PAM-2
Dirección General de Fabricaciones Militares - Fábrica Militar de Armas Portátiles · Submachine Gun · Out Of Production · 1962
Also known as: Pistola Ametralladora Modelo 2, PAM 2
Overview
The PAM-2 is an Argentine 9x19mm Parabellum submachine gun, an improved version of the PAM-1, both licensed derivatives of the American M3A1 'Grease Gun' rechambered from .45 ACP to 9mm and manufactured by the state arsenal FMAP (Fábrica Militar de Armas Portátiles) under the Dirección General de Fabricaciones Militares. It is a simple blowback, open-bolt, full-automatic weapon fed from a detachable box magazine and fitted with a retractable wire stock. The PAM-2's principal change over the PAM-1 was the addition of a grip-safety lever at the rear of the magazine well to prevent accidental discharge if the weapon was dropped, remedying the inadequate safety inherited from the original M3 design.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3300 g (116.4 oz) |
| Overall Length | 725 mm (28.54") |
| Barrel Length | 200 mm (7.87") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Open Bolt |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Effective Range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 450 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Steel |
Calibers
- 9x19mm Parabellum · primary · 9mm NATO — also known as 9mm Luger, 9mm NATO, 9x19mm
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Grip Safety, Ejection Port Cover
- Features: Retractable Wire Stock, Based On M3a1 Grease Gun, Grip Safety Lever At Magazine Well, Flip Rear Sight 50 100m
Variants
- PAM-1 - Base Model
Service history
Operators
- Argentine Army · adopted 1955 · as PAM
- Argentine security and police forces
Conflicts
- Falklands War (1982)
Production
Estimated total produced: 17,600 · Production years: 1962-1972
Approximately half of the ~33,000 PAM-1s were converted to PAM-2 configuration, plus roughly 1,100 newly manufactured PAM-2s in 1969; figure is an estimate derived from these totals.
Origin
Country of origin: Argentina
Discontinued: 1972
Notes
About half of the ~33,000 PAM-1s built (1955-1961) were converted to PAM-2 standard, and a further small batch of roughly 1,100 new-manufacture PAM-2s was produced in 1969. Series production of the PAM family spanned 1955-1972; total output across both models is estimated at around 47,000. The type served alongside the FMK-3 submachine gun until it was retired in the 1990s. Magazine capacity is commonly reported but was not confirmed here, so it is left null.
Background
Most PAM-2s found outside Argentina are grip-safety conversions captured by British forces during the 1982 Falklands War, where the little 9mm 'Grease Gun' copy served as a standard Argentine submachine gun.