The AO-36 was a prototype twin-barrel assault rifle of Soviet origin, developed in the 1960s.
Development[]
The AO-36 was designed at TsNII TochMash in 1965 by Sergei Simonov and Peter Tkachev. The twin-barrel design was intended to produce a higher hit probability when the rifle was fired from a standing position. However, the AO-36 proved heavy, difficult to field strip and much more expensive to produce than the AKM. Only a single prototype was produced.
Simonov and Tkachev would later partner again to produce a similar twin-barrel assault rifle, the AO-63, as a candidate for Project Abakan. This weapon was also not developed further.
Overview[]
The AO-36 was a twin barrel, gas operated select-fire rifle chambered for an experimental 5.6mm round, the 13MZH (13МЖВ), which was derived from the 7.62×39mm cartridge. The weapon fired both barrels simultaneously: the operation uses one gas piston with a gas block tapped from both barrels, acting on one bolt group using a tilting bolt. The AO-36 is fed from a single box magazine, internally divided into two double-column feeds: the capacity of this magazine is not clear.
References[]
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