PM-63
Summary
| Country | 🇵🇱 Poland |
| Category | Submachine gun |
| Manufacturer | Peter Wilniewczyc |
Technical specifications
| PM-63 | |
|---|---|
| Fire Rate | 650 rounds/min. |
| Caliber | 9 x 18 mm |
| Magazine | 15 - 25 rounds |
| Length | 583 mm (23.0 in) |
| Weight | 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) |
| Range | 150 m (492 ft) |
Description
Development of the PM-63 RAK began in the late 1950s at the Warsaw University of Technology, initiated in response to a requirement for a lightweight defensive firearm for rear-echelon military personnel. The initial design was led by Piotr Wilniewczyc, assisted by Tadeusz Bednarski, Grzegorz Czubak, and Marian Wakalski. Following Wilniewczyc's death in 1960, the Łucznik Arms Factory in Radom continued development and production until 1977. Adopted by the People's Army of Poland and police in 1965, it was officially designated as the 9 mm pistolet maszynowy wz. 1963. The name RAK comes from the Polish word for cancer or crayfish.
The RAK operates on a selective-fire, straight blowback principle and fires from an open bolt. It includes a reciprocating external slide that reduces the cyclic rate to approximately 650 rounds per minute. The design features a telescopic slide around the barrel and a spoon-shaped muzzle compensator that directs gases upward, aiding in recoil management and enabling one-handed cocking. The firearm consists of the barrel, frame, slide, and magazines. It uses a two-stage progressive trigger for semi-automatic or continuous fire, with a manual safety on the left side. Open type sights are mounted on the slide, with a front blade and a flip rear sight set for 75 and 150 meters. It feeds from 15 or 25-round double-column box magazines inserted into the pistol grip, which also houses the magazine catch. The weapon is equipped with a retractable metal stock and a folding vertical forward grip. A chrome-lined barrel with a 1:10 inch rifling twist is standard. Standard accessories include spare magazines, a holster, sling, pouch, cleaning rod, and lubricant bottle.
Several variants were developed but not produced, including:
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The PM-70, chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum
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The PM-73, chambered in .380 ACP (9×17mm)
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A silenced version
Small numbers of the PM-63 were exported after its adoption in 1965, with markets including several Arab countries, Vietnam, and the former East Germany. The People's Republic of China produced an unlicensed version known as the Type 82, derived from specimens captured during the Sino-Vietnamese conflicts, and sold to politically allied nations in Asia. The PM-63 saw use during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, where Poland donated an unspecified quantity.
Current users include Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, China (Type 82), Cuba, Iraq, North Korea, Syria, Vietnam, and Ukraine. Former state users were East Germany, Poland, and the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. Non-state actors include the Palestine Liberation Organization's Arab Liberation Front and the Tamil Tigers.