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PK machine gun
PK machine gun
	; PKM general purpose machine gun
Type	General purpose machine gun
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1965-present
Used by	See Users
Production history
Designer	Mikhail Kalashnikov
Designed	Ca early 1960s
Number built	over 1,000,000
Variants	PK, PKS, PKT, PKM, PKMS, PKP
Specifications
Weight	PK: 9 kg (19.84 lb) (gun + integral bipod) + 7.7 kg (16.98 lb) (tripod).; PKM: 7.5 kg (16.53 lb) (gun + integral bipod) + 4.5 kg (9.92 lb) (tripod).; PKT (tank): 10.5 kg (23.15 lb)
Length	PK - 1,203 mm (47.4 in); PKM - 1,192 mm (46.9 in); PKT - 1,098 mm (43.2 in)
Barrel length	PK - 658 mm (25.9 in); PKM - 645 mm (25.4 in); PKT - 772 mm (30.4 in)
Cartridge	7.62x54mmR
Action	Gas-Operated, open bolt
Rate of fire	PK, PKM: 650 round/min. PKT: 800 round/min
Muzzle velocity	PK, PKM: 825 m/s
Effective range	100—1,500 m sight adjustments
Feed system	Belts in 100/200/250 round boxes
Sights	Open sights

"PKT" redirects here. For other uses, see PKT (disambiguation).

The PK is a 7.62 mm general purpose machine gun designed in the Soviet Union and currently in production in Russia. The PK machine gun was introduced in the 1960s and replaced the SGM and RPD machine guns in Soviet service. The PK machine gun can be used as a light anti-aircraft weapon when it is put on an AA mount. One feature typical of Soviet machine guns is that the standard model feeds from the right and ejects its spent cases via an ejection port on the left side of the weapon, as opposed to the right side ejection port seen in most Western machine guns.

[edit] Design Details

The original PK (Пулемёт Калашникова, "Kalashnikov's Machine gun") was a development of Kalashnikov's automatic rifle design, firing the 7.62x54mmR Eastern Bloc standard ammunition originally from the Mosin-Nagant. It is equipped with a simple bipod and is designed as a squad-level support weapon also suitable for installation and vehicle mounting. Most are belt-fed, using linked 25 round belts. These 25 round belts can be linked to any length necessary.

The current model is the PKM (Пулемёт Калашникова Модернизированный, "Kalashnikov's Machine gun Modernized"), a modernized, product-improved version of the PK weighing only 7.5 kg without ammunition. For heavier employment, the PKMS model (ПКМ Станковый, "Mounted PKM") is based on the Stepanov's tripod mounting and weighs 12 kg. A special PKMSN2 model fits modern NSPU night sights for low visibility operations. PKT (ПК Танковый, "PK Tank") is a further development of PK to replace the SGMT Goryunov vehicle mounted machine gun. Modifications include removal of stock, longer and heavier barrel, added gas regulator and electric solenoid trigger.

In early 1990's the Hipolit Cegielski Works in Poznań modified the PK/PKS to be fed with standard 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge. The new model received the code-name PKM-NATO. The modifications included a heavier barrel, larger chamber, redesigned lock, extractor and the entire feeding mechanism. The belt was also modified to NATO standards. The prototype was tested in 1997, but the tests were discontinued and the Polish Army adopted the UKM-2000 machine gun instead - also based on the PKM.

[edit] Production Status

The PKM and other variants are in production in Russia and currently are exported to many nations. Additionally, various models are manufactured locally around the globe. Zastava Arms produces the PK under license as the M84 (along with the PKT as the M86), and it remains in use with many of the former Yugoslav successor states. The most recent modification is the Russian Pecheneg, which features a forced air cooling barrel that cannot be removed in the field for quick replacement, unusual for a modern machine gun.