PKM Russian 7.62mm General-Purpose Machine Gun
PKM
Heavy Machine Gun
Other
Basic Information
Name
PKM Russian 7.62mm General-Purpose Machine Gun
Designation
PKM
Alternate Designation
PKM
Equipment Type
Heavy Machine Gun
Manufacturer
—
Date of Introduction
1961
Description
Houthi Proliferation. The PK (Russian: Пулемёт Калашникова, transliterated as Pulemyot Kalashnikova, or "Kalashnikov's Machine Gun"), is a 7.62×54mmR general-purpose machine gun designed in the Soviet Union and currently in production in Russia. The original PK machine gun was introduced in 1961 and then the improved PKM in 1969 to replace the SGM and RP-46 machine guns in Soviet service. It remains in use as front-line infantry and vehicle-mounted weapon with Russia's armed forces. The PK has been exported extensively and produced in several other countries under license. The original PK was a development of Kalashnikov's AKM assault rifle and the accompanying RPK light machine gun design that featured stamped receivers. The PK uses the 7.62×54mmR Eastern Bloc standard cartridge that produces significantly more bolt thrust when compared to the Eastern Bloc 7.62×39mm and 5.45×39mm intermediate cartridges.
Ground Specifications
Crew
2
Variants
PKM
Squad machinegun .
PKT
Vehicle mounted MG with solenoid electric trigger, remote sight, and a longer heavier barrel. It lacks a stock and, bipod. Some are coaxial to a main gun and use its sights. Others operate separately. They generally do not dismount for ground use.
PKS
Lightweight tripod- mounted infantry weapon.
PKMS
Lightweight tripod- mounted variant of the PKS.
PKB (PKBM)
Pintle-mounted on APCs, SP guns, BRDM, BTRs, has butterfly trigger rather than solenoid, double spade grips, and front and rear sights.
System
Alternative Designation
PKM
Type
General-Purpose Machine Gun
Caliber
7.62 mm
Feed System
Belt, 100-rd belt carried
in a box fastened to the right side of the receiver. 25-rd belts can be joined in several combination lengths (100/200/250)
Crew
2.0 ea
Fire Mode
Automatic
Operation
Gas
Rate of Fire
Cyclic: 650 rd/m
Dimensions
Length, Overall
1,192 mm
Barrel Length
605 mm
Weight
7.5 kg
Ammunition
Ammunition (Option 1)
Name
57-N-323S
Type
Ball
Caliber
7.62x54 (rimmed) mm
Muzzle Velocity
825 m/s
Range, Maximum
3,800 m
Range, Practical, Day
1,000 m
Range, Practical, Night
300 m
Armor Penetration at 500m
6.0 mm
Ammunition (Option 2)
Name
7BZ-3
Type
API
Caliber
7.62x54mm (rimmed)
Muzzle Velocity
808.0 m/s
Range, Maximum
3,800 m
Range, Practical, Day
1000 m
Range, Practical, Night
300 m
Armor Penetration
10 mm at 200 range
Sights
Iron sights
Note
The rear sight assembly is riveted onto the receiver cover and consist of a square notched rear tangent iron sight calibrated in 100 m (109 yd) increments from 100 to 1,500 m (109 to 1,640 yd) and includes a "point-blank range" battle zero setting corresponding to a 330 m (361 yd) zero. It is identical in design to the AKM and Mosin–Nagant, except that it is oriented backwards with the notch forward and the hinge behind. The iron sight line has a 663 mm (26.1 in) sight radius. Like the RPD rear sight, the PK rear sight also features full windage adjustment in the form of small dials on either side of the notch.
The front sight assembly is mounted near the end of the barrel and consists of a protected open post adjustable for elevation in the field.
Optical sights
Note
PK machine guns that feature a Warsaw Pact side-rail bracket on the left side of the receiver can mount various aiming optics. The standard Russian side rail mounted optical sight was the 4×26 1P29 Universal sight for small arms, an aiming optic similar to the British SUIT and SUSAT and Canadian C79 optical sights. When mounted, the 1P29 sight is positioned centered above the receiver at a height that allows the use of the iron sights. It weighs 0.8 kg, offers 4× magnification with a field of view of 8° and 35 mm eye relief. The 1P29 is issued with a canvas pouch, a lens cleaning cloth, combination tool, two rubber eyecups, two eyecup clamps and three different bullet drop compensation (BDC) cams for the AK-74, RPK-74 and PK machine gun. The 1P29 is intended for quickly engaging point and area targets at various ranges. On the right side of the field of view a stadiametric rangefinder is incorporated that can be used to determine the distance from a 1.5 meters (4 ft 11.1 in) tall object from 400 to 1,200 m (437 to 1,312 yd). The reticle is an inverted aiming post in the top half of the field of view and is tritium-illuminated for low-light condition aiming. A later designed similar optical sight suitable for the PK machine gun series is the 4×24 1Р77
Details
Country of Origin
Russia
Category
Machine Guns
Land > Infantry Weapons > Machine Guns
Filter Label
P
Classification
Domain
Ground
Equipment Status
Active
Documents & Files (1)
Operators (58)
Russia
China
Israel
Ukraine
Poland
Turkey
Iran
North Korea
Czech Republic
Serbia
Belarus
Afghanistan
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Azerbaijan
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Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Burundi
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Chad
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Cuba
Dominican Republic
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
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Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Hungary
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Iraq
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Libya
Mali
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Mongolia
Montenegro
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Rwanda
Sri Lanka
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Non-State Actors
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