×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Scale (2024) Special Forces

Pistol Mitraliera Model 1963 (PM md. 63)


Assault Rifle / Assault Carbine


Romania | 1963



"The Pistol Mitraliera Model 1963 was a locally-produced Romanian version of the ubiquitous Soviet AK-47 assault rifle."

Performance
Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Pistol Mitraliera Model 1963 (PM md. 63). Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.
985 ft
300.2 m | 328.3 yds
Max.Eff.Range
600
Rounds-Per-Minute
Rate-of-Fire
2,345 ft/sec
715 m/sec
Muzzle Velocity
Physical
The physical qualities of the Pistol Mitraliera Model 1963 (PM md. 63). Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.
870 mm
34.25 in
O/A Length
415 mm
16.34 in
Barrel Length
7.61 lb
3.45 kg
Weight
Gas-Operated; Select Fire
Action
7.62x39mm
Caliber(s)
30-Round Detachable Box Magazine
Feed
Iron Front and Rear
Sights
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Pistol Mitraliera Model 1963 (PM md. 63) Assault Rifle / Assault Carbine family line.
Pistol Mitraliera Model 1963 (PM md. 63 / MD63) - Base Series Designation; model of 1963.
Pistol Mitraliera Model 1965 (PM md. 65) - Model of 1965; underfolding stock; rearward-cranked foregrip.
Pistol Mitraliera Model 1980 (PM md. 80 / AIMR) - Model of 1980; short-barreled variant; side-folding stock; various muzzle brakes fitted.
Pistol Mitraliera Model 1990 (PM md. 90) - Based on the internals of the Model 1963/1965 assault rifle and the externals of the PA Model 1986 assault rifle; wire-folding stock.
Pistol Mitraliera Model 90 "cu Teava Scurta" - Short-barreled PM md. 90; with changes brought about through the Pm. md. 80.
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 10/19/2017 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The Soviet Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle became one of the most famous automatic weapons of all time after it was introduced in the late 1940s. Its proliferation made it a market success and those nations falling under the Soviet sphere of influence also adopted the type to replace outmoded bolt-action service rifles, semi-automatic rifles, and World War 2-era submachine guns then in service. In 1959, the AK-47 was modernized to become the "AKM" and this mark also went on to see widespread service all over the globe.

At the behest of the Soviets (who looked to lessen their production commitments outside of the Soviet Union), communist Romania joined other Warsaw Pact nations in developing a localised version of the AKM - this weapon became the "Pistol Mitraliera Model 1963" ("PM md. 63"). Design work was handled by Romtechnica in the 1960s with manufacture through RATMIL ("Regia Autonoma pentru productja de Technica MILitara").

Externally, the rifle looked very much the part of a Kalashnikov assault weapon. Indeed the rifle appeared as nothing more than a clone of the Soviet model complete with wood furniture, curved 30-round magazine, and rectangular receiver with its large fire selector lever. The gas cylinder resided above the barrel assembly as in the AKM and a wood buttstock was used. It retained the Soviet 7.62x39mm chambering and gas-operated operation. One identifying feature of the PM md. 63 became the integrated, forward-slanted foregrip molded as part of the forward furniture making up the lower section of the handguard.

In 1965, a slightly altered version appeared which replaced the wooden shoulder stock with an under-folding skeletal metal design for improved transportability. The under-folding nature of the stock also forced the vertical foregrip to be reshaped so as to point rearwards to clear the collapsing assembly. Civilian market forms then followed and the "AIM" (wood stocked) and "AIMS" (metal stocked) were export models of the Romanian gun.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.


Production of the PM md. 63 began in 1963 and it continued in manufacture in varied forms until 1994. The series provided Romanian troops with a solid, if unspectacular, automatic weapon in the same way as the celebrated Kalashnikovs did for the Soviet Army. The PM md family offered roughly the same strong inherent qualities as the original - they were efficient weapons that proved easy to operate (and train others on) and could be mass produced within Romania by the thousands.

As with the AKM, this assault rifle was also reborn as a short-barreled carbine weapon utilizing a 20-round magazine. The barrel and gas cylinder were both appropriately shortened for the product which made for a more compact profile and this was further helped by the introduction of a side-folding metal stock. The weapon was designated as "Pistol Mitraliera Model 1980 (PM md. 80) or "AIMR". In 1990, the "Pistol Mitraliera Model 1990" (PM md. 90) appeared as a modernized product and its short-barreled carbine form became the "Pistol Mitraliera Model 90 cu Teava Scurta".

The PM md guns went on to see service beyond Romania's borders for they were taken on in number by the forces of Afghanistan, Georgia, Iraq, Iran, India, Lebanon, Libya Syria, and Saudi Arabia among others. By now, the Romanian Army adopted the smaller Soviet 5.45x39mm cartridge and made the "Pusca Automata Model 1986" (PA md. 86) of 1986 its standard assault rifle.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Pistol Mitraliera Model 1963 (PM md. 63). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.

Contractor(s): RomArm; Cugir; Regia Autonoma pentru productia de Tehnica Militara (RATMIL) - Romania
National flag of Afghanistan National flag of Angola National flag of Bangladesh National flag of Georgia National flag of India National flag of Iraq National flag of Iran National flag of Lebanon National flag of Libya National flag of Morocco National flag of Mozambique National flag of Nicaragua National flag of Romania National flag of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia National flag of Syria

[ Afghanistan; Angola; Bangladesh; Democratic Republic of Congo; Georgia; Iraq; Iran; India; Liberia; Lebanon; Libya; Mozambique; Moldova; Morocco; Nicaragua; Sierra Leone; Syria; Saudi Arabia; Palestine; Romania ]
1 / 1
Image of the Pistol Mitraliera Model 1963 (PM md. 63)
Image from the Department of Defense imagery database.

Going Further...
The Pistol Mitraliera Model 1963 (PM md. 63) Assault Rifle / Assault Carbine appears in the following collections:
HOME
SMALL ARMS INDEX
SPECIAL FORCES
ARMS BY COUNTRY
ARMS MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE ARMS
ARMS BY CONFLICT
ARMS BY TYPE
ARMS BY DECADE
COLD WAR ARMS
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country World War Next

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)