Firearms / Assault rifles / PM md. 63
PM md. 63
General Facts
- TYPE
Assault rifle - ORIGIN
Romania - NICKNAMES
Pistol Mitraliera model 1963 (Romanian service)
AIM (export designation for PM md 63)
AIMS (export designation for PM md 65)
AKM-63 (nickname for PM md 63)
AKM-65 (nickname for PM md 65)
Civilian sales:
Romak 1
Romak 991
SAR-1
WASR-10
WUM-1 - DESIGNED
Early 1960's - DESIGNER
Cugir arsenal (based on AKM design) - PRODUCTION
1963 - present - PRODUCERS Romania - Cugir arsenal (RATMIL / ROMARM)
- QUANTITY
Several million - UNIT COST
Unknown - CHARACTERISTICS
Good firepower
Rugged and reliable
Limited production costs
Ergonomic forward grip
Rather heavy
Limited accuracy and range
Reasonable quality
Introduction
The PM md. 63 is an early Cold War era assault rifle of Romanian origin. The design is based on the Soviet AKM rifle and it can be considered a licence produced version. Romanian Kalashnikovs can generally be identified by their wooden vertical grip.
Design
The PM md. 63 can be considered a direct clone of the AKM as it differs only in minor details. The most distinguishing feature is the wooden vertical grip. Several variants of the PM md. 63 have been produced, including a light machine gun. Late production models feature a wire frame folding stock derived from the East German MPiKMS-72 design.
Firepower
The PM md. 63 fires the 7.62x39mm round from a 30 round magazine. The cyclic rate of fire is about 600 rpm. The maximum effective range is about 300 meters for the PM md. 63 assault rifle and 500 meters for the PM md. 64 light machine gun.
Users
The PM md. 63 and its variants were the foremost Romanian infantry weapons during the Cold War. Over 400.000 have been acquired by Romanian forces. The PM md. 63 is one of the most widely exported Kalashnikov variants. It is a common weapon in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Many remain in use today.
PM md. 63
PM md. 63: Fixed stock model with wooden stock and forward pointing wooden handguard.
PM md. 65: Folding stock model with metal underfolding stock similar to AKS-47. The forward grip points rearwards in order for the stock to fold around it.
PM md. 90: Improved folding stock version with East German type wire folding stock. The forward grip points forward since it does not have to accomodate the stock.
PM md. 90 carbine: Carbine version of the PM md.90 with shorter barrel and conventional straight handguard.
- Specifications:
- PM md. 63
- PM md. 65
- PM md. 90
- PM md. 90 carbine (7.62mm)
| Type | Assault rifle |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 7.62x39mm Soviet |
| Magazine | 30 round box |
| Operation | Gas operated, long stroke gas piston, rotating bolt |
| Fire selector | 0-1-F |
| Rate of fire | 600 rpm |
| Barrel length | 415 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 4 grooves, 240 mm right hand twist |
| Muzzle velocity | 715 m/s |
| Stock | Fixed |
| Length | 870 mm |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 3.45 kg empty |
| Sights | Iron sights, hooded post front and U-notch rear, 100 to 1.000 m gradation per 100 m |
| Remarks | - |
| Type | Assault rifle |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 7.62x39mm Soviet |
| Magazine | 30 round box |
| Operation | Gas operated, long stroke gas piston, rotating bolt |
| Fire selector | 0-1-F |
| Rate of fire | 600 rpm |
| Barrel length | 415 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 4 grooves, 240 mm right hand twist |
| Muzzle velocity | 715 m/s |
| Stock | Foldable |
| Length | 870 mm / 640 mm |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 3.20 kg empty |
| Sights | Iron sights, hooded post front and U-notch rear, 100 to 1.000 m gradation per 100 m |
| Remarks | - |
| Type | Assault rifle |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 7.62x39mm Soviet |
| Magazine | 30 round box |
| Operation | Gas operated, long stroke gas piston, rotating bolt |
| Fire selector | 0-1-F |
| Rate of fire | 600 rpm |
| Barrel length | 415 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 4 grooves, 240 mm right hand twist |
| Muzzle velocity | 715 m/s |
| Stock | Foldable |
| Length | 870 mm / 675 mm |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 3.15 kg empty |
| Sights | Iron sights, hooded post front and U-notch rear, 100 to 1.000 m gradation per 100 m |
| Remarks | - |
| Type | Assault rifle |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 7.62x39mm Soviet |
| Magazine | 30 round box |
| Operation | Gas operated, long stroke gas piston, rotating bolt |
| Fire selector | 0-1-3-F |
| Rate of fire | 600 rpm |
| Barrel length | 305 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 4 grooves, 240 mm right hand twist |
| Muzzle velocity | 655 m/s |
| Stock | Foldable |
| Length | 805 mm / 605 mm |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 3.0 kg empty |
| Sights | Iron sights, hooded post front and U-notch rear, 100 to 500 m gradation per 100 m |
| Remarks | - |
PM md. 64
PM md. 64: Romanian equivalent to the RPK based on the PM md. 63 rifle. It has a longer barrel, bipod and straight handguard.
PM md. 91: Romanian equivalent to the RPKS by adding a metal wire folding stock to the PM md. 64.
- Specifications:
- PM md. 64
| Type | Light machine gun |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 7.62x39mm Soviet |
| Magazine | 30, 40 round box, 75 round drum |
| Operation | Gas operated, long stroke gas piston, rotating bolt |
| Fire selector | 0-1-F |
| Rate of fire | 600 rpm |
| Barrel length | 590 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 4 grooves, 240 mm right hand twist |
| Muzzle velocity | 730 m/s |
| Stock | Fixed |
| Length | 1.035 mm |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 4.65 kg empty |
| Sights | Iron sights, hooded post front and U-notch rear, 560 mm sight radius |
| Remarks | Bipod |
Media
PM md. 86
The PM md. 63 served as the basis for the later PM md. 86 that fires the 5.45mm round.