Halcón ML-63
Fábrica de Armas Halcón · Submachine Gun · Discontinued · 1963
Also known as: ML-63
Overview
The Halcón ML-63 (Pistola ametralladora Halcón, Modelo Liviano 1963) is an Argentine 9x19mm Parabellum submachine gun developed in 1963 by Fábrica de Armas Halcón as a simplified, lighter successor to the earlier Halcón M-1943/M-1946 series. Built mostly from steel stampings, it is a simple blowback weapon that fires from a closed bolt using a sliding striker/hammer that is cocked as the bolt closes and released by the trigger. A dual-trigger arrangement selects fire: the front trigger fires single shots and the rear trigger fires fully automatic. The barrel carries a large muzzle compensator, and the extended magazine housing doubles as a forward grip for the support hand.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3600 g (127.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 690 mm (27.17") |
| Folded Length | 500 mm (19.69") |
| Barrel Length | 170 mm (6.69") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Magazine Capacity | 42 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 350 m/s (1148 fps) |
| Effective Range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 600 rpm |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
Calibers
- 9x19mm Parabellum · primary · 9mm NATO — also known as 9mm Luger, 9mm NATO, 9x19mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Features: Muzzle Compensator, Extended Magazine Housing Foregrip, Dual Trigger Fire Selection, Telescoping Wire Stock Option
Service history
Operators
- Argentine Army
- Argentine National Gendarmerie
- Argentine Federal Police
Conflicts
- Falklands War (1982)
Production
Production years: 1963-1980s
Used by Argentine armed forces (including during the 1982 Falklands War) and by Argentine police forces until the early 1990s; total production figures are not publicly documented.
Origin
Country of origin: Argentina
Notes
Source figures vary: Modern Firearms lists 690 mm overall (500 mm with stock retracted), 170 mm barrel and 3.6 kg empty, while militaryfactory.com gives conflicting, likely erroneous figures (360 mm overall, 2.6 kg). Magazines are quoted as 20, 30 or 42 rounds depending on source. Offered with either a detachable wooden buttstock or a telescoping steel-wire stock; a suppressed variant existed for clandestine use.
Background
The Halcón ML-63 was Fábrica de Armas Halcón's attempt to modernize Argentina's domestic submachine gun line, replacing the heavier wartime-era M-1943/M-1946 designs with a cheaper, lighter stamped-steel weapon. It is sometimes noted to externally resemble the Italian Beretta Model 38/42 family.