Kalashnikov PK (Pulemyot Kalashnikova)

History of Kalashnikov PK (Pulemyot Kalashnikova)

The

PK (Pulemyot Kalashnikova) machine gun was introduced in 1961, marking the first time a true General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) entered service with the Soviet Army. The GPMG is named for its ability to fill a variety of much-needed roles on the battlefield, such as: B. Fire support and enemy forces via bipods, tripods, vehicles or aircraft installations.

These weapons can also fire full-power rifle-caliber bullets, and they have excellent long-range penetration and longer reach compared to assault rifles.

PK follows the popular RP-46 line of machine guns after World War II (detailed elsewhere on this site). From the Vietnam War (1955-1975) to today's civil wars in Syria, Donbas and Yemen, this new weapon has gained significant combat service under numerous national flags.

More than 1 million units have been produced at home and abroad.

The PK is loaded with the proven 7.62x54mmR rifle cartridge, fired via a Kalashnikov open-bolt pneumatic system that has proven to be highly reliable for decades. Feeding is by non-disintegrating chain straps and counts 100, 200 and 250 rounds. The gun system uses a typical bipod assembly with a total weight of 19.85 pounds and an overall length of 47.5 inches.

The barrel is 23.8 inches long.

Has a rate of fire of 650 rounds per minute and a range of 1,095 yards. Maximum range is 4,155 yards. Aiming is via tangential iron sights, although optics (both night vision and thermal imaging types) are supported.

In practice, PK was officially released as an enterprise-level support weapon. Its robust design allows it to fire more powerful cartridges than traditional service rifles or even light machine guns. The barrel can be replaced to compensate for overheating that could deform or crack the barrel assembly and render the weapon unusable in crossfire.

Its reliability and flexibility made it a Soviet-era classic - a well-respected and valued weapon.

PKS, PKM, PKMN, PKMS, PKMSN, and PKT are all descendants of the base PK design. The PKP "Pecheneg" (detailed elsewhere on this page) is an updated PK series weapon influenced by the original, with a fixed heavy barrel and forced air cooling.

Although it originated in the 1960s, the PK series has been active into the new millennium. There are also tens of thousands of examples from foreign factories, adding to an already impressive total output.

The availability of Soviet 7.62mm cartridges also helped it move beyond Soviet-Russian borders, with many former Soviet states and supporting allies relying on the product.

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