Looking for a nice AK? Check these out

[smartshooter.45]

ive been lurking around the net the last few months just checking out prices for the popular systems out there. i stumbled across this yesterday. $549 for a NIB AMD 65. nice looking gun. ive been seeing the WASR-10's go for $549 NIB which is about $200 more then 6 to 8 months ago. the AMD 65 is built with higher tolerances and has a better trigger system. looks like a damn fine deal. AIM does a good job too.

does anyone have any firsthand experience with this rifle? id sure like to here your thoughts if you have.

http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Hungarian_FEG_AMD-65_7.62x39_Rifle.html

cheers

 

[WardenWolf]

That forearm is hideous. I'm going to say that first off. The wire stock also ain't exactly pretty.

Personally, I'd pass. The forearm and buttstock require receiver mods which will prevent it from ever accepting standard AK furniture (unlike Tantal-style stocks and other forearms which drop into standard receivers). What you get is a proprietary AK setup that's not capable of ever being anything else, and with poor parts availability. It negates two of the main reasons for owning an AK: the ability to customize it however you want, and the ability to get parts from countless sources. If all you want is an AK-type rifle that you can shoot and enjoy, it may be for you. If you have dreams of wood furniture or other AK accessories, stay away.

 

[Hostile Amish]

The forearm is bad, and the stock looks like it's almost illegal.

 

[Sam1911]

Wow. Maybe I'm missing something. Looks like the garden variety AMD-65 to me. There were a whole lot of those kits floating around a few years ago and a lot of guys built them.

Not really a comfortable looking gun, to me, but what in the world is so odd, unusual or "illegal" about it?

Search for AMD-65 and see how many hits you get. These things were not as common as the Romanian "G" guns, but close, for a while.

-Sam

 

[yoshi76]

Yes it is just a Hungarian AMD-65 with synthetic furniture. You see these being issued to Iraqi soldiers in the news. I am not sure why people are surprised about them either they have been around. I kind of like them but I hear the buttstock is a bit uncomfortable.

 

[HeatFan77]

The Hungarian AMD is a unique AK variant. Why would you want to change it into something it's not?

 

[Geneseo1911]

I just can't get past the AMD steel forearm. It's like they were trying to make it hideous.

You can buy a more traditional AK at Classic Arms for the same price, and it comes with more crap.

If you like that look, by all means go for it, but it's not for me.

 

[Prince Yamato]

I admit, I never liked these until I held one. You have to sort of "think" about it for a second, then it grows on you. They're actually not bad guns.

 

[nalioth]

the AMD 65 is built with higher tolerances and has a better trigger system.

Really?

It's manufactured here in the USA by Century's [strike]un[/strike]trained monkey assembly team from cut up military rifles.

Both the WASR and this rifle use the same trigger components (courtesy of 922r).

I'd rather have the WASR - less monkey shines.

 

[pat86323]

We used to sell these at a place i worked the only real complaints that i had were the buttstock was kinda goofy and that forward pistol grip was downright inconvenient. When loading a 30 round mag into it the end of the mag is only about 1/2 an inch from the pistol grip when you try to remove that mag it can be a real pain in the neck. Just my 2 cents.

 

[WardenWolf]

My major complaint is that this particular folding stock requires that the receiver have no rear tang. That effectively ruins it, in my opinion, because if you decide you don't like that stock or it breaks, you can't replace it easily. There's a lot better ways to do a folding stock than that. About a year ago, I saw Polish Tantal stocks available for $10 each. Last I saw they were a bit more than that, but they're out there. Those, at least, drop right in with no alterations on a standard receiver that can still accept a fixed stock. There's also ways to achieve that basic forearm configuration without proprietary parts (Romanian furniture, anyone?).

 

[nalioth]

We used to sell these at a place i worked the only real complaints that i had were the buttstock was kinda goofy and that forward pistol grip was downright inconvenient. When loading a 30 round mag into it the end of the mag is only about 1/2 an inch from the pistol grip when you try to remove that mag it can be a real pain in the neck. Just my 2 cents.

Ya know, they say the same thing about the Romy G rifles.

1) The Kalashnikov was not made for "gunslinging" (reloading in > 1 second was not a design consideration)

2) Most owners of the AMD-65 and Romy G that I know, can run their mags just fine. It just takes more practice than one can gets while standing at the gun counter.

 

[Sam1911]

My major complaint is that this particular folding stock requires that the receiver have no rear tang. That effectively ruins it, in my opinion, because if you decide you don't like that stock or it breaks, you can't replace it easily.

Would that make an AKS-74 "ruined" as well? It uses a proprietary rear trunion with built-in hinge so that when the stock is folded the rear of the receiver is flat. Having a tang sticking out would be a lot less than optimal.

The only difference I can see is that I would want to change out an AMD or Tantal's butt stock to something comfortable, and you'd have to be nuts to want to ditch the AKS version!

Just wondering...

-Sam

 

[WardenWolf]

The point is, there's other folding stocks available that don't require a modified receiver. The Polish one has a mounting block that comes out of the rear of the receiver, making it nearly flat with the stock folded. There's lots of ways to do a folder. Ideally, though, you don't want a modified receiver.

 

[nalioth]

The only difference I can see is that I would want to change out an AMD or Tantal's butt stock to something comfortable

The East German, Polish and Romanian side folding stocks are not permanently attached to the rifle. They attach to the regular stock tang.

The AMD-65, otoh, has an integral wire stock and hinge that cannot be removed w/o completely reworking the receiver.

 

[Sam1911]

The AMD-65, otoh, has an integral wire stock and hinge that cannot be removed w/o completely reworking the receiver.

Right, I understand. The AKS-74 and AK-10X series use a folding stock that is not easily changed as well. The hinge is part of the rear trunion, so there is no tang, which makes them shorter overall when folded. (Well, shorter than they would be with the tang-style folding stock, anyway.)

The big difference seems to be that someone would WANT to swap out an AMD stock and it would be a pain, whereas the chances of an AKS or AK-101 stock being undesirable would be pretty small.

Another thing, perhaps worthy of mention, is that, if I remember correctly, the AMDs all have to have a pinned and welded longer-than-stock flash hider to make 16".

-Sam

 

[nalioth]

The big difference seems to be that someone would WANT to swap out an AMD stock and it would be a pain, whereas the chances of an AKS or AK-101 stock being undesirable would be pretty small.

Yeah, wire stocks suck (fortunately, most of 'em can be exchanged for a fixed stock 'when the glamour fades').

 

[Sam1911]

Yeah, wire stocks suck (fortunately, most of 'em can be exchanged for a fixed stock 'when the glamour fades').

Heh. Yeah, well, I've still got the Tapco "pasti-tastic" folder on my Romy... talk about the glamor fading!

-Sam

 

[femoralis]

I don't think that is a century product. I don't know the manufacturer.

I do believe these rifles require you to use the included usa made magazine for parts compliance, unless you switch out some other parts.

 

[Sam1911]

I don't think that is a century product. I don't know the manufacturer.

I do believe these rifles require you to use the included usa made magazine for parts compliance, unless you switch out some other parts.

Wow, my feelings towards AIM would drop by a mile if that was the case and they didn't inform folks of it! And I don't see any mention on the advertisement that such is the case. Could be, though.

I'd guess the following are US parts:
Flash-hider (though it becomes part of the barrel, so non-issue anyway)
Hammer
Trigger
Disconnector
pistol grip
handguard/front grip
maybe the gas piston?
And probably the barrel, right? If these are recent-import kits, they'll need new barrels.

Thoughts?

Has anyone called or emailed AIM to check this?

At least they do sell it with a 20-rd. mag, which I believe is appropriate for how these guns were usually issued.

-Sam

 

[sadp40]

really like the amd-63

its an amd-65 with a regular stock, i been

hunting one for a while.


the regular ones are nice if they have the wood furniture.

these guns were designed to be used with 20 rounders

that why the 20 rounders are Hungarian.

i think they are a neat AK variant just like ak-103's or krinks or

whatever.

not all AR's/M4's are alike either.

heck i like them all.

 

[Gunfighter123]

The AMD - 65 is one of my favorite AKs and I own WAY MORE then one AK.

They work fine with 30 rd. stick mags or 75 rd. drum mags -- most anyone who owns one will tell you the same thing.

There are two basic AMDs being sold. One uses the original Hungarian barrel -- it IS chrome lined and the front sight/ gas block are closer to the hand guard. These use FEG receivers. Most are being built by TGI.

The other AMDs being built are made with a NODAK or other receiver and a US made non-chrome barrel ---- on these the front sight is around 4" past the end of the hand guard.

The wire stock takes some getting used to -- you do not have a proper cheek weld on it but shoot with a more "heads up " stance.

The "weird" muzzle brake works great and makes the AMDs one of the least recoiling AKs there are.

They are slimmer , lighter and with the front hand grip , one of the best AKs made.

 

[pat86323]

Just for the record i have shot these rifles in the field not just behind the gun counter. A good buddy of mine bought one against my advice and hes had it for like 2 years and still has problems getting a spent mag out.

 

[Domino]

The AMD-65 AK's do nothing for me personally. The stock is incredibly uncomfortable and wobbly and the pistol foregrip is unnecessary for anything except shooting from the hip.

 

[Camjr]

I really like my AMD-65. I don't have any problem with 30rd magazines. The wire stock is not flimsy or wobbly at all and the sights align quickly with my eye without a cheek weld. I wanted a very compact rifle in 7.62x39 and it fits the bill PERFECTLY for me.

Camjr gives it "two thumbs up"!!

Cheers!