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Hungarian Király-Kucher Submachine Guns & Machine Pistols |
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Designed by József Kucher, Institute of Military Technology, Budapest Quantity: Unknown, manufactured by Danuvia Gépgyár, Budapest Caliber: 7.62x25mm Tokarev 35-round staggered row detachable box magazine Overall length 844mm [33.2"], 532mm [20.9"] with stock folded Barrel length approx. 280mm [11"] Weight 3.1kg [6.8 lbs], 3.7kg [8.1 lbs] with loaded magazine Sight adjustable 100-200 meters Muzzle velocity 480 m/sec 70 rounds/min actual firing rate |
This design was based on the WW2 Danuvia 44.M
prototype, designed by Pál Király and his then assistant,
József Kucher, at the Danuvia Factory.
The re-design was started by Kucher in 1949. The gun was
chambered for the Soviet 7.62x25mm Tokarev TT pistol cartridge and a folding stock
was added. Magazine foldability was eliminated. The selector for full or
semiauto mode was retained.
The K1 performed successfully at the military trials in Táborfalva on 11/11/51.
It was adopted by the Defense Ministry, and manufacturing was approved.
Some sources claim that the gun was adopted in 1953 and received a 53M designation.
This machine pistol was often referred to as 'Pénzügyör Géppisztoly" [Treasury/Customs Guard
Machine Pistol}. An unknown, but limited quantity of K1's were manufactured.
It appears that due to political pressures and plain ignorance, the copy of the far inferior
Soviet PPSh-41 was much more widely produced and used.
In the mid-1950's Kucher also developed a lighter, faster, shorter, improved version of the K1, but the Rakosi-era Communist Leadership showed no interest in Hungarian developed weapons.
