P - 64 Pistol The P - 64 is a Polish 9mm semi - automatic pistol designed to fire the 9x18mm Makarov cartridge . The pistol was developed in the late 1950s at the Institute for Artillery Research ( Polish : " Zakład Broni Strzeleckiej Centralnego Badawczego Poligonu Artyleryjskiego " , which later became the Military Institute of Armament Technology , Polish : " Wojskowy Instytut Techniczny Uzbrojenia w Zielonce " — WITU ) by a team consisting of : W . Czepukajtis , R . Zimny , H . Adamczyk , M . Adamczyk , S . Kaczmarski and J . Pyzel . The P - 64 is also known as the CZAK ( an acronym of the designers ' last names with the exception of J . Pyzel , who joined the team after the name had been established ) . Development . The P - 64 was drawn from a competition for a new service pistol issued in 1958 . At the prototype stage , two versions of the CZAK pistol were created : the Model M ( " Milicyjny " ) , with a magazine capacity of 6 rounds and chambered to use the . 380 ACP ( 9x17mm Short ) cartridge and the Model W ( " Wojskowy " ) , with a longer barrel than the Model M , a 6 - round magazine capacity and chambered for the 9x18mm Makarov round . During the evaluation phase which took place in 1961 , both pistols were compared , and the Model M was selected over the Model W . It was then rechambered for the Makarov round and improved with a modified slide catch ( the external catch button was removed ) and better ergonomics . In 1965 , the P - 64 , manufactured at the Łucznik Arms Factory in Radom , entered service with the army , police and security forces under the official designation " 9 mm pistolet wz . 1964 " replacing the 7 . 62mm TT pistol . The P - 64 is no longer produced , and is being replaced by the WIST - 94 pistol in 9mm NATO caliber . However , the P - 64 remains in the inventories of the Polish Armed Forces and the police services . Design details . The P - 64 is a double - action blowback - operated pistol . It has a spring extractor mounted within the slide . The rotating slide catch , installed inside the pistol ' s frame , contains a protrusion which acts as an empty case ejector . The pistol ' s trigger mechanism includes a disconnector ( which ensures semi - automatic - only fire ) ; a double - action trigger ( which allows the pistol to be both cocked and fired with one pull of the trigger ) , and an exposed hammer . The slide features a loaded chamber indicator ( which , both visually and by feel , indicates the presence of a round in the chamber ) and a manual safety lever that prevents the weapon from being accidentally discharged with the hammer either cocked or released . This feature also allows a round to be chambered with the safety engaged or toggled off . In the " safe " position , the firing pin is locked and the trigger bar is disconnected from the hammer notch . If the hammer is cocked and the safety is engaged , the safety will release the hammer . In the 1970s the trigger mechanism was slightly modified , and the hammer spur was enlarged . The P - 64 is fed from a 6 - round single - stack box magazine . After the last round has been fired , the magazine follower lifts the slide catch , which locks the slide open . The slide can then be released by withdrawing the magazine a short distance and pulling the slide back . The pistol is equipped with a fixed front sight , and a dovetailed rear sight with a square notch . The sights are calibrated for firing at 50 m . The all - steel P - 64 is manufactured mainly by machine cutting . It is issued with a spare magazine , a leather holster , and a cleaning kit . This pistol has a harsh recoil caused by its relatively small size coupled with the potent 9x18mm Makarov round . Despite its similarity to the Walther PP , the P - 64 is an original design , holding a Polish patent , number 54822 . The patent applies to the unique disconnecter ( an elongated plate sliding vertically inside the pistol ' s frame ) which provides an internal safety , uncocks the hammer when the safety is engaged , interrupts the weapon ' s cycle after every shot fired , and allows the weapon to be reloaded with the safety on .