PM-63 RAK
Overview
PM-63
Left side view of Polish PM-63 sub machine gun with stock and forward grip in open position.
Source: Unknown author -
© copyright lies with original owner
1965 (formal adoption)
Piotr Wilniewczyc
1980's (Chinese production)
China
Unlicensed copy
RAK / Ręczny Automat Komandosów
Polish for (commando hand-held weapon)
Type 82 (Chinese production)
East Germany
Vietnam
Description
Introduction
The PM-63 is a sub machine gun of Polish origin. It was developed in the late 1950's as a personal defense weapon for rear echelon troops. For export versions in different calibers were developed, but were never placed in production.
Design
The design is a mix between a pistol and sub machine gun. It uses a straight blowback mechanism and fires from the open bolt position. The unique design feature of the PM-63 is that instead of a normal internal bolt a slide is fitted. The magazine is inserted into the pistol grip. A retractable metal wire stock and foldable forward grip are fitted. To make the weapon more controllable a spoon shaped compensator and a inertia based rate reducer are fitted.
Firepower
The PM-63 fires the 9x18mm Makarov round from double stack 15 or 25 round magazines. Fire modes are semi-automatic and automatic at a rate of fire of 650 rpm. The maximum effective range is quoted as 150 meters. With automatic fire this range is much reduced.
Users
The main user of the PM-63 was Poland and small quantities were exported to East Germany, Vietnam and various Arab nations. An unlicenced copy was produced in China as the Type 82 and has been exported to several nations with close ties to China.
Variants
PM-63
Right side view of PM-63 with stock and forward grip in folded position.
Source: Unknown author -
© copyright lies with original owner
PM-63
The PM-63 is a sub machine gun that is easily identified by its many unique features. The external slide, foldable forward grip and spoon type compensator make it easy to identifiy. A PM-70 in 9x19mm and PM-73 in .380 ACP have been developed but were never produced in quantity.
Type 82
The Type 82 is a Chinese production model. This is a reverse engineered model that was produced without license. The Type 82 is reported to be very similar but not identical to the PM-63. It is chambered for 9x18mm Makarov.
Details
Related articles
IMI Uzi
At a glance the PM-63 looks rather similar to the Uzi but actually uses a very different design.
Heckler & Koch MP7
The German MP7 is a modern personal defense weapon, the same role that the PM-63 was designed to fulfill. Interestingly, it also features a folding forward grip.
SR-2 Veresk
The folding forward grip is also a feature on the Russian SR-2, which is otherwise unrelated.