Type 81 assault rifle

Type 81

Type 81-1 (top) and Type 81 (bottom).
Type Assault rifle
Place of origin China
Service history
In service 1983–present
Used by See Users
Wars Sino-Vietnamese conflicts
Sri Lankan Civil War
Internal conflict in Burma
Production history
Designed 1971
Variants Type 81-1
Type 81 light machine gun
Type-81S
Type 87
Type 87-1
Specifications
Weight 3.4 kg (7.50 lb) (loaded)
Length 955 mm (37.6 in)
Barrel length 445 mm (17.5 in)
Cartridge 7.62×39mm (Type 81)
5.8×42mm DBP87 (Type 87)
Action Short stroke gas piston, rotating bolt
Rate of fire Approx. 700–720 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity 750 m/s (2,461 ft/s)
Effective firing range 280 meter
Maximum firing range 520 meter
Feed system 30-round detachable box magazine, 75-round detachable drum magazine
Sights Adjustable iron sights

The Type 81 Assault Rifle (Chinese: 81式自动步枪) is a Chinese-designed Kalashnikov based, second-generation, selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm automatic assault rifle which has been used by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) since the mid-1980s.

History

The weapon was introduced into PLA service in 1981 but did not become widely distributed until the late 1980s. It replaced the Type 56 rifle (a Chinese license produced AK-47). Its first combat use came during the Sino-Vietnamese border conflicts of the mid-1980s. The PLA has replaced most of its Type-81s with the Type 95 or Type 03 series of weapons, though it is still in service in the reserves and armed police.

Characteristics

The Type 81 incorporates elements of the Dragunov, SKS, and AK-47 series rifles.

The rifle retains the general layout of the Chinese Type 56 assault rifle (a license produced AK-47), but it has a SKS-like short-stroke gas-piston design and other improvements to reduce recoil and muzzle jump, giving better firing accuracy. Notable physical differences from the Type 56 assault rifle include the stock of the rifle, the length of the action, bayonet, and the positioning of the front sight.[1]

The most easily distinguishable feature of the Type 81 is the more exposed muzzle part of the barrel. The front sight has been moved back as a modification to be able to fire rifle grenades, which are slid over the unobstructed barrel muzzle now formed into a spigot-type rifle grenade launcher.[1]

There is a significant gap between the trigger guard and the magazine on Type 81 rifles, while on the Type 56 rifle series the magazine is adjacent to the front of the trigger guard.

The non-detachable swing-out spike-shaped bayonet of the Type 56 rifle was also replaced on Type 81 rifles with a detachable knife-bayonet.

Like its predecessors, the Type 81 is a series of weapons. The Type 81 (fixed stock) and Type 81-1 (folding stock) are 7.62×39mm caliber assault rifles with 30-round magazines, and the heavier Type 81 light machine gun (LMG) fitted with a 75-round drum magazine is used in the squad automatic weapon (SAW) role.[1] Its sight remains at the front of the LMG barrel.

The Type 81 can be fitted with a Picatinny rail, bipod, foregrip and flashlight.[2]

Specifications

Type 81 light machine gun
Soldiers of Rapid Action Battalion, an elite anti-crime and anti-terrorism unit of Bangladesh Police, with BD-08 (Type 81) assault rifle
Troops of Bangladesh Army are Firing with Fully Automatic Assault Rifle BD-08 in a Range.
Type 81 Type 81-1 Type 81 machine gun
Overall length 955 mm (37.6 in) 750 mm (29.5 in) (butt folded) 1,004 mm (39.5 in)
Bore diameter 7.62 mm (0.300 in)
Cartridge 7.62×39mm
Weight 3.50 kg (7.7 lb) 3.40 kg (7.5 lb) 5.15 kg (11.4 lb)
Effective range 500 m (550 yd) 500 m (550 yd) 500 m (550 yd)
Muzzle velocity 720 m/s (2,400 ft/s) 720 m/s (2,400 ft/s) 735 m/s (2,410 ft/s)
Rate of fire (theory) N/A N/A 720 r/min
Rate of fire (sustained) N/A N/A 120 r/min
Cartridge capacity 30 rounds 30 rounds 75 rounds

Variants

A prototype called the Type 87 was introduced in the late 1980s. It served as a development platform for the next generation of PLA small arms, being used as a test-bed for the then new 5.8×42mm DBP87 ammunition. It never went into full-scale production but has been in service with PLA special forces.[3]

Foreign variants

Kachin Independence Army produced Type 81 variants dubbed the M23, comes with updated polymer furniture with a Sun Motif. Not much is known about their manufacturing details due to their clandestine origins, possibly unofficially licensed built with PRC tooling as proxy military aid.

Users

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Cutshaw, Charles Q. (28 February 2011). Tactical Small Arms of the 21st Century: A Complete Guide to Small Arms From Around the World. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. pp. 192–193. ISBN 978-1-4402-2709-7. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  2. ↑ Johnson, Steve (2012-07-25). "Chinese People's Armed Police Tacti-cool Type 81 Upgrade". The Firearm Blog. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Miller, David (2003). The illustrated directory of twentieth century guns. Zenith Imprint. pp. 278–279. ISBN 978-0-7603-1560-6.
  4. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 16, 2016. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Weapon". Weaponsystems.net. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  6. ↑ "China and Russia dominate Bangladesh arms imports in 2015/16 - Bangladesh Military Forces". BDMilitary.com. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  7. ↑ "China and Russia dominate Bangladesh arms imports in 2015/16 - Bangladesh Military Forces". BDMilitary.com. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  8. ↑ "China and Russia dominate Bangladesh arms imports in 2015/16 - Bangladesh Military Forces". BDMilitary.com. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  9. ↑ "China denies providing arms to Myanmar militants - China News". SINA English. 2013-01-29. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  10. ↑ "Got AK porn if'n ya want it! - Page 5". Militaryfirearm.com. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  11. ↑ "Nazarian". Nazarian.no. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  12. ↑ "Type 81 Assault Rifle". Military-Today.com. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  13. ↑ Yan, Timothy G. (2014-03-24). "Sudanese Future Soldier System". The Firearm Blog. Retrieved 2016-04-11.

External links

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