New russian PKZ Machine Gun Sparks Debate
New russian PKZ machine gun has been introduced by designers from Perm. This weapon is intended to replace the PKM gun, Kalashnikov magazine reports.
This gun is set to be deployed in the war against Ukraine, specifically for use by the assault troops of the Armed Forces of russia. The design aims to enhance operational efficiency by reducing the weapon’s size.
Despite these advancements, the PKZ gun is fundamentally based on the Kalashnikov PKM machine gun, leading to criticism from the magazine. The PKZ gun, with a caliber of 7.62 mm, is described as more of a modernization kit than a completely new development. It includes parts for repositioning the fire control handle and trigger forward, a handguard with bipods, and a barrel with collimator sights.
Project founder Andrey (Laby) Malkov, lacking a license for weapon development, outsourced the barrel production to the russian Special Forces University, where testing also takes place. Although the design changes reduce the weapon’s size, the magazine argues that these modifications are impractical.
The revised dimensions are expected to cause excessive flame and sound pressure at the muzzle, potentially leading to unstable operation due to the close proximity of the muzzle to the gas outlet. Additionally, the changes may prevent the machine gun from passing fire intensity tests due to the altered dimensions. Another concern is the absence of mechanical sighting devices on the PKZ gun. Relying solely on a collimator sight, which can fail, is seen as a significant drawback. The magazine concludes that the PKZ gun is likely to remain an unrealized concept.
