FB Wanad

P-83 Wanad
P-83 pistol
Type	Semi-automatic pistol
Place of origin	Poland
Service history
In service	1983-present
Used by	Polish police and armed forces
Wars	Yugoslav Wars Iraq War
Production history
Designer	OBR Radom
Designed	1978
Manufacturer	FB Radom
Produced	1983-2000
Variants	P-83 in (9×17mm Short), P-83M, P-83G, P-93, PT-83
Specifications
Weight	730 g (26 oz) (P-83, P-83G) 650 g (23 oz) (P-83M) 750 g (26 oz) (P-93)
Length	165 mm (6.5 in) (P-83, P-83G) 170 mm (6.7 in) (P-93M) 178 mm (7.0 in) (P-93)
Barrel length	90 mm (3.5 in) (P-83, P-83M, P-83G) 100 mm (3.9 in) (P-93)
Width	30 mm (1.2 in) (P-83, P-83G, P-93) 34 mm (1.3 in) (P-83M)
Height	125 mm (4.9 in) (P-83, P-83G, P-93) 127 mm (5.0 in) (P-83M)
Cartridge	9×18mm Makarov (P-83, P-83M, P-93) .380 ACP (9×17mm Short) (P-83) .32 ACP (7.65x17mm Browning SR) (P-83) 9 mm PA (P-83G)
Action	Straight blowback
Muzzle velocity	312 m/s (1,024 ft/s) (P-83, P-83M) 284 m/s (931.8 ft/s) (P-83 in 9×17mm Short) 316 m/s (1,036.7 ft/s) (P-93)
Effective firing range	Sights fixed for 25 m (9×18mm Makarov)
Feed system	8-round box magazine
Sights	Fixed, front blade and rear notch

The P-83 Wanad (pl.Vanadium) is a single-action and double-action Polish semi-automatic pistol, chambered for the 9×18mm Makarov cartridge and designed by Ryszard Chełmicki and Marian Gryszkiewicz of the state research institute Ośrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy in Radom. The P-83 succeeded the P-64 as the sidearm for the Polish Army and police. The P-83 is still in limited use by both the Polish police and the Polish military but it has been mostly replaced by Glock 19 pistols in Police service and partially by the indigenous WIST 94 pistol in the Polish military.

Civilian version

Civilian guns have different shaped sights, a rounded hammer and different markings on the slide: a Polish eagle followed by “RADOM wz. P-83 9×18 POLAND Z.M. LUCZNIK”. The name of the importing company is stamped on the left side of the frame.

Civilian export version.

See Also

• 9×18mm Makarov
• P-64 Radom (pistol)

External links

• The Unofficial P-64 Resource
• Post #50487, Detailed takedown of P83 in "Other 9x18's" forum, The Unofficial P-64 Resource Forums
• World Guns, Modern Firearms, Handguns, P-83 pistol (Poland)
• P-83 Wanad Pistol, User's Guide: Safety and Instruction Manual for the Polish P-83 (P83) Wanad Pistol Makarov 9x18mm
• Firearms and Ammunition, P-83 Wanad