Pistol Mitralieră model 1963/1965
| PM md. 63 | |
|---|---|
 US Army soldier training with the md. 63 | |
| Type | Assault rifle |
| Place of origin |  Romania |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1963-present |
| Used by | Romania, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Georgia, Iraq |
| Production history | |
| Designer | ROMARM |
| Designed | 1960s |
| Manufacturer | Uzinele Mecanice Cugir |
| Produced | 1963-1980s |
| Variants | PM md. 65 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | Template:Kg to lb (md. 63) 3.3 kg (7.3 lb) (md. 65) |
| Length | Template:Mm to in (md. 63) 902 mm (35.5 in) stock extended / 655 mm (25.8 in) stock folded (md. 65) |
| Barrel length | 415 mm (16.3 in) |
| Cartridge | 7.62x39mm |
| Action | Gas operated, rotating bolt |
| Rate of fire | 600 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 715 m/s (2,346 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 100 to 1,000 m sight adjustments |
| Feed system | 30-round box magazine |
| Sights | Rear sight notch on sliding tangent, front post, 378 mm (14.9 in) sight radius |
The Pistol Mitralieră model 1963 (abbreviated PM md. 63 or simply md. 63) is an assault rifle patterned after the AK-47, and chambered in the 7.62x39mm cartridge. It exported as the AIM.
The Pistol Mitralieră model 1965 (abbreviated PM md. 65 or simply md. 65) is the underfolding stock version of the md. 63, and is exported as the AIMS.
History
In the early 60s, the Romanian Army used mostly PPSh-41, Oriţă submachine guns and imported AK-47 rifles. With the developement of the stamped AKM receiver, and the Soviet Union's call to each of the Warsaw Pact's nations to produce their own assault rifles chambered in 7.62mm, be they AK-47 pattern or not, the Romanian State Arsenal developed an AKM clone featuring a forward curved handgrip molded into the lower handguard, called the PM md. 63. The PM md. 65, in order to fully accommodate the underfolding stock, has a rear curved handgrip.
Features
The PM md. 63/65 is almost identical to the AKM/AKMS, and thus is simple, inexpensive to manufacture, and easy to clean and maintain. The bore and chamber, as well as the gas piston and the interior of the gas cylinder, are generally chromium-plated. This plating dramatically increases the life of these parts by resisting corrosion and wear. Most md. 63/65 rifles don' have a muzzle break, but a muzzle nut, as muzzle breaks entered production in the late 70s. The navy version of the md.65 uses black polymer furniture.
Disassembly
Dismantling the md. 63/65 is identical to dismantling the AK-47 and it involves the operator depressing the magazine catch and removing the magazine. The charging handle is pulled to the rear and the operator inspects the chamber to verify the weapon is unloaded. The operator presses forward on the retainer button at the rear of the receiver cover while simultaneously lifting up on the rear of the cover to remove it. The operator then pushes the spring assembly forward and lifts it from its raceway, withdrawing it out of the bolt carrier and to the rear. The operator must then pull the carrier assembly all the way to the rear, lift it, and then pull it away. The operator removes the bolt by pushing it to the rear of the bolt carrier; rotating the bolt so the camming lug clears the raceway on the underside of the bolt carrier and then pulls it forward and free. When cleaning, the operator will pay special attention to the barrel, bolt face, and gas piston, then oil lightly and reassemble.
Users
Initially used exclusively by the Romanian Army in the 60s, they were widely exported in the 70s and after the PA md. 86 entered production. A large number of these rifles got into the hands of Arab paramilitary organizations.
