PK machine gun
| PK (Pulemyot Kalashnikova) | |
|---|---|
PKS mounted on a Samozhenkov 6T2 tripod | |
| Type | General-purpose machine gun Medium machine gun |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1961–present |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars | See Conflicts |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Mikhail Kalashnikov |
| Designed | 1961 |
| Manufacturer | Degtyaryov Plant |
| Produced | 1961–present |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| 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) |
| Feed system | Non-disintegrating metal link belts in 100, 200 or 250-round ammunition boxes |
| Sights | Tangent iron sights and Warsaw Pact rail for optical, night-vision, thermal, and radar sights |
The PK (Russian: Пулемёт Калашникова, transliterated as Pulemyot Kalashnikova, English: "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.
The PK remains in use as a front-line infantry and vehicle-mounted machine gun with Russia's armed forces and has also been exported extensively and produced in several other countries under license.