The AO-63 () is a Soviet two-barrel AK derived assault rifle chambered for the 5.45×39mm round. It was designed by Sergei Simonov and Peter Tkachev, and manufactured by

TsNIITochMash TsNIITochMash (russian: ЦНИИТОЧМАШ) is a Russian industrial design bureau which is a major designer and producer of weapons for the Russian military and MVD National Guard. The name is an initialism for Central Scientific - Research Ins ...

. It uses a side-by-side barrel configuration, and it can reach a maximum

rate of fire Rate of fire is the frequency at which a specific weapon can fire or launch its projectiles. This can be influenced by several factors, including operator training level, mechanical limitations, ammunition availability, and weapon condition. In m ...

of 6000 rounds/min when fired in two-round burst mode with a 0.01 second delay to increase ballistic performance, making it technically the fastest-firing rifle known.

Development

The AO-63 assault rifle was used by the

Spetsnaz Spetsnaz are special forces in numerous post-Soviet states. (The term is borrowed from rus, спецназ, p=spʲɪtsˈnas; abbreviation for or 'Special Purpose Military Units'; or .) Historically, the term ''spetsnaz'' referred to the So ...

during the Abakan trials in May/June 1986, in search of a more accurate alternative to replace the standard issue

AK-74 The AK-74 (Russian: , tr. ''Avtomat Kalashnikova obraztsa 1974 goda'', lit. 'Kalashnikov assault rifle model 1974) is an assault rifle designed by small arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1974. While primarily associated with the Soviet U ...

. 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 The AN-94 (Russian: 5,45-мм автомат Никонова обр. 1987 г. / АН-94 «Абака́н», GRAU designation 6P33) is a Russian assault rifle. The initials stand for ''Avtomat Nikonova'' model of 1994, after its chief designer ...

emerging victorious.

Overview

The AO-63 is a

gas-operated Gas-operation is a system of operation used to provide energy to operate locked breech, autoloading firearms. In gas-operation, a portion of high-pressure gas from the cartridge being fired is used to power a mechanism to dispose of the spent ...

, 5.45×39mm caliber, twin-barrel assault rifle derived from the

Kalashnikov rifle A Kalashnikov (Калашников) rifle is any one of a series of automatic rifles based on the original design of Mikhail Kalashnikov. They are officially known in Russian as "Avtomát Kaláshnikova" ( rus, Автома́т Кала́шник� ...

. 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 3-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 6000rpm burst then one barrel in 850rpm full auto. The magazine is unusual as it has the main double column holding 30 rounds with a single column holding 15 rounds.

References

AO-63 assault rifle videoAO-63 assault rifle
*Ружье" 1_1998 "Эйнштейн, Чехов и Платон? *Oruzhie magazine, Pages 6/7/8, Issue No1 1998. {{AK47 derivatives 5.45×39mm assault rifles Assault rifles of the Soviet Union Multiple-barrel firearms Kalashnikov derivatives Trial and research firearms of the Soviet Union TsNIITochMash products