PK (Pulemyot Kalashnikova)
V.A. Degtyarev Plant · Machine Gun · Out Of Production · 1961
Also known as: PK GPMG, Pulemyot Kalashnikova, Kalashnikov Machine Gun
Overview
The PK (Pulemyot Kalashnikova, 'Kalashnikov's Machine Gun') is the original variant of the Soviet general-purpose machine gun designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov and adopted in 1961. Chambered in the legacy 7.62x54mmR rifle cartridge, it was designed to replace the Goryunov SG-43 in Soviet service and unify the GPMG role around a Kalashnikov-pattern action. It is belt-fed from non-disintegrating 100, 200, or 250-round metal links, fires only in fully automatic mode from an open bolt, and uses a long-stroke gas piston operating system that traces its lineage to the AK family.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 9000 g (317.5 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1203 mm (47.36") |
| Barrel Length | 605 mm (23.82") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Long Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 100 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Belt |
| Muzzle Velocity | 825 m/s (2707 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3267 J (2410 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 1000 m (1094 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 3800 m (4156 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 650 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 | Phosphate |
Calibers
- 7.62x54mmR · primary — also known as 7.62x54R, 7.62 Russian, Three Line Rifle
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Non Disintegrating Metal Belt
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Open Bolt
- Features: Quick Change Barrel, Fluted Barrel, Integral Bipod, Belt Fed, Open Bolt Operation, Carrying Handle, Iron Sights Adjustable
Variants
- PKS — Tripod Mounted
- PKB — Vehicle Mounted
- PKT (1962) — Coaxial Tank
Service history
Operators
- Soviet Armed Forces · adopted 1961 · as PK
- Warsaw Pact nations · adopted 1961
- People's Army of Vietnam
- Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces
- East German National People's Army
Conflicts
- Vietnam War (1961-1975)
- Six-Day War (1967)
- Yom Kippur War (1973)
- Angolan Civil War (1975-2002)
- Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989)
Production
Estimated total produced: 1,000,000 · Production years: 1961-1969
Combined PK / PKM / licensed copy production exceeds one million units. The original PK pattern was only manufactured for about eight years before the PKM superseded it.
Origin
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Designer: Mikhail Kalashnikov
Discontinued: 1969
Notes
The original PK was superseded in 1969 by the lightened PKM, which shaved nearly 1.5 kg from the weapon by removing the fluted barrel, simplifying the receiver, and reducing barrel thickness. Surviving PK guns saw extensive Cold War proxy service before largely being retired or upgraded.
Background
Kalashnikov designed the PK by inverting his AK action - flipping the bolt upside down so the rifle's rotating-bolt mechanism could feed from a belt instead of a magazine. The rimmed 7.62x54mmR cartridge it fires is older than the Wright brothers' first flight, dating to 1891, yet the PK family remains in front-line service across dozens of armies in 2026.