Romanian PM md. 65, 7.62x39 AK47

In 1965 the Romanian PM md. 65 stamped receiver folding stock variant entered service. The md. 65 was designated as the Pistol Mitraliera model 65. The export version was designated as the AIMS. Early versions of the md. 65 used steel strut arms similar to those used on the milled receiver Russian AKS. Early models also used hardwood palm swelled lower handguards. Later models used stamped struts and the iconic “dongle”. The only difference between the md. 65 and md. 63 is the rear pointing lower handgrip.  The rear pointing “dongle” allowed the underfolding stock to be completely retracted. Other than the folding stock, the md. 65 is an exact copy of the PM md. 63. Selector markings for the military issued md. 65 consist of the letters S, FA, and FF. The export version selector markings were S, A, and R. Most md 65 rifles use a muzzle nut, as the slant muzzle breaks did not enter service until the late 1970s. The navy is the only remaining large scale operator of the md. 65 due to its compact size.