A quick apology for the photographs: I know the magazine is incorrect - but I couldn't find a suitable 7.62mm 30 round magazine in time. Sorry!

Airsoft has truly come a long way. Only three short years ago, the only widely accessible AK variant you could buy was the much beloved Tokyo Marui AK47. Times have changed though, and now there are all manners of manufacturers offering variants of everything from the antique 47 through to the state-of-the art 100 series. With Kalashnikov variants so common on the field, it’s very hard to have a rifle which stands out any longer...

The Hungarian AMD-65 or (Automatic Modified Descent 1965) is one of the more oddball variants of the Automat Kalashnikov), perhaps due to its origins in Hungary. Distinctive amongst the AK-inspired family by its replacement of standard foregrips (instead the upper gas block was naked, with a vented sheet metal shroud for the main barrel) with an inverted pistol fore-grip and folding shaft-style stock, the uninitiated be forgiven for expecting to find RIS mounts upon the upper receiver.

Thankfully (or perhaps not, if that is what floats your boat), the AMD-65 hailed from a simpler (or perhaps more sensible) time, where the foregrip and folding stock were modifications made in order to make it more suitable for use by armoured infantry troops (within the confines of armoured vehicles) and paratroopers (for whom folding stock variants became common within the Soviet era).

Otherwise, the AMD-65 remains fairly similar to its AKM brother. Using the same 7.62x39mm rounds as the AKM, the only other significant modification was the use of a flash-hider designed to help reduce muzzle flash and sound.

The flash-hider is perhaps the only feature which many will find more attractive than its better known Russian cousins, but beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder. To many this rifle will appeal due to its oddball and distinctive styling. But am I one of them?

I have to confess I was somewhat ambivalent when first asked by Ryh Yeou to review their new AMD-65, but once the rifle arrived, I have to say I quickly started to find myself developing a soft spot for the AKM’s ugly brother.

However, one thing which struck me about the rifle as I removed it from its packaging was how timeless in design it seemed, in the flesh. Without the laminated wood which so dates its Soviet kin, the AMD-65 could easily be passed off to the unaware as a CQB variant of an AK, with the only hint at its past being its traditional ‘47’ style ribbed 7.62mm magazine and upper ribbed receiver cover.

Another strong impression was of the weight and solidity of the rifle. Ryh Yeou worked previously as a manufacturer operating on behalf of Inokatsu, and this association shows. Upon first impressions, there is very little to separate the rifle from an Inokatsu AMD-65, either in weight, quality of materials or finish. Unlike Inokatsu clone manufacturers such as Unicorn, the AMD-65 has a smooth and glossy finish to the receiver (in contrast to all other Inokatsu rifles I own, which have a matt and textured finish), with all components feeling solid and sturdy. All metal components appear to be solid steel (including the barrel and flash hider), with the plastic pistol grips both having a slightly rubberised, high quality feel to them. I was further impressed by the inclusion of what appear to be appropriate Hungarian trademarks on the receiver – no Izmash factory brands from a Russian AK, as you might find on a home-made alternative!

Racking back the bolt cover revealed some tiny criticisms, sadly. The bolt cover, while vastly superior to the shoddy Unicorn offering, or the mould-line-tastic Marui alternative, simply couldn’t match up to the older after-market Guarder bolt cover which I prefer to use on my AK variants. In a similar (but much better built) idea to the Unicorn bolt, the RY bolt cover appears to have been created using plate steel folded and welded to an unobtrusive (almost invisible unless removed from the rifle) metal rod. Externally however the bolt feels just as solid as the rest of the rifle, making this a minor niggle, as I have yet to encounter a bolt cover included with an AK that I did not want to replace.

Another small niggle was encountered when removing the upper cover – it was a tad too stiff. Nothing to worry about though – it came off eventually. The car-fuse style fusebox (as seen on other brands such as DBoys) did make space very tight inside with the bolt when fitting a stick battery, also. I usually wrap my batteries in black electrical tape to conceal them when racking the bolt, but the tightness was such that I was forced to partially peel it back in order to ensure a comfortable fit. A minor issue, but one that should be noted.

Other than this, there was little to fault the rifle in appearance. The rear painted sight suggested RY had taken the time to produce a good quality rifle and not spare effort on the finish.

In order to help me test the rifle straight out of the box, RY had kindly included a V3 gearbox (which appeared very similar to, if not actually, one from VFC) hop-up chamber and inner-barrel, meaning I was lucky enough (and very pleasantly surprised) to find the rifle was fully assembled upon delivery!
With a receiver presumably based upon the Inokatsu AMD-65, I was pleased to discover that the rifle supports a wide range of different AK magazines – especially as I realised, upon receiving the rifle, that I didn’t have any ribbed 7.62mm magazines in the house! After trying G&G (plum 74 5.45 style), Unicorn and MAG (Bakelite 74 5.45 style) 30 rounder-type magazines, I was quite amused to discover the rifle also was happy with Hero Arms and various clone 75 round drum magazines...

...But only with the stock extended. This in itself isn’t a problem...provided you have the strength of ten men. The stock release button, based at the underside of the receiver at its rear, is stiff to say the least. More accurately, to release it required squeezing the rear of the rifle while uttering an obligatory curse. Presumably this problem will either reduce over time or with sufficient silicone oil, but for now it can pose a frustrating few moments while the user gathers the strength to force the button in.

Test firing the rifle makes up for this minor setback, however. Using Component Shop assembled 9.6v 1400mah stick NIMH batteries, I was very pleased with a test dry fire (don’t try this at homes kids) to discover that the rate of fire was almost astronomically high – the manufacturer’s claim of 850-950 rpm certainly isn’t optimistic. The motor powering the gearbox within is clearly designed to deal with much more powerful springs than the average Marui EG700 (with which I am more acquainted), and I confess to being a little concerned that this incredible rate of fire was at the expense of a weak spring...

...I needn’t have worried. Using a Combro CB-625 chronometer set , the rifle shot gave a range of 306-316 in output, suggesting a 1 Joule spring had been thoughtfully included by RY to ensure that the rifle was legal for the UK. For the rifle to have such a rate of fire at this level of output frankly was amazing for someone who has hitherto only used Marui, Unicorn or (very briefly) Guay & Guay gearboxes. The accuracy of the rifle in the limited space available to assess it suggested that the inner barrel was as accurate as the 6.04mm tight bores fitted in my other rifles, making this a terrifying proposition for short range conflicts...

A detailed skirmish review of the piece will follow shortly. For now though I can comment (as I would imagine other AMD-65 users would) that the rifle is very comfortable to use with the stock extended or closed, with the rubber stock butt not growing any more uncomfortable over longer use. The foregrip (despite my admitted initial cynicism) did seem to help acquire targets faster. I must confess I would have liked to have added the Kobra (as inauthentic as that may be), but RY’s commitment to authenticity denied me the opportunity; the AMD-65, like most of its real steel equivalents, lacks a side mount for scopes.

It should also be worth mentioning, for those unused to Inokatsu rifles, that the weight of the replica might be a factor worth considering for those certain medical conditions and high levels of unfitness (though I am far from military standards myself, as my gut will attest...). Like most Inokatsu rifles, its solid build quality means the player can expect to be carrying around a rifle considerably heavier (at just over 3kg) than most airsoft replicas. This is a small price to pay however for a rifle that looks and feels (in my eyes at least) very close to the real thing.

Overall, the RY AMD-65 has offered a bit of a break from the norm for me – at least, that is, the most an airsofter who only uses AK variants can expect to have. Ergonomically the rifle is comfortable and versatile to use, is sturdily assembled from good quality parts, and has an excellent visual impression thanks to its impressive finish. As an airsofting replica, the rifle appears very skirmish friendly thanks to its compatibility with a wide range of branded magazines, although its stiff stock release could cause problems in the heat of a moment when the rifle is just a little too long...

As a rifle offering a high likelihood of exclusivity at the average skirmish, the RY AMD-65’s quoted price tag of ‘around $440 USD’ (about £220) seems reasonable to those looking for a high quality rifle which will stand out from the crowd, or for enthusiasts / collectors looking to produce a niche loadout / an uncommon weapon. Make no mistake that this rifle will divide opinion at your local site though; some may think its oddball looks are amazing, while others may consider it to be too much of an Eastern-Block freak show. For this airsofter though, firsthand experience of the rifle has earned it a huge fan.

Edit: as an update, some users familiar with the real steel have commented that the stock is lower than the real AMD-65, and that the fire selector markings are wrong. I entirely agree with these remarks after careful comparison with photographs. I believe these are identical on the Inokatsu variant - can an Inokatsu AMD-65 owner verify this?