Simonov AO-63
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 415 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.68 kg
- Introduced
- 1986
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Simonov AO-63 is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 5.45x39mm, produced by TsNIITochMash since 1986. Featuring a 45-round magazine capacity, this assault rifle offers generous firepower for duty use and home defense. The 16.3-inch barrel maximizes accuracy potential and ballistic performance, making this an excellent choice for target shooting, competition, or field use. At 3680g (129.8 oz), this is a substantial firearm whose weight contributes to reduced felt recoil and enhanced stability during precision shooting. The steel frame provides a solid, premium feel with the durability to withstand decades of regular use and thousands of rounds. Safety features include manual safety selector, reflecting modern design standards that prioritize safe handling and operation. This firearm represents its manufacturer's commitment to delivering a well-engineered, reliable product that serves the needs of discerning shooters seeking quality, accuracy, and dependable performance from a proven platform. With over 81 years of firearms manufacturing experience, TsNIITochMash brings established expertise in metallurgy, machining, and quality control to every product in their lineup, ensuring each firearm meets the standards expected by today's demanding market of knowledgeable shooters and professionals.
The AO-63 holds one of the highest rates of fire ever achieved in a shoulder-fired infantry weapon. Its 6,000 RPM burst capability was achieved by firing both barrels in rapid alternation, effectively delivering two rounds before the shooter could physically react to recoil. The weapon was evaluated by Soviet Spetsnaz during the grueling Abakan trials of the late 1980s, but lost to Gennadiy Nikonov's AN-94, which achieved a similar high-burst-rate concept with a single barrel through an innovative recoiling receiver design.
The 6,000 RPM figure represents the instantaneous rate during two-round burst fire, where both barrels fire in rapid sequence with a 0.01-second delay. Sustained automatic fire uses a single barrel at approximately 850 RPM. The weapon accepts 45-round detachable box magazines (with a 30-round double-stack feeding the right barrel and 15-round stack for the left), standard 30-round AK-74 magazines, and 100-round drum magazines. Despite impressive performance in trials, the AO-63 was never adopted due to concerns about barrel cooling, internal mechanism stress, and manufacturing complexity. The AN-94 Nikonov won the Abakan competition instead. Muzzle velocity is estimated as comparable to the AK-74 given identical barrel length and caliber.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- TsNIITochMash
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- Soviet Union
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 1986 to 1986
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 415 mm
- Overall length
- 890 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.68 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 4.20 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 45
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 900 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1391 J
- Effective range
- 600 m
- Maximum range
- 1000 m
- Rate of fire
- 6000 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Dual barrel
Folding stock
Chrome lined barrel
Rotating bolt
Select fire
Drum magazine compatible- Extreme rate of fire
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 25 5.45x39mm assault rifles | 3.68 kg | 3.40 kg | Heavier than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 25 5.45x39mm assault rifles | 890 mm | 940 mm | Shorter than about 60% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 25 5.45x39mm assault rifles | 415 mm | 415 mm | Near the median |
| Magazine capacityAmong 25 5.45x39mm assault rifles | 45 | 30 | Among the largest capacities |
Answers
Questions about the Simonov AO-63
How much does the Simonov AO-63 weigh?
The Simonov AO-63 weighs 3.68 kg (8.11 lb) empty and 4.20 kg (9.26 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Simonov AO-63?
The Simonov AO-63 is chambered in 5.45x39mm.
How many rounds does the Simonov AO-63 hold?
The Simonov AO-63 holds 45 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Simonov AO-63?
The Simonov AO-63 is 890 mm (35.0 in) long overall, with a 415 mm (16.3 in) barrel.
Who makes the Simonov AO-63?
The Simonov AO-63 is made by TsNIITochMash (Russia). It was designed by Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov / Peter Andreevich Tkachev.
When was the Simonov AO-63 introduced?
The Simonov AO-63 was introduced in 1986 and discontinued in 1986.
How does the Simonov AO-63 operate?
The Simonov AO-63 uses a gas operated action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Soviet Spetsnaz (evaluation only)
- Soviet Union
Provenance
Confidence in this record
80%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/simonov-ao-63' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "simonov-ao-63", "name": "Simonov AO-63", "manufacturer": { "id": "tsniitochmash", "name": "TsNIITochMash", "countryCode": "RU", "foundedYear": 1944, "website": null, "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:42", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:40", "version": "9bbb1958205ad1f5c88aa7699c7226f3880b3d5d4006515a4af61041b54d7a65" }, "category": { "id": "assault-rifle", "name": "Assault Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "SU", "year_introduced": 1986, "barrel_length_mm": 415, "weight_empty_g": 3680, "action_type": "gas_operated"}