The pistol was developed at the TsKB-14 (Central Design Bureau) by N.F. Makarov, chambered for the 9 mm pistol cartridge by B.V. Semin and N.M. Elizarov and adopted together with it for the serv¬ice in the Soviet Army in 1951. The «lzhmech» launched it in production.
The encased bullet of the 9×19 PM (57H181S) cartridge with a steel core is capable to pierce three pine tree planks of 25.4 mm (1inch) width. There is also a variant of the tracer type bullet. Radius of dispersion at a range of 50 m constitutes 16 cm.
The PM is the barrel-slide blowback operated. The firing mechanism is of open hammer type and a bipennate main¬spring. The lower curve of the mainspring acts as a magazine catch. The hammer rests in cocked and half bent positions. The firing mechanism permits self-cock¬ing fire. The thumb safety releases the hammer from a sear notch, locks it, and blocks the slide. Magazine is of one-row type. When all cartridges are fired a mag¬azine follower lifts up a slide catcher and the slide stops in the rear end position.
The plastic sidepieces of the pistol grip are fastened to the receiver with a single screw. The production effectiveness of the mass-produced of the PM pistol became its salient feature.
The self-loading PM pistol is still oper¬ational in 12 countries of the world, its versions were manufactured in China, Eastern Germany and Yugoslavia.
From the PM pistol were derived the lzh-71 service pistol and pistols cham¬bered for gas traumatic cartridges.
Specifications
Caliber………………………….9mm
Cartridge ……………………..9×18 PM
Weight w/o cartridges……………….0.73 kg
Length…………………………161 m
Length of barrel………………….93.5 mm
Bullet muzzle velocity……………..3l5m/sec
Effective rate of fire ………………30rds/min
Sighting range……………………..50 m
Magazine capacity…………………..8 rds
