K59
Z111 Factory · Pistol · In Service · 1959
Also known as: K-59, SN9, Type 59, Vietnamese Makarov
Overview
The K59 is the Vietnamese-produced version of the Chinese Type 59 semi-automatic pistol, itself a licensed copy of the Soviet Makarov PM chambered in 9x18mm Makarov. In Vietnamese service 'K' denotes 'type', and the design is also known by the factory code SN9. It retains the Makarov's simple fixed-barrel blowback action, double-action/single-action hammer-fired trigger, slide-mounted safety and 8-round single-stack magazine. Manufactured at Vietnam's Z111 Factory, the compact steel pistol remains a standard officer and police sidearm of the Vietnam People's Army and public security forces.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 730 g (25.8 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 810 g (28.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 162 mm (6.38") |
| Barrel Length | 93 mm (3.66") |
| Height | 127 mm (5.00") |
| Width | 34 mm (1.34") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 8 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 314 m/s (1030 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 312 J (230 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Bakelite |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 9x18mm Makarov · primary — also known as 9mm Makarov, 9x18 PM, 9x18mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Decocker, Half Cock Notch
- Features: Fixed Barrel, Double Action Single Action Trigger, Single Stack Magazine, Heel Magazine Release, Slide Mounted Safety
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Vietnam People's Army
- Vietnam People's Public Security
Conflicts
- Vietnam War (1955-1975)
- Cambodian-Vietnamese War (1978-1989)
- Sino-Vietnamese War (1979)
Production
Production years: 1960s-present
Locally produced at Vietnam's Z111 Factory; exact output figures are not publicly disclosed.
Origin
Country of origin: Vietnam
Designer: Nikolai Makarov (original design)
Notes
Vietnamese small-arms designations prefix 'K' (from the Vietnamese word for 'type'); the K54 is the Tokarev-pattern Type 54 and the K59 is the Makarov-pattern Type 59. Mechanically identical to the Chinese Type 59 and Soviet Makarov PM.
Background
In the Vietnam People's Army the 'K' prefix simply means 'type', so the Makarov-pattern K59 and the Tokarev-pattern K54 sit side by side in the same naming lineage as the Chinese and Soviet guns they were copied from.