At the Black Sea Defense & Aerospace in Bucharest, the Romanian weapons manufacturer Cugir presented the current status of the prototype of a new assault rifle in the 5.56×45 mm caliber. The weapon, designated CN 20, operates as a gas-operated rifle with a gas piston and a long-stroke action. The weapon can be shortened from 937 to 692 millimeters thanks to an adjustable and foldable shoulder stock. The empty weight is 3,300 grams. The 415 millimeter-long barrel has six grooves (right-handed twist); the twist rate is 178 millimeters.
The rifle is ambidextrous and features a fire selector, a magazine catch, and a bolt catch on both sides. The central charging handle sits at the rear of the receiver, similar to AR systems. Picatinny rails on the 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions allow optics and other attachments to be mounted on the weapon. The rifle uses AR-15/M16-compatible magazines with a 30-round capacity. Cugir states the muzzle velocity at around 900 meters per second and the rate of fire at 550 to 600 rounds per minute.
