![]() |
Hungarian Király-Kucher Submachine Guns & Machine Pistols |
![]() |
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 chambered the Soviet 7.62x25mm Tokarev TT pistol cartridge. A folding stock was added.
Magazine foldability was eliminated. The selector for full or semiauto mode was retained. The receiver was precision machined steel.
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 53.M designation.
This machine pistol was often referred to as 'Pénzügyőr 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 Rákosi-era Communist Leadership showed no interest in Hungarian developed weapons.