AMD-65
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AMD-65 | |
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Users | |
Wars |
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Production history | |
Designed | 1965 |
Manufacturer | Fegyver- és Gépgyár[5] |
Produced | 1965–1980 |
Specifications | |
Mass | 3.2 kg (7.1 lbs) empty 3.8 kg (8. lb) |
Length | 847 mm (34.4 in) stock extended/ 648 mm (27 in) stock folded |
Barrel length | 317 mm (12.5 in) |
Cartridge | 7.62×39mm |
Caliber | 7.62mm |
Action | Gas-operated |
Rate of fire | 650 rounds/min |
Muzzle velocity | 731 m/s (2,398 ft/s) |
Feed system | 20-round detachable box magazine
30-round detachable box magazine Also compatible with 40-round box magazines and 75-roundIron sights |
AMD-65 (
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.
Features
Compared to the
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 20 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 is stiffer and more inherently accurate, but the poor quality of commonly available ammunition negates this advantage.
AKM-63
Another Hungarian AKM variant was used as Hungary's standard service rifle before being replaced by the AK-63. It is a standard-length AKM variant, with a standard buttstock and full-length barrel. The front sight is in the standard location. However, the front and rear pistol grips and sheet metal handguard are similar to those of the AMD-65.
Modernisation - AMD-65M
During the late 2000s, a modernization program started for the AK-63.
The modernisation included Picatinny rails, new handgrips, underbarrel grenade launcher, new sights, and flashlights.
- CAA CBS+ACP telescopic stock
- Brügger & Thomet BT-21428 gas block
- Side mount (unknown type)
- Heckler & Koch M320 Grenade Launcher Module
- Aimpoint CompM2 sight (B&T BT-21741 QD ring 30 mm ultrahigh heavy type)
- Aimpont 3×Magsight (B&T BT-211115 Flip-side QD base mount, B&T BT-211113 Flip-side QD ring)
- Insight Technology AN/PEQ-2 Target Pointer/Illuminator/Aiming Light (TPIAL) laser sight
- CAA BP Grip with bipod
- CAA AG47 handgrip
Users
- Angola: Used by Cuban forces in Angola, stocks captured and reused by UNITA.
- Afghanistan: Used by the Afghan National Police.[6]
- Georgia: 1186 rifles were delivered in 2008[7][8]
- Hungary[9]
- Lebanon: Used by several factions during the Lebanese Civil War, 1975-1990.
- Libya[10]
- Morocco: Used by Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie.[11]
- Mozambique: Used by FRELIMO and RENAMO forces during the civil war, 1975-1991[citation needed]
- Panama: Used by National Border Service (SENAFRONT), National Aeronaval Service (SENAN) and Institutional Protection Service (SPI).
- Slovenia[12]
- South Africa:Used by South African Special Forces of 5 Reconnaissance Commando during the South African Border War and Angolan Civil War. [citation needed]
- Sudan[2]
- Sudan People's Liberation Army[2]
- Syria[13]
- Tanzania[14]
- United States: Used by American special forces such as the Army Green Berets in Vietnam and Afghanistan.[9]
- Vietnam: Used during Vietnam War.[1][15]
Former users
Availability in the United States
Many AMD-65s were exported to the United States 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
In summary, the semi-automatic version of the AMD-65, when re-manufactured as detailed above, is now legal for civilian use in most states.
Use by foreign military and private security companies
The AMD-65 has been exported to the
The metal front handguard lends itself well to a relatively easy refit with multiple picatinny rails/MIL-STD-1913 rails, allowing red-dot optics, tactical lights and other accessories to be easily attached then used. The wire buttstock rod can be reshaped to load 75-round RPK drum magazines with ease even with the stock folded, and the weapon's internal mechanism can be tuned with aftermarket recoil dampers for smoother behaviour in full-auto mode.
Gallery
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U.S. Marine CorpsCpl. Cory J. Becker, of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, shows Afghan National Police recruits different firing positions using an AMD-65 assault rifle on Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan, June 3, 2008.
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Afghan National Police women qualify on the AMD-65 rifle during the tactical training program portion of the police basic training course at Kabul Military Training Center, April 13, 2010.
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A group of Afghan National Police (ANP) train on the shooting range with the AMD-65 at Camp Shouz in Herat Province of Afghanistan.
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An Afghan National Police officer training with shooting using an AMD-65, in July 2010.
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Select fire AMD-65
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Modernized Custom Built AMD-65
See also
References
- ^ a b Shawn (22 November 2019). "AMD-65 In The Vietnam War". Loose Rounds. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
- ^ a b c "Sudan - Global trade, local impact: Arms Transfers to all Sides in the Civil War in Sudan" (PDF). Human Rights Watch Report. 10 (4): 25. August 1998.
- ISSN 1765-0828.
- ^ "Another look at Brazil's crime weapons".
- ^ Kalashnikov AMD-65 Machine Carbine. Archived August 22, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on August 25, 2008.
- ISBN 978-0230581029.
- ^ О военной помощи Грузии со стороны иностранных государств // "Зарубежное военное обозрение", № 6 (735), 2008. стр.94-95
- ^ "Georgian Soldier with AMD-65 | BullyAChallenge! | Flickr". Archived from the original on 2019-06-18. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
- ^ ISBN 087349914X.
- ^ "World Infantry Weapons: Libya". Archived from the original on 5 October 2016.
- ^ "Forces Armées Royales القوات المسلحة الملكية". facebook.com. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
- ^ Jane's Defence Weekly, Volume 16. Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd, 1991, Collected Issues 1990-91. pp. 48–49.
- ^ "Syrian War Trophies of the Russian Armed Forces". Silah Report. 2019-09-12. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-11-24. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Lee Ann Quann on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- ISBN 9780850456028.
- ^ "FEG AMD-65 Assault Rifle - Hungary". Archived from the original on 2018-02-03. Retrieved 2018-02-02.