Hanging with the Crayfish
During the Warsaw Pact era, the Poles broke from the nominally allied Soviets a bit when it came to small arms. Instead of the straight AKM, they used the Kbkg wz. 1960/72. Whereas the Russkies went to the AK-74 in 5.45, the Poles came up with the wzór 1988 Tantal and the Onyks carbine. Rather than the Makrov PM, the Poles had the FB P-64 in the same caliber, later supplemented by the .380 ACP P-83 Wanad.
Whereas the Soviets generally replaced subguns with folding-stocked short-barreled AK variants, the Poles kept on chugging with the FB PM-84 Glauberyt (Pistolet maszynowy wz. 1984) and the smaller PM-63 RAK, both in 9×18 Makarov.
While the PM-84 was no beefcake, hitting the scales at just over 4 pounds unloaded and sporting a 5.5-inch barrel, the PM-63 was downright portable, running just 13 inches long with the stock collapsed and weighing in at 3.5 pounds.
Polish paratrooper armed with a PM-63 submachine gun RAK, with its stock and foregrip folded
Polish marine with a FB PM-63 RAK submachine gun, its stock and foregrip deployed. Note the scooped barrel, which serves as a sort of compensator. Coincidentally, RAK means “crayfish” in Polish
Polish tankers with RAKs in drop leg holsters. The PM-63 RAK, with its stock collapsed, was a true PDW and is akin to the Flux Raider of today.
The PM63 continues to see use
Further, while the PM-63 still floats around in combat use in Ukraine and elsewhere, parts kits complete with 9mm Mak barrels are here in the states for cheap.
Bowman and others have been selling beautiful RAK kits for like $269
While traveling in Minnesota recently to film a bunch of podcasts for Guns.com, I stopped in to see friends at 2 if By Sea Tactical in New Prague, a Class 7 FFL, and put a few boxes downrange with a post-86 reweld “crawfish” they have in the shop.
At 650 rpms, you drained a mag quick.
It uses 15-round flush and 25-round extended magazines, giving you either 1.5 or 2.5 seconds of zpppppp.
With the stock extended, the length is 23 inches, which gives the user a very compact little PDW.
The Poles may have been on the right track with this interesting little guy.
