Type 56 assault rifle
| Chinese Norinco Type 56 | |
|---|---|
The Type 56 with a spike bayonet
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| Type | Assault rifle |
| Place of origin | China |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1956–present |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars | |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1947 |
| Manufacturer |
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| Produced | 1956–present |
| No. built | 10–15 million |
| Variants | Type 56 Assault Rifle, Type 56-1 Assault Rifle, Type 56-2 Assault Rifle, Type 56-4 Assault Rifle QBZ-56C Assault Rifle, Type 56S, Type 84S rifle |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | Type 56: 4.03 kg (8.88 lb) Type 56-1: 3.70 kg (8.16 lb) Type 56-2/56-4: 3.9 kg (8.60 lb) QBZ-56C: 2.85 kg (6.28 lb) |
| Length | Type 56: 874 mm (34.4 in) Type 56-1/56-2: 874 mm (34.4 in) w/ stock extended,654 mm (25.7 in) w/ stock folded. QBZ-56C: 764 mm (30.1 in) w/ stock extended,557 mm (21.9 in) w/ stock folded. |
| Barrel length | Type 56, Type 56-I, Type 56-II: 414 mm (16.3 in) QBZ-56C: 280 mm (11.0 in) |
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| Cartridge | 7.62×39mm |
| Caliber | 7.62mm |
| Action | Gas-operated, rotating bolt |
| Rate of fire | 650 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | Type 56, Type 56-I, Type 56-II: 735 m/s (2,411 ft/s) QBZ-56C: 665 m/s (2182 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 100–800 m sight adjustments. Effective range 300-400 meters |
| Feed system | 20, 30, or 40-round detachable box magazine |
| Sights | Adjustable Iron sights |
The Chinese Norinco Type 56 is a variant of the Russian designed and produced AK-47 and AKM assault rifles. Production started in 1956 at State Factory 66, and since then it has been produced by Norinco, who continue to produce the rifle primarily for export.
The Type 56 is a widely proliferated variant of the AK-47. While the exact production figures are unknown, it is commonly estimated that 10 to 15 million Type 56 rifles have been produced since the 1950s.
During the Cold War period, the Type 56 was exported to many countries and guerrilla forces throughout the world. Many of these rifles found their way to battlefields in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East and were used alongside other Kalashnikov pattern weapons from both the Soviet Union as well the Warsaw Pact nations of Eastern Europe.
Chinese support for the Democratic Republic of Vietnam before the mid-1960s meant that the Type 56 was frequently encountered by American soldiers in the hands of either Vietcong guerrillas or PAVN soldiers during the Vietnam war. The Type 56 was discovered in enemy hands far more often than standard Russian-made AK-47s or AKMs.
When relations between China and the North Vietnam crumbled in the 1970s and the Sino-Vietnamese War began, the Vietnamese government still had large numbers of Type 56 rifles in its arsenals, while the People's Liberation Army still used the Type 56 as its standard weapon. Thus, Chinese and Vietnamese forces fought each other using the same Type 56 rifles.
The Type 56 was used extensively by Iranian forces during the Iran–Iraq War of the 1980s, with Iran purchasing large quantities of weapons from China for their armed forces. During the war, Iraq also purchased a small quantity, despite them being a major recipient of Soviet weapons and assistance during the war. This was done in conjunction with their purchasing of large number of AKMs from the USSR and Eastern Europe. Consequently, the Iran–Iraq War became another conflict in which both sides used the Type 56.
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Wikipedia