses this arrangement is the Hungarian AMD65/69.
M70B1 left side
M70B1 left with bayonet affixed
Yugo set w/accs
M70B2 (folder) right view The launcher sight is up in this pic
M70B2 right side w/bayonet affixed
M70B2 w/stock folded
M70B2 stock detail right side
M70B2 action w/stock folded The buttplate on the stock can be rotated so the stock can be opened or closed w/the mag in place
M70B2 stock folded bottom view
M70B2 action right Note the high quality of the receiver & it's attention to detail following the original M70B1 receiver in the previous pics.
M70B2 muzzle right w/bayonet affixed
M70B2 w/bayonet
M70B2 closeup of launcher sight up When the launcher is up it blocks the gas port for safety.
M70B2 muzzle left side
M70B2 forend & gas port left side The ventilated gas tube is apparent in this pic, another difference between the Yugo M70 rifles & the Soviet AKM pattern, the AKM's did not have the ventilated gas tube.
Markings on M70b2 sight base
M70b2 grip area A good pic of the distinctive Yugo grip, w/the thumbrest, the stock folding hinge, sling swivel & the receiver cover lock button
