The AO-63 is a Soviet twin-barreled, AK-derived assault rifle chambered for the 5.45×39mm round. It was designed by Sergei Simonov and Peter Tkachev, and manufactured by TsNIITochMash. It uses a side-by-side barrel configuration, primarily to fire in two-round burst mode with a 0.01 second delay to increase ballistic performance.
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Development
The AO-63 assault rifle was used by the Spetsnaz during the Abakan trials in May/June 1986, in search of a more accurate alternative to replace the standard issue AK-74. It was described in the official report as being highly accurate as well as simple and reliable; despite its accuracy and performance, it was later dropped out of the competition for unknown reasons, with the AN-94 emerging victorious.
Overview
The AO-63 is a gas-operated, 5.45×39mm caliber, AK-derived twin-barreled assault rifle. The weapon has side by side barrels with the right barrel predominant, twin rotating bolts/gas pistons and ejects from both sides. The trigger group has a three-position selector on the right side of the receiver, the first is semi auto firing one barrel, the second in full auto firing both barrels with a 0.01 second delay, the third is unique as at first it fires a two-round burst then one barrel in 850 rounds/min full auto. The magazine is unusual as it has the main double column holding 30 rounds with a single column holding 15 rounds.
Gallery
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Trivia
The mockup of the "AO-63" as seen in Red Scorpion.
In the 1989 film Red Scorpion, a weapon resembling the description of an AO-63 was featured. Many times on the Internet has this weapon been described as the AO-63. In reality the prop was built on an FN FAL, with a modified stock, two barrels in an over/under configuration, and a Lewis pan magazine on top of the receiver.
References
- AO-63 assault rifle video
- AO-63 assault rifle
- Source 1
- Source 2 (In Russian)
- Ружье" 1_1998 "Эйнштейн, Чехов и Платон?
- Oruzhie magazine, Pages 6/7/8, Issue No1 1998.
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