More than 20 years ago, "Wuhan Public Transport News" published my series of comic books "The History of Our Army's Light Weapons", a total of seven episodes. This is the fourth episode.
The History of Our Army's Light Weapons (5)
Hou Hongzhi text/photo
. This issue introduces readers mainly to the Type 56 firearms series, Type 56 semi-automatic rifles, submachine guns, and squad light machine guns, which are the longest-running, widest-ranged, and most numerous firearms in our army. It began to equip the troops in the 60s, and it is still in use today, occupying an important position in the history of light weapons of our army. Although the Type 56 firearms series is an imitation, over the past few decades, on the basis of it, our army's light weapons manufacturing has experienced a glorious process from weak to developed and grown, from imitation to its own design and manufacturing. In this issue, we would also like to introduce readers to a tragic firearm, the Type 63 7.62mm automatic rifle. Please refer to the text for details.
1. Type 56 7.62mm semi-automatic rifle
Imitation of the Soviet 7.62 mm CKC semi-automatic carbine production, finalized in 1956 to equip the troops. The gun has the advantages of light weight, high shooting accuracy, reliable mechanism action and beautiful appearance, and is the main weapon of rifle snipers to destroy the enemy in close combat. The gun uses an intermediate rifle cartridge, due to the length of the barrel, the muzzle velocity increases to 735 m / s, the muzzle kinetic energy is 2140 joules, the firing mode is a single shot, and the combat rate of fire is 35 ~ 40 rounds / min. The gun has the best firing effect on a single target within 400 meters, concentrated fire can hit low-speed air targets within 500 meters, can kill group targets at a distance of 800 meters, and the warhead still has lethal power when it flies to 1.5 kilometers. When the gun is opened, the total length of the gun is 1025 mm, and the total weight of the gun is 3.75 kg; The ammunition magazine has a capacity of 10 rounds, and the automatic mode is gas conduction, and the bolt is offset by the locking method, and the empty compartment hang-up device is provided. Because the gun is an imitation product, it does not fully conform to the specific situation of the mainland, such as the short spine and poor rigidity, and the strength of the wooden support is not enough, so it has been withdrawn from the ranks of military equipment and installed in the militia and reserves.
2. Type 56 7.62 mm submachine gun
Imitation of the famous Soviet AK47 assault rifle, production finalized in 1956. Strictly speaking, the gun should be called an automatic rifle and an assault rifle. Because the submachine gun fires pistol rounds, and it fires intermediate rifle rounds, due to historical reasons and custom, the mainland still calls it the Type 56 7.62mm submachine gun. The gun is the main weapon of the combat detachment in the destruction of the enemy's living forces in close combat; It is best to carry out point fire within 300 meters or single shot within 400 meters, and concentrated fire can shoot at aircraft and paratroopers within 500 meters, and can kill group targets within 800 meters, and still have a certain lethality at a distance of 1,500 meters. The gun is 874 mm long, has four right-handed rifling, weighs 4.03 kg (including an empty magazine), has a magazine capacity of 30 rounds, and fires in single and burst shots. When single-shot, the combat rate of fire is 40 rounds / min; In bursts, the combat rate of fire is 90-100 rounds / min. The gun adopts the bolt rotary locking method, and the firing device adopts the hammer rotation and hammer spring energy firing.
Type 56 7.62mm semi-automatic rifle (top)Type 56 7.62mm submachine gun (bottom)
Type 56 7.62mm semi-automatic rifle in the collection of the Military Museum Photo by Hou Hongzhi
A statue of a soldier holding a Type 56 7.62mm submachine gun in the Military Museum Photo by Hou Hongzhi
3. Type 56 7.62 mm light machine gun
Imitation of the former Soviet RPD squad light machine gun, designed for Degtyalev. The gun fired Soviet-style 7.62 mm M1943 intermediate cartridges, which for the first time unified the rifle and machine gun ammunition in the squad, greatly simplified the logistics supply, and was a great progress in the development of the squad's machine gun. The gun gas conduction mode is automatic, and the locking mode is the intermediate card type. It is the lightest of the chain-fed machine guns, weighing only 7.1 kg.
Type 56 7.62 mm light machine gun
The Military Museum has a Type 56 7.62mm light machine gun figurine, photo by Hou Hongzhi
4. Type 63 7.62mm automatic rifle
In the 70s, it was discovered that our army was armed with a new rifle, shaped somewhat like the United States carbine, but longer than the carbine, which had both similarities with the Type 56 semi-automatic rifle and significant differences in its lower part with a magazine capable of holding 20 rounds. The Type 63 7,62 mm automatic rifle is the first automatic rifle designed and developed by the mainland after it came out of the imitation stage, which was finalized in 1963 and put into production in 1969. The gun has a single and continuous firing mechanism, and adopts a gas-type adjustment mechanism, which has strong firepower, and has the best shooting effect within 400 meters, and still has a lethal effect at a distance of 1,500 meters. The whole gun weighs 3.8 kg, the length of the whole gun is 1342 mm when the open spear is opened, and the length of the whole gun is 1033 mm when the gun is folded; muzzle velocity 735 m/s, muzzle kinetic energy 2140 joules; The combat rate of fire is 40 rounds / min for single shots and 60 rounds / min for point fire. This gun can be used for multiple purposes, easy to use, and the spear is long and sharp, which enhances the ability of the infantry detachment to fight for stabs. After this gun was equipped with the troops, it was originally intended to be used to replace the original equipment of the Type 56 semi-automatic rifle and submachine gun, but due to the environment at the time of development and the influence of the "left" ideology, it was made beyond recognition and lost its due performance, and it was not used in the army for a long time, so it stopped production and was withdrawn in 1977.
Type 63 7.62mm automatic rifle
Type 63 7.62mm automatic rifle in the collection of the Military Museum Photo by Hou Hongzhi
"Wuhan Public Transport News" published "Our Army's Light Weapons History (5)"