A Question on the Predom Lucznik KI 170 Air Pistol

[Josie & John]

This is possibly a question a Polish member with a better understanding of the language than I can answer; perhaps Michal S if you're still active on this forum?

Does anybody know what the KI of KI 170 stands for? I know the Wz. of WZ. 1970 stands for Wzor, which loosely translates to Model but am baffled by the KI initials.

I'm also intrigued by what KT-23 or KT-130 means on the supplied test card that came with these pistols. Does anyone know?

John M

[Drew451]

I think the KI or KL means Klasa, which is Polish for class or category.
Not at all sure about the KT

[ccdjg]

Yes, according to the Polish book "Polish guns - pneumatic and rimfire" Kl 170 just means Class 170.

Perhaps KT-23 just means card 23 (Polish Karta)?

Cheers John

[Josie & John]

That's great - thank you both for your prompt and informative answers. I should know this really and perhaps ought to have paid more attention when I attended Polish school on Saturday mornings when I was a youngster!

The KT-23 is intriguing as I have also seen cards marked KT-130 and 373. Some have EKSPORT and others don't, which is self explanatory but the numbers must have some meaning.

Thanks again.

John M

[Geezer]

Interesting, but what does Class 170 denote?

[Josie & John]

Interesting, but what does Class 170 denote?

The pistol is marked Wz.1970, which loosely translates to Model of 1970. I wonder is Class 170 means the same, albeit with a missing 9. Unless 170 was classified as Air Pistol by Polish factories?

I'd like to know for sure.

Funny thing is the earliest known models were date stamped 1972. It is probable the model was approved in 1970 but took up to 2 years to reach the production stage.

John M

[ccdjg]

The following information might be useful, which I translated (Google trans.) and paraphrased from the book mentionened above (author Z. Gwozdz):

In 1967, the design office of the Lucznik company began to consider development of a new air gun, coded 170-00-000, as part of a program to enlarge their range of home produced airguns.

For this purpose an analysis of existing models was undertaken, and the designers focused their attention on the LP53 West German pistol (Luftpistole Model 53).

The design engineers Antoni Szymanski and Ernest Durasiewicz designed their own version of the LP53 with similar parameters. The first drawings were prepared in September 1968, and the first guns left the plant in 1972. Despite its similar appearance and the same principles of operation the pistol was not a simple copy of the Walther LP 53, but did embody certain improvements and modifications, one of them was a safety device, which locked the trigger once the barrel was broken. This development was the subject of patent application No. P. 163 684 (Metal Works them. Gen. Walter "Predom-Lucznik" Inventors: Antoni Szymanski, Ernest Durasiewicz).

The gun was officially designated as the “KL 170 air pistol”, and as it was also to be used by the military for training and sporting purposes it carried on the left side of the body, next to the name of the manufacturer, its military designation “ WZ. 1970”.

Irrespective of the factory instructions that came with every gun, from a decision by the Chief of Armament and Electronics in the army, dated. February 27, 1973, a separate instruction booklet was introduced (ref. Arm. 1378/73, which covered the use, exploitation and rules of shooting with a pistol .
During its production period a few changes were made. Guns of the first series were characterised by the inscription "LUCZNIK" located on the left side of the frame, which was later replaced by the inscription "PREDOM-LUCZNIK”. Guns produced for export in 1975 were provided with a left thumb rest grip plate as in the Walther. In addition the inscriptions on pistols produced from July 1975 showed a change in the size and font of the lettering, which was associated with changes in the technology of the methods of machining and extruding. At the request of a German importer, some of the export guns manufactured in 1976 were also given the additional inscription: "PERFECTA"

[Josie & John]

Thank you John - that is really interesting and useful. Way better than conjecture.

Has anyone seen the thumb rest grips for the Predom? I have a 1977 dated pistol and that has the plain grips - it is cased in the leather valise though, so may not have been meant for export.

Kind regards,

John

[marboc]

[marboc]

In 1975, several left thumb grips were released

[Josie & John]

In 1975, several left thumb grips were released

Hello Marboc,

Welcome to the forum and thank you. Would you have any images of a left handed thumb rest that you can post on here?

Kind regards,

John M

[marboc]

Hello, here is everything about it
https://wiatrowkizbieracza.home.blog...-wz-1970-1973/

[marboc]

[Josie & John]

Thank you Marboc,

It all adds to the story. I wonder if anyone has a pair of left hand grips for the Predom?

I used to have a box of those USSR pellets pictured in the article you linked and also obtained a box of Polish pellets, which you can see in the linked images below. Would you know anything of the history of the Polish pellets?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/zySQYnA3yPkfGtQG9

Kind regards,

John M

[ogilkes]

Some really useful links. Thank you!