Features

Of note is the fact that no wood is used in the manufacture of large numbers of AMD-65s. The front handguard area is made of perforated sheet metal and typically has a gray plastic vertical foregrip attached to assist in controlling fully automatic fire from this short weapon. In addition, the vertical foregrip has been canted forward to lessen interference with magazine changes. Interestingly, the vertical foregrip is physically identical to the rear grip, with the former simply mounted backwards with respect to the rear. There are, however, wooden grips available which can serve in place of the common gray plastic version. While these wooden grips are also authentic, in the regular Hungarian army and air force, use of wooden grips is extremely rare.

In Hungarian service, the weapon is mainly used with magazines which can hold 30 rounds (standard magazine) but a special variant (popularly known in the past as "officer's magazine") is also available, which can only hold twenty rounds – an unusual feature in many other countries, who more often use the standard 30-round or 40-round magazines. The weapon is better suited to a 20 round magazine, as it can be locked into the receiver without interfering with the forward handgrip and it is easier to handle the weapon in tight quarters. The 30 round magazine does fit with some slight interference, but the 40 round magazine will not fit on an AMD-65 with a forward handgrip.

The short barrel length compiled with the short sight radius makes the weapon less accurate than its full length cousin but the increased mobility offsets this shortcoming.

AMD/AKM-63

Another Hungarian AKM variant formerly used as Hungary's standard service rifle before being replaced by the AK-63. It is a standard-length AKM variant with a standard buttstock and full-length barrel, with the front sight in the standard location. However, the front and rear pistol grips and sheet metal handguard are similar to those of the AMD-65.