FMK-3
- Category
- Submachine Gun
- Barrel
- 290 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.40 kg
- Introduced
- 1974
About
What it is, and why it matters
The FMK-3 is an Argentine 9x19mm Parabellum blowback-operated, selective-fire submachine gun developed by Fabricaciones Militares (FM) and produced at the Domingo Matheu small arms factory (FMAP DM) in Rosario from 1974 to 1993. Heavily inspired by the Israeli Uzi, it uses a telescoping bolt that wraps around the rear portion of the barrel when closed, allowing a compact overall length, and feeds from a double-stack magazine inserted through the pistol grip. The receiver and pistol grip are built from steel stampings to keep production simple and inexpensive, and a retracting steel wire stock allows the weapon to be carried compactly. It became the standard submachine gun of the Argentine Army and police.
Often described as 'Argentina's Uzi', the FMK-3 was Fabricaciones Militares' attempt to field a cheap, domestically produced submachine gun for the Argentine armed forces, replacing the earlier PAM series. Its stamped-steel construction and telescoping-bolt layout mirrored the Uzi while keeping it firmly an Argentine design.
Built largely from steel stampings with minimal machining, which kept unit cost very low. Fires from an open bolt and is fitted with an automatic grip safety at the rear of the pistol grip. Flip-up iron sights are marked for 50 and 100 meters. Reported empty weight varies between roughly 3.14 kg and 3.4 kg across sources.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Dirección General de Fabricaciones Militares
- Category
- Submachine Gun
- Country
- Argentina
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 1974 to 1993
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 290 mm
- Overall length
- 693 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.40 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Blowback
- Firing mechanism
- Open bolt
- Capacity
- 25
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Slide
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Steel
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 400 m/s
- Effective range
- 100 m
- Rate of fire
- 650 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Telescoping bolt
Retractable wire stock
Magazine in pistol grip
Flip up sights
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 201 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 3.40 kg | 3.18 kg | Heavier than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 200 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 693 mm | 723 mm | Shorter than about 60% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 202 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 290 mm | 213 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 204 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 25 | 32 | Holds fewer rounds than about 90% |
Answers
Questions about the FMK-3
How much does the FMK-3 weigh?
The FMK-3 weighs 3.40 kg (7.50 lb) empty.
What caliber is the FMK-3?
The FMK-3 is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.
How many rounds does the FMK-3 hold?
The FMK-3 holds 25 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the FMK-3?
The FMK-3 is 693 mm (27.3 in) long overall, with a 290 mm (11.42 in) barrel.
Who makes the FMK-3?
The FMK-3 is made by Dirección General de Fabricaciones Militares (Argentina).
When was the FMK-3 introduced?
The FMK-3 was introduced in 1974 and discontinued in 1993.
How does the FMK-3 operate?
The FMK-3 uses a blowback action, and its firing mechanism is open bolt.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Argentine Army
- 1974
- Argentine Police
- Argentina
Provenance
Confidence in this record
72%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/fmk-3' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "fmk-3", "name": "FMK-3", "manufacturer": { "id": "fabricaciones-militares", "name": "Dirección General de Fabricaciones Militares", "countryCode": "AR", "foundedYear": 1941, "website": null, "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-06-21 23:00:46", "updatedAt": "2026-06-21 23:00:46", "version": "67f8f4474e784889a39c52d31548a6e263e9032d4449c889f92502a323992481" }, "category": { "id": "submachine-gun", "name": "Submachine Gun", "description": "Automatic firearms chambered in pistol calibers" }, "country_of_origin": "AR", "year_introduced": 1974, "barrel_length_mm": 290, "weight_empty_g": 3400, "action_type": "blowback"}