Radom Armory P-64 Pistol

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P-64 CZAK with holster

The P-64 pistol is a semiautomatic, blowback operated handgun, double-action pistol chambered for the 9 x 18 mm Makarov cartridge. Although designed from scratch by Polish engineers, the P-64 is very similar to German Walther PPK and is sometimes described erroneously in western literature as it's clone. It is also commonly, albeit mistakenly referred to as a "Polish Makarov", and irreverently as the "Polish Pounder".

1 History
2 Specifications and Operation
3 Synonyms
4 External links

[edit] History

The P-64 was designed during the late fifties by a team of Polish army officers. The team developed two different prototypes called CZAK (acronym of designer's last names): model M (milicyjny — police model) and model W (wojskowy — military model). The two models differed in magazine capacity and external dimensions (the military model had longer barrel and 7-round magazine). In 1961, CZAK model M was chosen to replace the Russian Tokarev TT-33 pistol as the standard service pistol of the Polish military, police and government security agencies. Production started in the middle sixties under the official designation "9 mm pistolet wz. 1964" (9 mm pistol model 1964). 1972 saw introduction of minor changes to the trigger mechanism and shape of the hammer (larger hammer spur).

Users of the P-64 had pointed out a series of shortcomings: unpleasant recoil due to small and uncomfortable grip, small magazine capacity, poor sights, short sight radius and heavy double-action trigger. Work to correct these problems started in early seventies and resulted in a series of prototypes (P-70, P-75, P-78A, P-78B). Eventually P-83 (production version of P-78B) was adopted as replacement for the P-64.

The P-64 has seen widespread sales in the U.S. military surplus market in recent years as an affordable alternative to the popular but increasingly expensive Makarov PM pistols, with new examples priced at less than $150.

[edit] Specifications and Operation

The P-64 is a rather compact sidearm; measures 160 mm long and 117 mm high and weighs 678 g when loaded, it is just slightly larger and heavier than the PPK but it fires a more potent round. P-64 is one of the most compact 9 mm Makarov pistols made. It's carried in a leather flap holster equipped with a side pocked for a spare magazine and a cleaning rod. A leather shoulder holster was also issued. Fully loaded with a loaded spare magazine, standard service holster and cleaning gear it weights just 930 g (32.8 oz).

Frame and slide are made of steel and the finish is blue. Fit and finish are excellent for a military sidearm. The barrel is fixed to the frame with the recoil spring wound around it. The controls consist of a slide mounted safety lever and a magazine catch. The safety lever has two positions: up for "fire" and down for "safe" and decocks the hammer (if cocked) when put on safe. The safety mechanism allows the slide to be operated with safety on. Unlike the Walther PPK, the P-64's magazine release is located at the bottom of the frame, slowing down the reloading process. The single-column magazines hold 6 rounds. The slides locks back when the last round from the magazine is fired but there is no external slide release. Double-action trigger pull is heavy: 110–120 N (25–27 lb). The reason for this is that the Polish military also used their 9 mm Makarov ammunition in a submachine gun, and thicker primers were needed than those found normally in commercial ammunition. This made it necessary to have the P-64's hammer deliver more force on the firing pin in order to properly detonate the primers, hence the horrendous double-action trigger pull on these pistols. A popular remedy among American shooters is to retrofit the heavy hammer spring with a lighter aftermarket PPK hammer spring, thereby making the pistol a more pleasant shooter.

The sights are fixed and set at a rather exaggerated distance of 50 meters. A loaded-chamber indicator is located in the rear part of the slide, just above the hammer. Grips are checkered black plastic. The gun is field stripped by swinging down the hinged trigger guard. The slide is then pulled rearward, upward and removed from the frame.