Simonov AO-63

History of the Simonov AO-63

The Simonov AO-63 is a double-barreled assault rifle developed by the Soviet Union in the mid-1980s. The design features an "up and down" barrel configuration, giving it a very unique look in the world of assault rifles.

Otherwise, the general configuration of the rifle is conventional, including a shoulder rest, jacketed forearm, and pistol grip. The AO-63 is loaded with a 5.45x39mm intermediate cartridge and fired from a standard 100-round drum. Additionally, the weapon accepts a curved AK-74-style detachable magazine with 30, 40 and 45 round capacities.

Design work took place in 1986 and was completed by Sergei Simonov before his death in the same year. Additional work was done by Peter Tkachev, whose working model was produced through the Russian Industrial Service TsNITochMash.

Published figures for the AO-63 design include an overall weight of 3.68kg and an overall length of 890mm. Internal operations are conventional gas operations, where a rate of fire of 850 to 6,000 (!) rounds per minute can be achieved. While that's an impressive statistic, there's no mention of keg cooling or abuse of internal behavior -- issues that will manifest over time, of course.

The total range is reported to be 1,000 meters, but the effect is usually achieved within 600 meters.

Specification

BASICS

Year of Service

1986

Origins

Soviet Union

Categories

Experimental assault rifle

Manufacturer

TsNIITochMash - USSR

Carrier

Soviet Union

Roles

Auto function

Has mechanical features to automate the firing process.

Assault Rifle

A modern class of long guns with selected fire characteristics, automatic internals and magazine feeding.

Dimensions and Weight

Overall Length

890mm

35.04 at

Cured weight

8.11 lbs

3.68 kg

Attractions

Front and rear iron

Action

Gas Power

Gas Power

proposes a pneumatic system that typically consists of a cylinder and a rear drive piston that directs power to the bolt assembly.

Cartridges and Paper Feeds

Caliber*

5.45x39mm

Circle/Feed

30, 40 or 45 rounds detachable magazine; 100 rounds drum

POWER

Maximum efficiency. Arrived

2,000 feet

(610m | 667m)

Rate of fire

850

Number of revolutions

VARIANTS

AO-63 - Name of Basic Series