The PLA & the Type 56 Carbine (lots of images)
- Thread starter eos
- Start date
Perhaps because the type (63) 68 was select fire.
http://world.guns.ru/assault/as48-e.htm
But if they could have been modified before import they might have been a sweet variant to have as I read it has a bolt hold open, can be fed by stripper clips and is a detachable mag.
Also they made 1 million of them...
I recall an article I read years ago where Peter Kokalis was told by people in the Chinese arsenal system that some 6 million were made. Who knows? The rifle was considered a failure by the PLA because of ongoing quality & accuracy problems. In I980, the Type 56 lines at Jianshe and several other factories were fired up again to provide enough rifles to see the PLA through it's early modernisation period and until the Type 81 could come on line.
The PRC later gave many, many away as military aid and they were found in Albania and all over Africa. Not very effective aid, but highly economical.
There's probably enough parts left around to start up commercial production with new receivers (in the manner of those used in the CZH 2003 and Cz 858).
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The RPD was known as the Type 56 as well. The SKS was referred to as a "rifle" and the AK as a "sub-machine gun" in PLA service.
Yup I read the same article in the Best of Soldier of fortune complete with his report after trying one out. He said something to the effect that in full auto it was almost impossible to control, mostly due to the lack of a pistol grip.
Methinks a semi auto version would be a neat rifle here in Canada.
Mr. Can Am paging Mr. Can Am...
