From everything that I've seen or read about the AN-94 demonstrates that it's not necessarily better because of the ammo, but because of it's inovative new loading and cycling design. The video demo that I saw on the History Channel showed a guy letting loose in full auto. The rifle did not even move. The barrel just "reciprocated" back and forth. The AN uses a unique combo gas/recoil system where the whole barrel absorbs part of the force moving rearward cycling the next round. The unique AN muzzle brake removes whatever residual recoil is left over.
The cyclic rate of the AN-94 can be adjusted too. 750-800 rpm to 1200+ rpm. The beauty of the design is that a round is loaded at the same time one is ejected. So in one cycle, you get two shots.
As for the wierd sights, I've never tried it but it reminds me a little of the HK sight. It is star shaped, and you turn it like the HK tube sight to change the elevation.
I heard that it is not cheap like the AK. The Russians can't find anyone that can afford it. If only the US gov would pull their heads out of their ass, they would find a huge market here. I don't like AK's one bit but I would buy an AN-94 in a micro-second.
"meant to write AN m-brake"