FEG PA 63

History

FÉGARMY Arms Factory (FÉG) of Hungary started producing Walther PP/PPK clones in the late 1940s starting with their Model 48 which differed from the Walther PPK only in minor details. By the late 1950s FÉG began making broader changes resulting in the PA-63, which uses the 9×18mm Makarov round. It quickly became standard issue to both Hungarian military and police forces. Due to its popularity and relative durability FÉG later issued models using .32 ACP and .380 ACP caliber rounds (FÉG AP7.65 and PMK-380 respectively).

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.

The Makarov label

PA-63s sold in the United States are often advertised as "PA-63 Makarov." This can lead some consumers to believe they are purchasing a Makarov PM pistol instead of a different pistol chambered for the same 9×18mm Makarov caliber. 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 PM.

Compromises of the PA-63

The PA-63 design reflects a compromise between police and military needs.

The safety/decocking lever, located on the rear of the slide, must be pushed forward to disengage the safety. Aficionados of the John Browning-designed Model 1911 or the Makarov PM may find this design unfamiliar, although those with experience using more modern designs such as the Walther PPK or Beretta M9 pistols will find the safety/decocking lever to be located in a similar position.

The 7-round magazine capacity (effectively 7+1 in practise) is much lower than many newer service pistol designs.

Due to its lighter-weight alloy construction, the PA-63 handgun produces more noticeable recoil than the similarly sized, all steel Makarov PM, and some shooters may note an increased tendency toward muzzle flip with each shot. This tendency can be reduced by replacing the stock recoil spring with a stronger one, readily available as an aftermarket item.

Many of the objections raised to the PA-63 have to do with its perception as a military service pistol in the tradition of the American M1911A1, the Russian Tokarev, the German Walther P38 and P-08 Luger, or the Browning High-Power. As its design can be traced back to a German pocket pistol intended for concealed carry in a pocket or under a coat rather than in a holster on the battlefield, these objections are perhaps understandable. 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 cartridge, first the imported Jericho 941, followed by the domestically produced P9RC, 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, namely the United States.

FÉG AP9, PMK-380/SMK-380 and FÉG PPH

A lesser known variant of the PA-63 is the AP9. This pistol is almost identical to the PA-63 except that it is chambered in 7.65mm Browning (.32 ACP) and is anodized not two toned. Another variant is the PMK-380 which closely resembles the AP9 but is chambered in the .380 ACP cartridge with a blued titanium-aluminum alloy frame and blued steel slide. The similarly chambered SMG-380 was also produced, with a black anodized titanium-aluminum alloy frame and blued slide.