Kucher Model K1

Submachine gun

Kucher Light Machine Pistol Model K1
Type	Submachine gun
Place of origin	People's Republic of Hungary
Service history
In service	1953
Used by	Hungary
Production history
Designer	József Kucher
Designed	1951
No. built	~800
Specifications
Mass	3.1 kg (6.8 lb) empty, 3.7 kg (8.2 lb) fully loaded
Length	844 mm (33.2 in), 532 mm (20.9 in) stock folded
Barrel length	280 mm (11 in)

Cartridge	7.62×25mm Tokarev
Action	Blowback
Rate of fire	700 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	480 m/s (1,600 ft/s)
Effective firing range	100–200 m (110–220 yd)^[1]
Feed system	detachable box magazine 35 round
Sights	Front: windage and elevation adjustable post Back: Two-position notch

The Kucher K1, also known as the Danuvia M53 K1, was a Hungarian magazine-fed submachine gun designed by József Kucher in 1951, based on the Danuvia 44.M prototype submachine gun.^[2] It was produced by the titular Danuvia company.^[3] The submachine gun was known in Hungarian service as the Gepisztoly 53 Minta or as the "Spigon submachine gun".^[4]

After passing tests in military trials at Táborfalva on 11 November, 1951, it was adopted by the Hungarian Ministry of Defense, and often referred to as the 'Pénzügyőr Géppisztoly' (Financier/Treasury Machine Gun). Some sources claim it was adopted in 1953 and received the designation 53.M. The K1 was produced in limited numbers (exact count unknown) before being replaced by a Hungarian copy of the PPSh-41 for army use, and was mostly issued to border guards and treasury officers, remaining in service until the 1960s.^[5]^[6]

The K1 used an open-bolt, blowback action, fed by a 35 round, curved, double-stack magazine. It weighed around 6.8 lbs and was 33.2 inches long with the stock extended. Due to being milled rather than using stamped metal it required more time to manufacture and cost more than many of its contemporaries.^[7]

Users

Hungarian People's Republic^[4]

Non-state users

PLO^[4]

References

^ "7.62mm Kucher Light Machine Pistol Model K1, 1951". Hungarian Weapons & History.
^ https://medium.com/war-is-boring/this-rare-cold-war-hungarian-submachine-gun-reappeared-in-2016-b96de9150913
^ https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30029996
^ ^a ^b ^c Ezell, Edward (1988). Small Arms Today. Vol. 2nd. Stackpole Books. p. 199. ISBN 0811722805.
^ http://www.hungariae.com/KuchK1.htm
^ https://www.historicalfirearms.info/post/156102193494/kucher-k1-submachine-gun-during-the-late-1930s
^ https://medium.com/war-is-boring/this-rare-cold-war-hungarian-submachine-gun-reappeared-in-2016-b96de9150913

External links

"53M". Modern Firearms.

Weapons and military equipment designed or licence-manufactured in Hungary

Firearms

Service rifles	M88 rifle M95 rifle 35M rifle 48M inf. rifle and carbine AK-63 assault rifle AKM-63 and AMD-65 assault rifles
Pistols	Frommer Stop 37M pistol FEG PA-63 P9RC Tokarev 48M VD-01
Submachine guns	Frommer M.17 Danuvia 43M submachine gun 48M Kucher Model K1 KGP-9
Machine guns	Schwarzlose 07/31M heavy machine gun Solothurn 31M light machine gun KGK RPK PK
Artillery pieces	40mm 40M anti-tank gun 80mm 5/8M 100mm 14M 149mm 14/31M DE-82 automatic mortar Bofors 80 mm Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60
Other	20 mm Solothurn 36M anti-tank rifle Gepárd anti-materiel rifle 44M Buzogányvető anti-tank rocket 44M Lidérc air-to-air rocket

Armour and other
land based vehicles

Tanks and SP guns	Light Tank V3 Light Tank V4 Toldi tanks Turán I and II 43M Turán III 44M Tas 43M Zrínyi II 44M Zrínyi I Toldi páncélvadász 40M Nimród
IFVs	Lynx KF41
APCs and Armoured cars	39M Csaba D-442 FUG Gidrán
Other	38M Botond truck