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Colt Model 635 (Colt 9mm SMG)


Submachine Gun (SMG)


United States | 1982



"The Colt 9mm SMG managed to find homes in only a few fighting forces of the world including the USMC, Bangladeshi SWAT, and Indian special police."

Performance
Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Colt Model 635 (Colt 9mm SMG). Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.
328 ft
100.0 m | 109.3 yds
Max.Eff.Range
850
Rounds-Per-Minute
Rate-of-Fire
1,300 ft/sec
396 m/sec
Muzzle Velocity
Physical
The physical qualities of the Colt Model 635 (Colt 9mm SMG). Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.
730 mm
28.74 in
O/A Length
267 mm
10.51 in
Barrel Length
5.73 lb
2.60 kg
Weight
Blowback; Closed-Bolt
Action
9x19mm Parabellum
Caliber(s)
20- or 32-round detachable box magazine
Feed
Iron Front and Rear; Optional Optics
Sights
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Colt Model 635 (Colt 9mm SMG) Submachine Gun (SMG) family line.
Colt 9mm SMG - Base Series Name
Model 635 - Standard model with semi-/full-automatic mode.
Model 639 - Three-round burst fire capability added; sans full-automatic mode.
Model 633 - 7" barrel assembly and revised front site for use by US DEA.
SMG 9mm NATO - NATO Designation for the Model 635
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 10/05/2021 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

It was something of an eventuality that Colt released an AR-15/M16-style weapon chambered for the ubiquitous 9x19mm Parabellum pistol cartridge. The cartridge had been in use for decades prior to the 1980s and saw service in both World Wars while becoming the cartridge-of-choice for many semi-automatic pistols and submachine guns. The Colt entry became the Model 635 (known to NATO as the "SMG 9mm NATO") which, as expected, chambered the 9mm round and fired from a blowback action (as opposed to direct impingement gas as seen in the M16) through a closed-bolt system.

The Model 635 - generically called the "Colt 9mm SMG" - retained the general design lines of the classic M16 U.S. military assault rifle (its own design based on the AR-15). It shared some qualities from the earlier Vietnam War-era Colt "Commando" assault carbine. A telescoping butt was installed for compactness which brought the overall length of the weapon down from 29 inches to a handier 25.5 inches as needed. M16-style fire controls were retained meaning that operators already familiar with the larger cousin could easily adapt to managing the smaller offering. One of the more unique design elements apparent to the Model 635 was the magazine which was slimmer and taken from the Israeli UZI SMG design. In order to accept these new magazines into the M16-style feed, a special internal modification was introduced. The Model 635 fed from either 20- or 32-round straight detachable box magazines and the standard barrel measured 10.5 inches long.

Accuracy and familiarity proved the Model 635's selling points but the system did not find many takers. Militarily, only the USMC, Malaysia, and the Argentine Army adopted the type and special police forces of Bangladesh and India were other operators. Locally, the United States Marshals Service, the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) saw enough usefulness in the design to accept it into inventory.

The Model 639 became a related variant given a select-fire trigger group containing a three-shot burst functionality but lacked the full-automatic mode featured in the original Model 635. The Model 633 appeared with a shorter 7" barrel assembly for improved compactness along with a simplified forward sighting device - these went on to serve the DEA.

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Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Colt Model 635 (Colt 9mm SMG). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.

Contractor(s): Colt's Manufacturing Company (CMC) - USA
National flag of Argentina National flag of Bangladesh National flag of India National flag of Malaysia National flag of Pakistan National flag of the United States

[ Argentina; Bangladesh; India; Malaysia; Pakistan; United States ]
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Image of the Colt Model 635 (Colt 9mm SMG)
Image from the Public Domain.

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The Colt Model 635 (Colt 9mm SMG) Submachine Gun (SMG) appears in the following collections:
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