What is the AK-74's locking system?

• A. Rotating bolt
• B. Tilting bolt
• C. Gas-assisted lock
• D. Recoil lug

Answer: (A)

The locking system is rotating bolt. In this arrangement the bolt itself contains locking lugs that rotate to engage corresponding recesses in the receiver, creating a solid lock when the cartridge fires. The bolt’s rotation is driven by the bolt carrier as the firearm cycles: the gas-driven action pushes the bolt carrier rearward, the cam surfaces rotate the bolt to unlock, extraction occurs, and on the forward restart the bolt lugs rotate back into the locked position to seal the chamber for the next round. This rotating action provides reliable locking in the AK-74 design. The other options don’t describe how the AK-74 actually secures the breach: a tilting bolt would lock by tilting the bolt instead of rotating, a gas-assisted lock isn’t a distinct locking method, and a recoil lug is a component, not the locking mechanism itself.