PDWs...and other small arms.

[stanc]

Am interested in your view of PDW's from a historical perspective. No doubt this has been seriously considered before.

Yeah, it's not only been considered before, a PDW was actually adopted and fielded: The M1 carbine.

But, while the M1 carbine was a good first effort, it was considerably bigger and heavier than would later be desired.

In the late-1960s, both the Air Force and Army showed some interest in the concept. Colt developed the SCAMP and IMP machine pistols (https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/...re.366028/).

Then in the late-1980s, the PDW concept was revived when the Army published the Small Arms Master Plan. However, they never seemed to know exactly what it was they wanted, so the quest for a PDW didn't go anywhere.

Other armies have actually adopted weapons of this class, though. Some examples:

Poland fielded the PM63, a compact 9x18 SMG (http://www.forgottenweapons.com/submachi...pm-63-rak/).



[video=youtube;HglasZ-0Mgc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HglasZ-0Mgc[/video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HglasZ-0Mgc



Portugal uses the B&T MP9 as a PDW.