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Also known as PK machine gun, 7.62 mm Machine Gun PK, PKM
7.62 mm machine gun
Key facts
- Type
- General-purpose machine gun , Medium machine gun
- Place of origin
- Soviet Union
- In service
- 1961–present
- Used by
- See Users
- Wars
- See Conflicts
- Designer
- Mikhail Kalashnikov
- Manufacturer
- Degtyaryov Plant
- Produced
- 1961–present
- Variants
- See Variants
- Mass
- 9 kg (19.84 lb) (with integral bipod)
- Length
- 1,203 mm (47.4 in)
- Barrel length
- 605 mm (23.8 in)
- Cartridge
- 7.62×54mmR
- Action
- Gas-operated , long-stroke piston , open , rotating bolt
- Rate of fire
- 600–800 rounds/min , 700–800 rounds/min (PKT/PKTM)
- Muzzle velocity
- 825 m/s (2,707 ft/s)
- Effective firing range
- 1,000 m (1,094 yd) (100–1,500 m sight adjustments)
- Maximum firing range
- 3,800 m (4,156 yd)
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Image
- 7,62 KK PKM Helsinki 2012.JPG
Show 4 more facts
- Commons category
- PK machine gun
- Commons gallery
- PK machine gun
- service entry
- 1961-01-01
- native label
- Пулемёт Калашникова
Sources (2)
via Wikidata · CC0
~34 min read
Article
The PK (Russian: Пулемёт Калашникова, romanized: Pulemyot Kalashnikova, lit. 'Kalashnikov's machine gun'), is a belt-fed general-purpose machine gun, chambered for the 7.62×54mmR rimmed cartridge. The modernised variant is known as the PKM, which features several enhancements over the original PK design including a more ergonomic design.
Designed in the Soviet Union and currently in production in Russia, the original PK machine gun was introduced in 1961 and the improved PKM variant was introduced in 1969. The PKM was designed to replace the SGM and RP-46 machine guns that were previously in Soviet service.