KAC PDW
Summary
| Country | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Category | Submachine gun |
| Manufacturer | Knight's Armament Company |
Technical specifications
| KAC PDW | |
|---|---|
| Fire Rate | rounds/min. |
| Caliber | 6 x 35 mm |
| Magazine | 30 rounds |
| Length | 710 mm (28.0 in) |
| Weight | 2.0 kg (4.4 lb) |
| Range | 300 m (984 ft) |
Description
The KAC PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) was formally introduced at the 2006 NDIA Small Arms Symposium in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after samples were shown at the earlier 2006 SHOT Show. It is an experimental weapon designed by Knight's Armament Company (KAC), firing a 6mm cartridge optimized for short barrel weapons.
The lower receiver of the KAC PDW, which houses the magazine and trigger assembly, is a shortened M16 rifle lower receiver. The cartridge, upper receiver, and operating mechanism are new designs by KAC. Unlike designs that have their main operating spring in a tube in the stock, the KAC PDW features a completely side-folding stock. The mechanism is operated by two gas pistons that tap hot gas from the barrel, located on the top left and right sides of the bolt carrier. The single mainspring is located on top, between the two gas pistons.
The KAC PDW is chambered for a 6×35mm cartridge, which is over a centimeter shorter than the 5.56×45mm NATO round. The 6mm bullet is slightly wider, and the standard 6×35mm bullet is slightly heavier, than the standard 5.56mm bullet. When fired from a 10-inch barrel, KAC claims that the 6×35mm cartridge reaches a muzzle velocity of 2,450 ft/s, slightly faster than the muzzle velocity of a 5.56 mm cartridge fired from a similarly short barrel. The round's muzzle energy is 831 ft⋅lbf versus 792 ft⋅lbf for a 5.56 mm bullet, again from the same 10" standard barrel. A variant chambered in .300 AAC Blackout is also available.