AMD 65
Encyclopedia
AMD-65 is a Hungarian
-manufactured variant of the venerable AKM rifle
for use by that nation's armored infantry
and paratrooper
("descent") units. The rifle's design is suited for outdoor use as an infantry rifle but can also be used from within the confines of an armored vehicle as a fire support weapon. This is possible due to the side-folding stock of shaft design that makes it more compact. The 12.6-inch barrel
is also relatively short for the 7.62x39mm cartridge
. The operating mechanism does not require a gas expansion chamber at the muzzle
as in the AKS-74U to ensure reliable functioning, but does use a specially designed muzzle brake
, which attenuates muzzle flash
while aggrandizing the sound.
The AMD-65, along with the earlier AKM-63, have been largely replaced in Hungarian military service by the AK-63
, a more traditional AKM copy with a lower manufacturing cost.
and typically has a gray plastic vertical foregrip
attached to assist in controlling fully automatic
fire from this short weapon. In addition, the vertical foregrip has been canted forward to lessen interference with magazine changes. Interestingly, the vertical foregrip is physically identical to the rear grip, with the former simply mounted backwards with respect to the rear. There are, however, wooden grips available which can serve in place of the common gray plastic version. While these wooden grips are also authentic, in the regular Hungarian army and air force, use of wooden grips is extremely rare.
In Hungarian service, the weapon is mainly used with magazines
which can hold 30 rounds (standard magazine) but a special variant (popularly known in the past as "officer's magazine") is also available, which can only hold twenty rounds – an unusual feature in many other countries, who more often use the standard 30-round or 40-round magazines. The weapon is better suited to a 20 round magazine, as it can be locked into the receiver without interfering with the forward handgrip and it is easier to handle the weapon in tight quarters. The 30 round magazine does fit with some slight interference and it can be also fitted with the 40 round magazine.
In theory, the short barrel length compiled with the short sight radius makes the weapon less accurate than its full length cousin but the increased mobility offsets this shortcoming.
. It is a standard-length AKM
variant with a standard buttstock and full-length barrel, with the front sight in the standard location. However, the front and rear pistol grips and sheet metal handguard are similar to those of the AMD-65.
Somaliland
The AMD-65 was exported to Angola (FAPLA) and Mozambique (RENAMO) during the mid-1970s. Some were captured in Rhodesia from ZAPU guerrillas and used by the SAS and RLI. This rifle was also used during the Lebanese Civil War, 1975-1990. Currently in use by Afghan Border Police (special squad), Sudanese and Croatian forces.
and sold in kit form following the destruction of the receiver, which legally rendered the weapon to the status of a non-firearm. In order to be legally reassembled, the parts must be rebuilt on a US-made receiver which lacks the provisions for certain parts which would make it capable of automatic fire. In its original short-barreled form the completed weapon isn't legal for civilians to own in the United States, but the addition of a permanently attached barrel extension (Or a $200.00 tax stamp fee to register it as a legal "short-barreled rifle" or AOW any other weapon. under the NFA) satisfies these legal requirements. In addition, a certain US-made parts count is required in order to comply with U.S.C.
922 (r); a statue which regulates imported rifles with certain features that the BATFE defines as not being suitable for sporting purposes. Some individuals choose to build AMD-65s without a buttstock, thus legally classifying the resulting new firearm as a "pistol" and eliminating the need for a muzzle extension (as well as the parts for 922r compliance). However, this route requires the removal of the forward grip, unless the gun is registered under the NFA as an "AOW" (any other weapon). Century Arms Inter. does make a version of the AMD-65 with a 16in barrel extension and does have a folding wire stock just like the military version. MRSP ranges from $399 to $799 U.S. Also TG International makes AMD65 rifles for U.S. Shooters. TG International is located in Knoxville, TN. Prices of the rifles are $399 to $599 MRSP.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
-manufactured variant of the venerable AKM rifle
AKM
The AKM is a 7.62mm assault rifle designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is an upgraded version of the AK-47 rifle and was developed in the 1950s....
for use by that nation's armored infantry
Mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry are infantry equipped with armored personnel carriers , or infantry fighting vehicles for transport and combat ....
and paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
("descent") units. The rifle's design is suited for outdoor use as an infantry rifle but can also be used from within the confines of an armored vehicle as a fire support weapon. This is possible due to the side-folding stock of shaft design that makes it more compact. The 12.6-inch barrel
Gun barrel
A gun barrel is the tube, usually metal, through which a controlled explosion or rapid expansion of gases are released in order to propel a projectile out of the end at a high velocity....
is also relatively short for the 7.62x39mm cartridge
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
. The operating mechanism does not require a gas expansion chamber at the muzzle
Muzzle (firearm)
The muzzle of a firearm is the end of the barrel from which the projectile will exit.Precise machining of the muzzle is crucial to accuracy, because it is the last point of contact between the barrel and the projectile...
as in the AKS-74U to ensure reliable functioning, but does use a specially designed muzzle brake
Muzzle brake
Muzzle brakes and recoil compensators are devices that are fitted to the muzzle of a firearm or cannon to redirect propellant gases with the effect of countering both recoil of the gun and unwanted rising of the barrel during rapid fire...
, which attenuates muzzle flash
Flash suppressor
A flash suppressor, also known as a flash guard, flash eliminator, flash hider, or flash cone, is a device attached to the muzzle of a rifle or other gun that reduces the visible signature of the burning gases that exit the muzzle. This reduces the chances that the shooter will be blinded in dark...
while aggrandizing the sound.
The AMD-65, along with the earlier AKM-63, have been largely replaced in Hungarian military service by the AK-63
AK-63
The AK-63 is a Hungarian variant of the AKM assault rifle manufactured by the Fegyver- és Gépgyár state arms plant in Hungary...
, a more traditional AKM copy with a lower manufacturing cost.
Features
Of note is the fact that no wood is used in the manufacture of large numbers of AMD-65s. The front handguard area is made of perforated sheet metalSheet metal
Sheet metal is simply metal formed into thin and flat pieces. It is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and can be cut and bent into a variety of different shapes. Countless everyday objects are constructed of the material...
and typically has a gray plastic vertical foregrip
Foregrip
A foregrip is the grip on the front of a firearm that helps to control the gun, and prevent burns from the barrel during firing. A vertical foregrip can also allow for easier horizontal movement of the firearm, as it creates a firmer grasping point than conventional hand guards. Some firearms...
attached to assist in controlling fully automatic
Automatic rifle
Automatic rifle is a term generally used to describe a semi-automatic rifle chambered for a rifle cartridge, capable of delivering both semi- and full automatic fire...
fire from this short weapon. In addition, the vertical foregrip has been canted forward to lessen interference with magazine changes. Interestingly, the vertical foregrip is physically identical to the rear grip, with the former simply mounted backwards with respect to the rear. There are, however, wooden grips available which can serve in place of the common gray plastic version. While these wooden grips are also authentic, in the regular Hungarian army and air force, use of wooden grips is extremely rare.
In Hungarian service, the weapon is mainly used with magazines
Magazine (firearm)
A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a repeating firearm. Magazines may be integral to the firearm or removable . The magazine functions by moving the cartridges stored in the magazine into a position where they may be loaded into the chamber by the action...
which can hold 30 rounds (standard magazine) but a special variant (popularly known in the past as "officer's magazine") is also available, which can only hold twenty rounds – an unusual feature in many other countries, who more often use the standard 30-round or 40-round magazines. The weapon is better suited to a 20 round magazine, as it can be locked into the receiver without interfering with the forward handgrip and it is easier to handle the weapon in tight quarters. The 30 round magazine does fit with some slight interference and it can be also fitted with the 40 round magazine.
In theory, the short barrel length compiled with the short sight radius makes the weapon less accurate than its full length cousin but the increased mobility offsets this shortcoming.
AMD/AKM-63
Another Hungarian AKM variant formerly used as Hungary's standard service rifle before being replaced by the AK-63AK-63
The AK-63 is a Hungarian variant of the AKM assault rifle manufactured by the Fegyver- és Gépgyár state arms plant in Hungary...
. It is a standard-length AKM
AKM
The AKM is a 7.62mm assault rifle designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is an upgraded version of the AK-47 rifle and was developed in the 1950s....
variant with a standard buttstock and full-length barrel, with the front sight in the standard location. However, the front and rear pistol grips and sheet metal handguard are similar to those of the AMD-65.
Users
and SomalilandThe AMD-65 was exported to Angola (FAPLA) and Mozambique (RENAMO) during the mid-1970s. Some were captured in Rhodesia from ZAPU guerrillas and used by the SAS and RLI. This rifle was also used during the Lebanese Civil War, 1975-1990. Currently in use by Afghan Border Police (special squad), Sudanese and Croatian forces.
Availability in the United States
Many AMD-65s were exported to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and sold in kit form following the destruction of the receiver, which legally rendered the weapon to the status of a non-firearm. In order to be legally reassembled, the parts must be rebuilt on a US-made receiver which lacks the provisions for certain parts which would make it capable of automatic fire. In its original short-barreled form the completed weapon isn't legal for civilians to own in the United States, but the addition of a permanently attached barrel extension (Or a $200.00 tax stamp fee to register it as a legal "short-barreled rifle" or AOW any other weapon. under the NFA) satisfies these legal requirements. In addition, a certain US-made parts count is required in order to comply with U.S.C.
United States Code
The Code of Laws of the United States of America is a compilation and codification of the general and permanent federal laws of the United States...
922 (r); a statue which regulates imported rifles with certain features that the BATFE defines as not being suitable for sporting purposes. Some individuals choose to build AMD-65s without a buttstock, thus legally classifying the resulting new firearm as a "pistol" and eliminating the need for a muzzle extension (as well as the parts for 922r compliance). However, this route requires the removal of the forward grip, unless the gun is registered under the NFA as an "AOW" (any other weapon). Century Arms Inter. does make a version of the AMD-65 with a 16in barrel extension and does have a folding wire stock just like the military version. MRSP ranges from $399 to $799 U.S. Also TG International makes AMD65 rifles for U.S. Shooters. TG International is located in Knoxville, TN. Prices of the rifles are $399 to $599 MRSP.