AKM-63 and AKM-80 Assault Rifle Romanian Weapons

The AKM-80 Assault Rifle is the carbine variant of the AKM-63 Assault Rifle; the primary changes are the chopped barrel and lighter sort of folding stock. It is also able to accept a 20 round magazine in addition to the normal 30-round magazine. The barrel is so short that it can be difficult to control, and the lack of a flash suppressor does not help with the massive muzzle blast. Compared to the AKM-63 Assault Rifle, the AKM-80 Assault Rifle is rare, but the AKM-63 Assault Rifle was produced in such large numbers that this is not saying much. The AKM-80 Assault Rifle cannot mount a bayonet, nor can it mount a grenade launcher.

This Romanian variant of the AKM is not only one of the most unique-looking AKM variants; it is also one of the lightest. This is achieved by extensive use of plastics, light alloys, and light woods. The AMK-63 features a foregrip (though later models dispensed with this to make manufacturing easier and to allow the attachment of a grenade launcher). India purchased about 100,000 of the AKM-63 due to the problems with acquiring 5.56mm ammunition for its new INSAS assault rifle and difficulties with finding someone who would replace their aging FN-FALs and L-1A1s; these AKM-63s are in the process of being replaced by the now-available INSAS and new purchases of Tavor-series rifles from Israel.

AKM-63 Assault Rifle

 A very large portion of the Romanian Army was still armed with the AKM-63 or AKM-80 at the start of the
Twilight War. In addition, a large amount of replacement handguards were also manufactured to replace the ones with foregrips and allow a larger use of GP-25 and AG-40 grenade launchers. India started to receive AKM-63s in 1994, but the shipments abruptly ceased in early 1995 after the Indians had received a mere 8,000 of them. The AKM-80 was a fairly common weapon among vehicle crews and certain command personnel; though Romania did not have much in the way of a special operations capability, the AKM-80 was also used by those special ops soldiers she did have. The Romanians Assault Rifle had managed to dump virtually all of their AKM-63s on the international military and civilian markets in favor of newer weapons. Aside from India, the best place to find an AKM-63 was in Africa or Southeast Asia.