PDW type weapons are experiencing a renaissance recently. Moreover, the US Army has announced and conducted trials to find a PDW for its soldiers.
The APC9K from Brugger and Thomet (B&T) is the first new submachine gun for the US Army since the M3 "Greasegun", introduced during World War II. The army will buy 350 compact SMGs for 2.5 million USD, with the option to purchase 1,000 additional ones.
Meanwhile, the civil market is also brewing, as evidenced by a PDW made by FN or the DDM4 PDW by Daniel Defense, pictured below.
The new PDW is chambered for the .300 Blackout round (7.62 × 35mm) and is to be available in two configurations, the so-called pistol version (which can be legally registered in the USA as a pistol) supplied with a Maxim Defense CQB brace and the SBR (short-barrel rifle) version, with a CQB Gen7 stock.
The overall length pf the PDW is only 20.75 inches (52 cm) for the pistol and 21 inches (53 cm) for SBR version. This compact platform uses a 7″ barrel (1:7 twist rate) which has been designed to better stabilize subsonic and supersonic ammunition.
Like the rest of the DDM4 series, the PDW uses both an enlarged bolt catch and a double-sided safety/selector switch. The carbines are to be delivered with a dedicated 300 PMAG magazines, made for the Blackout round.
At SHOT Show 2020, DD has presented a new PDW with a barrel ending with a new, linear compensator hidden under the M-LOK MFR XL 6″ rail.
The PDW is also equipped with the new Daniel Defense Grip-N-Rip Ambi charging handle. The Grip-N-Rip lever has been especially designed to fire using a silencer. It has a special gas port that redirects the gas flow away from the shooter's face.
Both versions of DDM4 PDW are available at the MSRP of 1 865.00 USD.
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Sources: thefirearmblog.com, popularmechanics.com, soldiersystems.net
