Kbkg wz. 1960
Fabryka Broni Radom · Assault Rifle · Discontinued · 1960
Also known as: PMK-DGN-60, PMK-60, Karabinek-granatnik wz. 1960
Overview
The Kbkg wz. 1960 is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 7.62x39mm, produced by Fabryka Broni Radom in Poland from 1960. A milled-receiver derivative of the Soviet AK-47, it was designed to double as a grenadier's weapon by integrating a barrel-mounted LON-1 grenade launcher and a gas cut-off valve, allowing a squad rifleman to fire rifle grenades without a dedicated launcher. In the standard role it functions as a conventional AK-pattern assault rifle, feeding from a 30-round detachable box magazine with a cyclic rate of roughly 600 rounds per minute. At 4650g the rifle is heavier than a plain AK-47 owing to the reinforced front sight base, grenade sights, and launcher hardware. Around 5,000 were built primarily for grenadier teams within the Polish Land Forces before production wound down in 1972, making it a relatively scarce and specialised member of the Kalashnikov family.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4650 g (164.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1075 mm (42.32") |
| Barrel Length | 415 mm (16.34") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Long Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 710 m/s (2329 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2009 J (1482 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 300 m (328 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 800 m (875 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 600 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.62x39mm · primary — also known as 7.62x39mm Soviet, 7.62mm M43, .30 Russian Short
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety Selector, Hammer Notch
- Features: Milled Receiver, Integral Grenade Launcher, Gas Cutoff Valve, Flip Up Grenade Sight, Rotating Bolt, Select Fire, Chrome Lined Barrel
Variants
- Kbkg wz. 1960/72 - Improved Model
Service history
Operators
- Polish Land Forces · adopted 1960 · as kbkg wz. 1960
- Palestine Liberation Organization
Conflicts
- Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990)
Production
Estimated total produced: 5,500 · Production years: 1960-1972
Over 5,000 kbkg wz. 1960 plus roughly 500 wz. 1960/72 built at the Radom factory alongside conventional AK/AKM rifles.
Origin
Country of origin: Poland
Designer: Fabryka Broni Radom design bureau
Discontinued: 1972
Notes
Also designated PMK-DGN-60 or PMK-60. The LON-1 grenade launcher screws onto the muzzle and is locked by a spring-loaded plunger in the modified front sight base; a valve on the right of the gas block shuts off propellant gas for grenade launching. A dedicated 10-round magazine and a rubber recoil pad were used when firing grenades. An improved wz. 1960/72 variant (about 500 built) followed. The launcher rifle grenades supplemented, and were later replaced by, the wz. 83 Pallad system.
Background
Poland's answer to giving every rifle squad organic grenade-launching capability, the wz. 1960 let a grenadier flip a gas valve, mount the LON-1 cup, and lob a rifle grenade from the same AK he carried into the fight.