PM-63 RAK
Fabryka Broni Radom · Submachine Gun · Discontinued · 1965
Also known as: PM-63, RAK, Wz. 63, Reczny Automat Komandosow
Overview
The PM-63 RAK is a Polish select-fire submachine gun chambered in 9x18mm Makarov. Designed by Piotr Wilniewczyc, it blends the size of a self-loading pistol with the firepower of a fully automatic weapon. Its distinctive slide-mounted, open-bolt blowback action is cycled by a reciprocating slide much like a pistol, and the compact frame is equipped with a folding wire stock and a folding foregrip. Issued to vehicle crews, paratroopers, and rear-echelon troops as a personal defense weapon, it served the Polish Army and several Warsaw Pact and allied forces from the mid-1960s.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1600 g (56.4 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 2000 g (70.5 oz) |
| Overall Length | 583 mm (22.95") |
| Folded Length | 333 mm (13.11") |
| Barrel Length | 152 mm (5.98") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Open Bolt |
| Magazine Capacity | 25 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 320 m/s (1050 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 312 J (230 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 150 m (164 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 650 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 9x18mm Makarov · primary — also known as 9mm Makarov, 9x18 PM, 9x18mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Grip Safety, Manual Safety
- Features: Folding Stock, Folding Foregrip, Slide Mounted Design, Open Bolt Operation, Select Fire
Service history
Operators
- Polish Armed Forces · adopted 1965 · as PM-63
- National People's Army
- Vietnam People's Army
Conflicts
- Vietnam War (1955-1975)
- Cold War (1947-1991)
Production
Estimated total produced: 80,000 · Production years: 1965-1977
Roughly 70,000-80,000 produced in Poland; also copied unlicensed in China as the Type 82.
Origin
Country of origin: Poland
Designer: Piotr Wilniewczyc
Discontinued: 1977
Notes
RAK stands for Reczny Automat Komandosow (commando hand-held automatic). The shooter cocks the weapon by pressing the front of the slide against a hard surface. A spring-loaded rate reducer in the grip keeps the cyclic rate manageable in full-auto.
Background
The PM-63 was conceived to give tank crews, artillerymen, and other support troops a compact weapon that could be fired one-handed like a pistol yet deliver automatic fire when needed. Its unusual reciprocating-slide design and folding furniture made it one of the most recognizable Cold War-era machine pistols.