Despite looking a bit like the Walther PPK or the Makarov the Polish Radom Model P-64 is a unique design. This double-action/single-action blowback compact pistol is chambered for the 9×18 Makarov cartridge and is a lot of gun in a compact lightweight package.
Fast Facts
- The Radom Model P-64 is a Polish designed and manufactured handgun.
- The P-64 was in production from 1965 until 1977 and is an all steel pistol.
- The caliber of the P-64 is 9×18 Makarov and the magazine capacity is six rounds in a single column.
- A pair of these pistols is up for sale by Rock Island Auction at time of publication.
The Radom Model P-64 semi-automatic pistol was designed as a military and police pistol and although it looks to have some similarities with the Walther PPK and the Russian Makarov it is in fact a different design, a design done by the Polish Institute for Artillery Research (Zakład Broni Strzeleckiej Centralnego Badawczego Poligonu Artyleryjskiego), which was subsequently renamed the Military Institute for Armament Technology.
The P-64 is a very well thought out little pistol. It is chambered for the 9×18 Makarov cartridge and was created so it would function perfectly with the common steel case military ammunition. The pistol will also function nicely with brass cased cartridges.
The pistol was designed by a team of engineers with the creation process beginning in 1958 and there were two initial design prototypes of what was then called the CZAK pistol. The CZAK name was an acronym for the names of the original design team but did not include an additional member who joined the project after the name had been coined.
Two pistol prototypes were created; the Model M (“Milicyjny” – Police), and the Model W (“Wojskowy” – Military). Both used the same action design but the Model M was fitted with a short barrel and chambered for the 380 ACP while the Model W had a longer barrel and was chambered for the Russian/Eastern Bloc 9×18 Makarov cartridge.
After evaluation the decision was made to settle on a short barrel design chambered for the 9×18 Makarov. The ergonomics of the final design were improved with the orginal external slide catch being eliminated in favor of an internal one set by the presence of an empty magazine.
Production of the final design was undertaken by the famous Łucznik Arms Factory in Radom in 1965 and the pistol would remain in production until 1977.
The P-64 is an all-steel pistol based around a simple blow-back action and adorned with functional plastic grips. Magazine capacity is six rounds in a single column, giving the pistol a slim profile with a length of 6.3 inches (160 mm) and a height of 4.6 inches (117 mm). Weight is a comfortable 22 ounces (620 grams) and barrel length is 3.3 inches (84.6 mm).
The pistol is double-action/single-action with the safety catch mounted on the rear left side of the slide. The safety catch functions as a safety catch both when the pistol is un-cocked to be used in double-action mode, and when the pistol is cocked it acts as the de-cocking lever.
The pistol is fitted with a loaded cartridge indicator which is both visual and tactile.
The hammer on the early production pistols was rounded and this was updated to a triangular style in 1973 to make cocking the hammer easier.
When in use, when the last shot is fired the pistol is locked open by the internal slide catch – which is activated by the empty magazine. To lower the slide the magazine is partly withdrawn and the slide retracted and then allowed to close.
The magazine catch is located at the bottom of the pistol grip as is common with classic European pistols. Some dislike this, others prefer it. The European style magazine release requires that the shooter actively pull the magazine out of its well rather than relying on gravity to do the job – something that I think makes perfect sense.
Being a small and lightweight pistol with a blowback operation the recoil of the P-64 is a tad snappy. But it provides the power of the 9×18 Makarov cartridge in a small package.
Being a military pistol the P-64 is factory zeroed for 50 meters. The actual zero you experience if you have one of these handguns will of course depend on the ammunition you use in it.
Despite being long out of production the P-64 is still in service with the Polish Land Forces and Polish Police, the military forces of the Lebanon, and the People’s Army of Vietnam.
In the United States these pistols have gained a second life as an affordable civilian self-defense pistol. Small and light to carry these are a pistol one is more likely to actually use as a concealed carry pistol and as is often said, the small light gun you have on you is a whole lot more useful in an emergency than the bigger and more powerful pistol you have at home in the safe.
These pistols come up for sale from time to time and two are up for sale by Rock Island Auction at time of publication. These are being sold as one lot and you can find the sale page if you click here.
Picture Credits: All pictures courtesy Rock Island Auction.
Jon Branch is the founder and senior editor of Revivaler and has written a significant number of articles for various publications including official Buying Guides for eBay, classic car articles for Hagerty, magazine articles for both the Australian Shooters Journal and the Australian Shooter, and he’s a long time contributor to Silodrome.
Jon has done radio, television, magazine and newspaper interviews on various issues, and has traveled extensively, having lived in Britain, Australia, China and Hong Kong. His travels have taken him to Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan and a number of other countries. He has studied the Japanese sword arts and has a long history of involvement in the shooting sports, which has included authoring submissions to government on various firearms related issues and assisting in the design and establishment of shooting ranges.
