P-83 Wanad
Fabryka Broni Lucznik-Radom · Pistol · Discontinued · 1984
Also known as: Wanad, 9 mm pistolet wz. 1983, wz. 83
Overview
The P-83 Wanad is a Polish blowback-operated, double-action/single-action semi-automatic pistol chambered in 9x18mm Makarov. Developed at the Osrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy research institute in Radom during the 1970s and adopted in 1984, it replaced the P-64 as the standard sidearm of the Polish military and police. To cut manufacturing costs, the design made extensive use of stamped sheet metal and spot welding, and improved on its predecessor with an eight-round magazine, an external slide-catch lever, and a combined slide-mounted safety and hammer-drop lever.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 730 g (25.8 oz) |
| Overall Length | 165 mm (6.50") |
| Barrel Length | 90 mm (3.54") |
| Height | 130 mm (5.12") |
| Width | 33 mm (1.30") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 8 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 320 m/s (1050 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 |
| 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, Hammer Drop Safety
- Features: Da Sa Trigger, External Slide Catch, Wraparound Grips, Integral Lanyard Ring, Chrome Lined Barrel, Sheet Metal Construction
Service history
Operators
- Polish Armed Forces · adopted 1984 · as 9 mm pistolet wz. 1983
- Polish Police · adopted 1984
Production
Production years: 1984-2000s
Produced at Fabryka Broni in Radom; widely exported as surplus after retirement from Polish service
Origin
Country of origin: Poland
Designer: Ryszard Chelmicki, Marian Gryszkiewicz
Notes
The double-action trigger pull is notoriously heavy (well over 10 pounds), while the single-action pull is roughly 5 pounds. Large quantities entered the U.S. civilian market as military surplus after the P-83 was replaced by the 9x19mm WIST-94 and later the P-99/VIS 100 in Polish service.
Background
The name Wanad is Polish for vanadium, continuing a tradition of naming Polish small arms after chemical elements. The P-83 was engineered explicitly for low-cost mass production, using sheet-metal stampings and spot welds rather than the machined-from-billet construction of the earlier P-64.