Knight's Armament Company PDW
Encyclopedia
The Knight's Armament Company
6x35mm PDW is an experimental personal defense weapon
designed by KAC, firing a new 6mm cartridge optimized for short barrel weapons.
As with all personal defense weapons, the KAC PDW is intended to be compact and lightweight (similar to submachine gun
s), but have a longer useful range (out to the low end of combat rifle ranges, 250–300 m). A PDW would be issued primarily to troops who are not offensive combat infantry, but who might need a highly capable defensive weapon if they were attacked, such as truck drivers, artillery troops, tank crews, aircraft crews, and other support troops. The KAC PDW is over 10 inches shorter (19.5" vs. 29.8" with stocks folded) and more than 1 pound lighter (4.5 lb vs. 5.9 lb) than the currently serviced M4 carbine
, a U.S. Army and Marine weapon.
components in its design. The lower receiver, holding the magazine
and trigger assembly, is essentially a shortened M16 rifle
lower receiver
, which makes the basic operating controls familiar to many potential users. The cartridge, upper receiver, and operating mechanism are all new designs by KAC.
The KAC PDW uses a completely side-folding stock
, unlike the M16 and M4 designs which have their main operating spring in a tube in the stock, and therefore can only partially telescope, and not fold sideways at all.
The barrel has been lightened with a new dimpling process.
round. The 6mm bullet is slightly wider, and the standard 6x35mm bullet is slightly heavier than the standard 5.56mm bullet (65 gr versus 62 gr).
Fired from a 10-inch (250 mm) barrel, KAC claims that the 6x35mm cartridge reaches a muzzle velocity of 2450 ft/s (746.8 m/s), slightly faster than the muzzle velocity of a 5.56 mm cartridge fired from a similarly short barrel. The larger diameter, shorter 6 mm cartridge is optimized for these shorter barrel lengths, and would perform less efficiently from rifle-length barrels. The round's muzzle energy is 831 ft.lbf versus 792 ft.lbf for a 5.56 mm bullet, again from the same 10" standard barrel.
There is a discrepancy between the velocity claimed by Knight's for 5.56 mm 62 gr SS109 NATO ammunition fired from a 10 inches (254 mm) Colt Commando
barrel (2400 ft/s (731.5 m/s), 792 ft.lbf energy) and other M-16 manufacturers' stated muzzle velocities (2627 ft/s (800.7 m/s), 950 ft.lbf). In any case the energies and velocities are roughly comparable.
Small Arms Symposium in Albuquerque
, New Mexico
. Some writers were shown samples at the earlier 2006 SHOT Show
.
Knight's Armament Company
Knight's Armament Company is an American firearms and firearms parts manufacturer.It is owned by C. Reed Knight and based in Titusville, Florida. KAC is best known for producing the Rail Interface System and the Rail Adapter System grips for military firearms...
6x35mm PDW is an experimental personal defense weapon
Personal defense weapon
A personal defense weapon is a compact semi-automatic or fully automatic firearm similar in most respects to a submachine gun, but firing an armor-piercing rifle round, giving a PDW better range, accuracy and armor-penetrating capability than submachine guns, which fire pistol-caliber cartridges...
designed by KAC, firing a new 6mm cartridge optimized for short barrel weapons.
As with all personal defense weapons, the KAC PDW is intended to be compact and lightweight (similar to submachine gun
Submachine gun
A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
s), but have a longer useful range (out to the low end of combat rifle ranges, 250–300 m). A PDW would be issued primarily to troops who are not offensive combat infantry, but who might need a highly capable defensive weapon if they were attacked, such as truck drivers, artillery troops, tank crews, aircraft crews, and other support troops. The KAC PDW is over 10 inches shorter (19.5" vs. 29.8" with stocks folded) and more than 1 pound lighter (4.5 lb vs. 5.9 lb) than the currently serviced M4 carbine
M4 carbine
The M4 carbine is a family of firearms tracing its lineage back to earlier carbine versions of the M16, all based on the original AR-15 designed by Eugene Stoner and made by ArmaLite. It is a shorter and lighter variant of the M16A2 assault rifle, with 80% parts commonality.It is a gas-operated,...
, a U.S. Army and Marine weapon.
Design details
The KAC PDW combines new and off the shelfCommercial off-the-shelf
In the United States, Commercially available Off-The-Shelf is a Federal Acquisition Regulation term defining a nondevelopmental item of supply that is both commercial and sold in substantial quantities in the commercial marketplace, and that can be procured or utilized under government contract...
components in its design. The lower receiver, holding the magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
and trigger assembly, is essentially a shortened M16 rifle
M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
lower receiver
Receiver (firearms)
In firearms terminology, the receiver is the part of a firearm that houses the operating parts. The receiver usually contains the bolt carrier group, trigger group, and magazine port. In most handguns, the receiver, or frame, holds the magazine well or rotary magazine as well as the trigger mechanism...
, which makes the basic operating controls familiar to many potential users. The cartridge, upper receiver, and operating mechanism are all new designs by KAC.
The KAC PDW uses a completely side-folding stock
Stock (firearm)
A stock, also known as a buttstock or shoulder stock, is a part of a rifle or other firearm, to which the barrel and firing mechanism are attached, that is held against one's shoulder when firing the gun. Stocks are also found on crossbows though a crossbow stock is more properly referred to as a...
, unlike the M16 and M4 designs which have their main operating spring in a tube in the stock, and therefore can only partially telescope, and not fold sideways at all.
The barrel has been lightened with a new dimpling process.
Cartridge
The KAC PDW fires a 6x35 mm cartridge, a full centimeter shorter than the western military standard 5.56x45mm NATO5.56x45mm NATO
5.56×45mm NATO is a rifle cartridge developed in the United States and originally chambered in the M16 rifle. Under STANAG 4172, it is a standard cartridge for NATO forces as well as many non-NATO countries. It is derived from, but not identical to, the .223 Remington cartridge...
round. The 6mm bullet is slightly wider, and the standard 6x35mm bullet is slightly heavier than the standard 5.56mm bullet (65 gr versus 62 gr).
Fired from a 10-inch (250 mm) barrel, KAC claims that the 6x35mm cartridge reaches a muzzle velocity of 2450 ft/s (746.8 m/s), slightly faster than the muzzle velocity of a 5.56 mm cartridge fired from a similarly short barrel. The larger diameter, shorter 6 mm cartridge is optimized for these shorter barrel lengths, and would perform less efficiently from rifle-length barrels. The round's muzzle energy is 831 ft.lbf versus 792 ft.lbf for a 5.56 mm bullet, again from the same 10" standard barrel.
There is a discrepancy between the velocity claimed by Knight's for 5.56 mm 62 gr SS109 NATO ammunition fired from a 10 inches (254 mm) Colt Commando
CAR-15
The Colt Automatic Rifle-15 Military Weapons System or CAR-15 was a family of AR-15 and M16 rifle–based firearms marketed by Colt in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Due to their compact size, the short-barreled Colt Commando and XM177 versions of this family continued to be issued to the U.S...
barrel (2400 ft/s (731.5 m/s), 792 ft.lbf energy) and other M-16 manufacturers' stated muzzle velocities (2627 ft/s (800.7 m/s), 950 ft.lbf). In any case the energies and velocities are roughly comparable.
Operating mechanism
According to a weapon review article, the KAC PDW has two gas pistons tapping hot gas from the barrel to operate its mechanism, located on the top left and right sides of the bolt carrier. The single mainspring is located on top, between the two gas pistons.History
The new weapon was formally introduced at the 2006 NDIANational Defense Industrial Association
The National Defense Industrial Association is an association for the United States government and the defense industry. Based in Arlington, Virginia, NDIA was established in 1919 as a result of the inability of the defense industry to scale up the war effort during World War I...
Small Arms Symposium in Albuquerque
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. Some writers were shown samples at the earlier 2006 SHOT Show
SHOT Show
The ' is an annual tradeshow for the shooting, hunting, and firearms industry. It is the biggest event of this type in the world together with IWA & OutdoorClassics , also taking place annually. "SHOT", besides being a general reference to shooting, is an acronym for "Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor...
.
Competitors
Competing weapons designs include:- Carbines, such as:
- M4 carbineM4 carbineThe M4 carbine is a family of firearms tracing its lineage back to earlier carbine versions of the M16, all based on the original AR-15 designed by Eugene Stoner and made by ArmaLite. It is a shorter and lighter variant of the M16A2 assault rifle, with 80% parts commonality.It is a gas-operated,...
- SIG 552 Commando
- Heckler & Koch G36C
- Heckler & Koch HK416
- M4 carbine
- Personal defense weapons, such as:
- FN P90FN P90The FN P90 is a selective fire personal defense weapon designed and manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium. The P90's name is taken from 1990, the year it was introduced...
- AKS-74U
- Heckler & Koch MP7Heckler & Koch MP7The MP7 is a German submachine gun manufactured by Heckler & Koch and chambered for the 4.6×30mm cartridge. It was designed with the new cartridge to meet NATO requirements published in 1989, as these requirements call for a personal defense weapon class firearm, with a greater ability to defeat...
- Heckler & Koch MP5K
- PP-2000PP-2000The PP-2000 is a submachine gun made by the KBP Instrument Design Bureau. It was first publicly displayed at the Interpolytech-2004 exhibition in Moscow even though its patent was filed in 2001 and issued in 2003.- Overview :...
- FN P90