FÉG PA-63
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The FÉG PA-63 is a
semi-automatic pistol A semi-automatic pistol (also called a self-loading pistol, autopistol, or autoloading pistol) is a repeating firearm, repeating handgun that automatically ejects and loads cartridge (firearms), cartridges in its chamber (firearms), chamber afte ...
designed and manufactured by the FÉGARMY Arms Factory of
Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
.


History

FÉGARMY Arms Factory (FÉG) of
Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
started producing Walther PP/PPK clones in the late 1940s starting with their Model 48 which differed from the
Walther PP The Walther PP (, or police pistol) series pistols are blowback-operated semi-automatic pistols, developed by the German arms manufacturer Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen. Design The Walther PP series feature an exposed hammer, a double-actio ...
only in minor details. By the late 1950s FÉG began making broader changes resulting in the PA-63, which uses the
9×18mm Makarov The 9×18mm Makarov (designated 9mm Makarov by the C.I.P. and often called 9×18mm PM) is a pistol and submachine gun cartridge developed in the former USSR. During the latter half of the 20th century, it was a standard military pistol cartrid ...
round. It quickly became standard issue to both Hungarian
military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...
and
police The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...
forces.


Design

The military standard PA-63 version sports a two-tone polished aluminum frame with black slide, grips, trigger and hammer assembly. While unusual for military issue in that a reflective polish was used, it was chosen due to its relative cheapness as well as quicker build time.


Variants

Due to the PA-63's popularity and relative durability, FÉG later issued models using .
32 ACP .32 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol, also known as the .32 Auto, .32 Automatic, 7.65mm Browning, or 7.65×17mmSR) is a centerfire pistol Cartridge (firearms), cartridge. It is a Rim (firearms)#Semi-rimmed, semi-rimmed, straight-walled cartridge develo ...
and .
380 ACP The .380 ACP ( Automatic Colt Pistol), also known as .380 Auto, .380 Automatic, or 9×17mm, is a rimless, straight-walled pistol cartridge that was developed by firearms designer John Moses Browning. The cartridge headspaces on the mouth of ...
caliber In guns, particularly firearms, but not #As a measurement of length, artillery, where a different definition may apply, caliber (or calibre; sometimes abbreviated as "cal") is the specified nominal internal diameter of the gun barrel Gauge ( ...
rounds, the FÉG AP7.65 and PMK-380 respectively. The AP7.65 is almost identical to the PA-63 except that it is chambered in 7.65mm Browning (.32 ACP) and is anodized not two toned. The PMK-380 is chambered in the .380 ACP cartridge with a blued titanium-aluminum alloy frame and blued steel slide. In 2000, FÉG began producing the Walther PPK/E under license from Walther. It is available in .22 LR, .32 ACP and .380 ACP.


Usage

After the fall of communism in 1990, the Hungarian army and police units initiated a program to replace the PA-63 with pistols using the NATO-standard
9×19mm Parabellum The 9×19mm Parabellum (also known as 9mm Luger, 9mm NATO or simply 9mm) is a Rim (firearms)#Rimless, rimless, Centerfire ammunition, centerfire, tapered cartridge (firearms), firearms cartridge. Originally designed by Austrian firearm designer ...
cartridge, first the imported
Jericho 941 The Jericho 941 is a double-action/single-action semi-automatic pistol developed by Israel Weapon Industries (prior to 2005, Israel Military Industries) that was introduced in 1990. Design The original Jericho 941 was modeled on the CZ-75 pis ...
, followed by the domestically produced
P9RC The P9RC is a semi-automatic pistol designed by József Kameniczky and manufactured by the FÉGARMY Arms Factory of Hungary. Design The P9RC is the slightly modified version of the P9R, a design based on the Browning Hi-Power and Smith & Wes ...
, but the PA-63 is still in service in Hungarian law enforcement. It has been largely phased out in Hungary, but due to the large number produced, they are a popular and affordable surplus firearm since they have begun to be imported to the west.


The Makarov label

PA-63s sold in the United States are often advertised as "PA-63 Makarov." This can lead some to believe they are purchasing a
Makarov pistol The Makarov pistol or PM ( rus, Пистолет Макарова, r=Pistolet Makarova, p=pʲɪstɐˈlʲet mɐˈkarəvə, t=Makarov's Pistol) is a Soviet semi-automatic pistol. Under the project leadership of Nikolay Fyodorovich Makarov, it beca ...
instead of a different pistol chambered for the same
9×18mm Makarov The 9×18mm Makarov (designated 9mm Makarov by the C.I.P. and often called 9×18mm PM) is a pistol and submachine gun cartridge developed in the former USSR. During the latter half of the 20th century, it was a standard military pistol cartrid ...
caliber In guns, particularly firearms, but not #As a measurement of length, artillery, where a different definition may apply, caliber (or calibre; sometimes abbreviated as "cal") is the specified nominal internal diameter of the gun barrel Gauge ( ...
. Though both pistols share lineage from the Walther PP/PPK, similar operating principles and use the same ammunition, the Makarov PM is a different design featuring all-steel construction and different lockwork. There are no parts in common between the FÉG PA-63 and the Makarov pistol.


Users

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Non-state users

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Irish National Liberation Army The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA, ) is an Irish republicanism, Irish republican Socialism, socialist paramilitary group formed on 8 December 1974, during the 30-year period of conflict known as "the Troubles". The group seeks to remove ...
(INLA) *
Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (, abbreviated FMLN) is a Salvadoran political party and former guerrilla rebel group. The FMLN was formed as an umbrella group on 10 October 1980, from five leftist guerrilla organizations; ...
(FMLN)


References


Further reading

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External links


FÉG PA-63 Army Pistol (Pisztoly 63 Minta - PA 63M)

Instruction and Safety Manual PA 63 Pistol


{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 .32 ACP semi-automatic pistols .380 ACP semi-automatic pistols 9×18mm Makarov semi-automatic pistols Fegyver- és Gépgyár firearms Semi-automatic pistols of Hungary