Full-Auto Bliss: Running a 5.45 PKM & 9mm Belt-Fed at GOALS 2025

By David Hoang “Johnny Winn” ( Founder, Lead Creator )

GOALS 2025 Media Day, Tactical Playground HQ jumped behind one of the most unexpectedly smooth full-auto experiences you can have, a PKM chambered in 5.45x39.

The PKM is already a legendary Russian belt-fed LMG, but in 5.45 it becomes a whole different animal. The recoil is so soft and well-managed that it almost feels like shooting a .22… if .22s came in 200-round belts, that is.

And because range day energy is undefeated, we swapped over to a 9mm belt-fed variant just to keep the madness going. Both platforms delivered pure, grin-inducing fun , the kind of machine-gun magic you only get at events like GOALS.