I have several other pistols, but they are either too large or too small to be considered as a 'daily carry' type pistol. That is what peeked my interest when I did some research on YouTube. I had never heard of the Polish P64 until a few months ago..
I finally pulled the trigger on the purchase a couple of weeks ago and I think I have found my prize... I called Classic Firearms and was connected with Matt, who could not have been more helpful. I told him I wanted the cleanest and best looking P64 they had..and he delivered.
The P64 entered service in 1964 and some law enforcement and security forces in Poland are still using it, but for the most part, the military has updated its sidearms. This particular pistol was made in 1970 and upon inspection the rifleing in the barrel looks to be brand new. Evidently the previous owner was not called upon to use it very often. I ordered an extra magazine and some ammunition to feed my latest acquisition. It arrived at my local FFL about a week later and he was as excited as I was since he had never seen a P64 before.. It holds six rounds in the magazine plus one in the chamber.
Maybe I need to inject some important information here on the subject of ammunition.. The P64 was developed during the days of the Communist domination of Poland and their pistol had to conform to the Communist's requirements for ammo. That being said, the P64 does shoot 9mm ammunition, BUT it is not the 9mm parabellum ammo that is most common. The parabellum, or Luger, rounds are 9X19 millimeters while the Communist rounds are 9X18mm.
The difference is obvious in this photo.. The 9X18 is on the left while the 9mm Luger, or parabellum, is on the right. The importance of the difference is:..'neither can be fired in the others pistols.' During the Cold War Russia did not want to conform with other Western Countries and they developed their own 9mm and made other Soviet Bloc countries use the same.
Another feature that might scare off some prospects is the double action mode of the P64. It is both double action and single action, but that first shot in double action is almost impossible to accomplish. It takes about twenty-five pounds of pressure to pull the trigger in double action mode and only about four and a half pounds in single action mode. I am almost positive it was designed that way so you could carry a round in the chamber without fear of it being accidentally discharged.
The safety is on the left side of the slide and has three functions. Ready to fire when you see the red dot; one click down incapacitates the trigger mechanism, and one more click down releases the hammer without firing the pistol... a hammer block.
I ordered a 150 round range pack of Red Army Standard at the same time I purchased the pistol and was quite impressed. It shoots clean and leaves very little residue behind. I am one of those guys that once I get good results from some product, I usually stick with it. I will probably be ordering more of the same very soon.
The sights could be a little larger, but again I bought the P64 to be a daily carry and that means close-quarter problems. Here I had the target set at thirty feet and managed to be fairly decent. When I shoot for results I prefer to use my CZ75B. It truly is one of the great 9mm's in the world. If you are in the market for a 9mm, I highly recommend it..
Back to the P64,.. It breaks down very easy and is simple to clean. The fixed barrel helps with accuracy and the inside of the frame is accessible to even the beginner. Some say the P64 is a copy of the famed Walther PPK. Coming from someone who owns both, let me say there are 'similarities' but there are also some differences too. The magazine release on the P64 is the European method on the butt of the grip, and that takes some getting used to. The breakdown is the same for both pistols,..pull down on the trigger guard and then move the slide rearward and up to clear the hammer. Again, very simple and quick.
I went online to order some wooden grips to replace the black plastic originals and I think they add to the handsomeness of the P64. It took three weeks to get the grips, but they came all the way from Budapest, Hungary. If you're interested in them, you can get more information by emailing dmarchal@yahoo.co.uk The dude's name is Dennis and he is very accommodating and easy to deal with.
The holster is by Outbags and I found them on Ebay with a vast selection of their product. Rich leather that really keeps a good hold on the pistol inside the waistband.
Summing up:.. I was looking for a daily carry,..and I think I have found the perfect example. It does have some recoil, but I expected that. If you are looking to step up from a .22 or 380.. The P64 might be the pistol for you too..
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