AMD 65
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| AMD-65 | |
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| Type | assault rifle |
| Place of origin | Hungary |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Afghanistan, Georgia, Hungary, Panama |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1965 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 3,21 kg |
| Length | 847/648 mm |
| Barrel length | 317 mm |
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| Cartridge | 7.62 × 39 mm |
| Caliber | 7,62 mm |
| Action | Gas-operated, rotating bolt |
| Rate of fire | 750 RPM |
| Feed system | 30 round |
AMD-65 (Hungarian: Automata Módosított Deszant[fegyver] 1965; Automatic Modified Descent [weapon] ) is the name given to a variant of the venerable AKM rifle, and was manufactured in Hungary for use by that nation's armored infantry and even by paratrooper/descent units. The rifle's design was conducive for outdoor use as an infantry rifle. However, the weapon could be used from within the confines of an armored vehicle as a fire support weapon. This was possible due to a side-folding stock of shaft design to make it more compact for use inside of armored vehicles. The barrel is also relatively short for the powerful 7.62x39mm cartridge. The 14-inch barrel does not require the bulbous muzzle chamber of the AKSU-47 but the use of a specially designed muzzle brake, which attenuates both muzzle flash and sound.
Contents |
[edit] Features
Of note is the fact that no wood is used in the manufacture of large numbers of AMD-65s. The front grip area is made of sheet metal and has a forward pistol grip attached to help in control of fully automatic fire from the short weapon. There are, however, wooden grips that can serve in place of the gray plastic ones pictured. These wooden grips are also authentic, but in the regular army/air force use wooden grips on an AMD were extremely rare.
In Hungarian hands, the weapon was/is mainly used with magazines which can hold 30 rounds (regular magazine) but a special variant (popularly named in the past as officer's magazine) is also available, which can hold twenty rounds — an unavailable feature in many other countries, which likely use the standard 30-round or 40-round magazines. The weapon uses a 20 round magazine because 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. The 40 round magazine will not fit on an AMD-65 with a forward handgrip. .
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 it.
[edit] AMD/AKM-63
Another Hungarian AKM variant differs slightly in that it has a full-size buttstock and barrel, with the front sight in the standard location.
[edit] Availability
The AMD-65 was exported to the United States and sold in kits following the destruction of the receiver, in order to be reassembled on a US-made receiver which lacks the mounting holes for the parts that would make it capable of Fully automatic firing. In its original military form the weapon isn't legal for civilians to own in the United States, but the addition of a barrel extension (Or a $200 USD fee to register it as a legal "Short-barreled rifle") and a certain number of US made parts to comply with 922r (Which regulates imported rifles with certain features the BATFE defines as not being suitable for sporting purposes) bring the rifle into compliance with current US firearms law.
