Personal Defence Weapon

PDW 556

intro
In contrast to other PDWs on the market this one is made for 5.56x45 mm ammo, but
still lightweight. Limited to the essential parts it has a very simple construction and a
very high reliability.

This concept makes it possible to match the PDW criteria of less than 3 kg weight (only
2 kg) and less than 50 cm in length, without the need of a folding stock or different
barrel-lengths.

The ballistic data is the same as from short assault-rifles, so there is no need or risk of
developing a new kind of ammunition. The experiences with the Mk262-ammo in Iraq
and Afghanistan shown it effectiveness from short barrels.

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 concept

• dimensions (loaded – with sight): 500 x 30 x 210 mm [the sight is 36 mm wide]

• weight (loaded – with sight): 2 kg
• ammo: 5.56 x 45 mm NATO
• barrel-length: 228 mm (9'')
• rifling: 1 turn at 9"
• magazine: 20 rounds (optional 30/100 rounds)
• trigger: DAO
• firing mode: semi-auto (optional also full-auto)
• safety: none (optional trigger-safety)
• muzzle velocity: 700 - 800 m/s (depending on ammo)
• muzzle energy: 1000 J (depending on ammo)

red-dot-sight (for example Zeiss Z-Point)

• magnification: 1 x
• dimensions: 63.5 x 36 x 44.5 mm
• weight: 150 g

ammo (5.56 x 45 mm NATO)

The gun can be used with all NATO-specified ammunition. That includes M855/SS109-
bullets as well as the lighter M193. The PDW works best with the Mk262 which is in use
in Iraq and Afghanistan. The heavy 77 grain bullet (Sierra MatchKing OTM with
cannelure) shows clearly improved results from short barrels. From the PDW 556 the
bullet will tumble and fragment out to 125 m (estimated). The normal M855/SS109-
bullets won't fragment even at Zero meters from a 9“-barrel.

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 comparison
PDW H&K MP7 FN P90 H&K XM8-PDW
weight (loaded - with sight) 2 kg 2 kg 3 kg 3.7 kg
length 500 mm 420 / 640 mm 500 mm 569 / 762 mm
same ammo as rifle YES NO NO YES
number of parts LOW HIGH HIGH HIGH
magazine 20/30/100 20/40 50 30/100
effective range > 300 m > 200 m 200 m > 300 m

improvements
logistics

•small part number

•same magazine / ammunition as assault-rifle
•same bolt-head as assault rifle

operation

•fastest possible readiness for action

•no safety necessary (DAO-trigger)
•highly reliable
•case ejection possible to both sides
•very low barrel axis
•slim receiver of 30 mm width (sight 36 mm)
•low weight by use of polymers

function

•proven indirect gas-operated system

•hollow handle for better barrel-cooling
•DAO in case of ammo-malfunction

ammunition

•biggest choice of ammunition sorts

•M885/SS109 ; M193 and Mk262 possible

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 trigger/bolt assembly

(without springs for clarity)

The gun is based on the indirect gas-operated system used in today's assault-rifles. The
special feature is the trigger mechanism that is included in the bolt-carrier instead of
the lower-receiver.

The trigger (1) is located between the gasport (2) and the gasrod (3). By pulling the
trigger the gasrod is pushed backwards. Inside the bolt-carrier (4) there is a sear (5) that
is also moved backwards, cocking the firingpin (6). When the sear is lifted up, the
firingpin seperates from the sear and the gun is fired. The combustion-gases flow
through the barrel (7) and gasport pushing the gasrod backwards. The gasrod pushes the
sear against the bolt-carrier and turns the bolt-head (8). The bolt-head and the bolt-
carrier travel backwards, eject the case and push a new catridge in the barrel-chamber.

When bolt-carrier and bolt-head travel forwards the trigger is beyond the point where
the sear will be cocked and released. So the gun is firing in the semi-automatic mode.

By blocking the rear triggerway, the pulled-through trigger will be at the exact point
where the sear is cocked and released. So the gun fires until the trigger is released. The
same way the whole triggerway can be blocked as a safety. This is optional because
DAO-guns don't need safeties and PDW-operators (like paramedics and staff-personell)
mostly aren't trained to do controlled burst-fire.

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 FAQ
What makes the PDW 556 different ?

The PDW 556 is a simple weapon, that is easy to integrate. There is no need for a
special caliber or buying a whole system. The ammunition is already in use and proven.
The gun is reliable, simple and shows a bigger range than other PDWs. In opposite to
special PDW-calibers there is a bigger interchangeability with the other guns and
ammunition sorts than in any other caliber.

5,56 x 45 mm PDW Carbine Assault rifle DMR LMG

PDW-calibre Pistol PDW

How does the PDW 556 perform against other PDWs ?

The FN P90 (5.7 x 28 mm) is (at the moment) the most successful PDW. A dual-core
(steel/aluminium) bullet with a muzzle-energy of 530 J should have a tendency to
tumble is the target but not overpenetrate it. This ammunition is obviously made for the
Police, because the advantages of the ammunition become disadvantages in a military
environment

POLICE MILITARY
+ no overpenetration in target – low target performance (no exit wound)
+ no fragmentation – low target performance (small wound)
+ no penetration of walls and ... – low target performance behind barriers
+ short range to avoid collateral damage – low target performance at greater range

Depending on the definition the effective range differs. A P90 penetrates a CRISAT-vest
(1,6 mm titanium + 20 layers Kevlar) at 150 m and a Kevlar-protection (48 layers /
PASGT-Helm) at 200 m, but the hostile soldier will not be incapacitated. The NATO-
criterion therefore is 80 J, which reduces the effective range (CRISAT) to about 100 m.

range 0-100 m 0-200 m 0-300 m 0-400 m

proportion of engagements 30-40% 65-75% 75-85% 85-95%
P90 PDW 556
(Colt-MARS-patent US05827992)

These 100 m are sufficient for only one third of all military engagements. The PDW 556
penetrates a CRISAT-protection out to 300 m and shows the necessary incapacitation-
energy out to 250 m. That makes about 75 % of all ranges!

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What about ultra-short assault rifles ?

They are almost all to long or to heavy to meet the PDW specifications. (<3 kg, <50 cm).

Will the bullet work satisfactory ?

Yes, unlike others it will. The Mk262 will tumble and fragment up to 125 m.

How high is the development risk ?

... for the ammunition: Zero. The 5.56 x 45 mm ammunition is widespread and meets all
NATO-specifications. The Mk262 is combat-proven and there are many other bullets that
will also work with this gun.

... for the gun: very low. Many components can be taken from other guns; this includes
the barrel and bolt-head. The bolt-carrier must be modified, but other parts as sight,
magazine, mag-catch, flashhider and some smaller parts can be used directly.

What happens to the trigger, when the bolt-carrier reaches it foreward position ?
Possibly not much. The gasrod is pushed further against the trigger, but this seems to be
no problem. If this should become a problem, the patent includes a variation where the
trigger has a flexible sear (15) which leads the trigger around the rod. A spring (16)
pushes the trigger then forward in its starting position.

Does is really weigh only 2 kg ?

barrel 544 g
magazine & 20 rounds 325 g
receiver 380 g
bolt-carrier 215 g
gasport 183 g
gasrod 59 g
flashhider 40 g
bolt-head 33 g
other small parts ca. 100 g
sight (Z-Point) 150 g
gross weight 2 kg

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- 7-
 links

5.56 x 45 mm – ammunition
www.ammo-oracle.com
www.gun-world.net/ammo/556nato/556nato.htm
www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/mk262.htm

flashhider for short barrels

www.silencertest.com/flash.htm

barrel length vs. velocity

www.bohicatool.com/techdata.html

Colt MARS patent

www.biggerhammer.net/patents/US05827992__.pdf

other PDWs
[data partly inconsistent]
www.fnherstal.com
www.fnhusa.com

www.heckler-koch.de
www.hkdefense.us

www.hkpro.com
www.personaldefenceweapons.com

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