The Rifle Grenade Launcher

During the late 1950s, the M7A3 grenade launcher adapter was being issued for use on the M1 rifle. After the M14 rifle replaced the M1, the M76 grenade launcher was adopted. For accuracy, the M15 tilting-bar sight, designed to be attached to the M14 rifle’s stock, was issued for use with the M76 launcher. Special “grenade launching cartridges” were used. Rifle grenades could also be launched from the M16 rifle, but no special adapter was needed; grenades could be slipped over the NATO standard 22mm diameter flash suppressor. Disadvantages of launching grenades from rifle barrels included: short range, inaccuracy and heavy recoil that would sometimes break buttstocks.

Clearly, a new weapon was needed, one that could provide accurate direct and indirect fire to fill the gap between the rifle, hand grenades and the light mortar. During the 1950s the United States Ordnance Department began development of a weapon that could fire high explosive munitions, multiple projectile anti-personnel rounds and smoke and illumination rounds.

40mm Ammunition

During the early 1950s the Ballistic Research Laboratories at the Aberdeen Proving Ground developed a 40mm high-explosive, fragmentation projectile. The goal was a range of 400 meters at the relatively low velocity of 250 feet per second, with a recoil force no more than that of a 12-gauge shotgun. The new projectile used a high-low pressure system, which was developed by the German firm of Rheinmetall-Borsig during World War II for their 8cm 8H63 anti-tank gun. The advantage of the high-low system was that a lightweight barrel could be used, reducing the overall weight of the weapon.

The M79 Grenade Launcher

The concept of a lightweight weapon capable of projecting a grenade further than could be thrown by hand and could exceed the range of rifle-launched grenades was coordinated by the Small Arms Development Branch, headed by Colonel Studler. Jack Bird, a deputy to Colonel Studler, took an interest in the project; he built a crude launcher and brought it to the Pentagon to demonstrate. The device was comprised of a short length of tubing with the same inside diameter as a golf ball. To operate the “launcher,” a golf ball would be placed inside the tube and compressed against a spring. The golf ball was secured in place with a nail. Upon removing the nail, the golf ball would be launched. Bird, an avid golfer, suggested the name “Project Niblick” after the number nine iron, a high lofting golf club.

During 1953, the Project Niblick grenade launcher was under development at the Springfield Armory under the guidance of Cy Moore, with Dave Katz, a design engineer. The Picatinny Arsenal provided 40mm practice grenades for firing in the prototype launchers. There were three types of launchers being developed: a crude shoulder fired test fixture, a pistol and a three-shot semiautomatic launcher. The fixture was primarily a means of testing the ammunition to get an idea of the range and accuracy. The weight of the projectile was approximately 5.3 ounces. When launched with a quadrant elevation of 35 degrees, it had a range of 400 meters. Development commenced at the Springfield Armory. Proposed designs were identified by a letter “S” representing the Springfield Armory. Many of the designs never made it any further than the drawing board.

The Infantry Board at Fort Benning stated that they preferred a three-shot grenade launcher. A barrel length of 14 inches evolved as the length to make it unlikely that the gunner could get his fingers in front of the muzzle while firing. The three-shot launcher achieved semiautomatic operation through the use of a clip made up of three side-by-side chambers, each long enough to house a cartridge about 3.5 inches long. The clips would move to the left after firing by a constant force of a negator spring. As each round was fired, a latch detected the launching of the projectile and allowed the clip to move over until stopped by the next projectile, lining up that cartridge with the barrel. Although the basic concept was simple, the mechanism proved to be complex and unreliable. Continued misalignment between the projectile on the bore created gas leakage and a loss of accuracy. Special purpose rounds, such as CS gas or signal flares with a longer overall length, could not be used. The simplest design, designated as the “S-5,” was a single-shot, break-open type weapon. The S-5 evolved into the XM79 in 1959 after the three-shot S-6, T148E1 project was canceled.

After the idea of a multi-shot, semiautomatic launcher was scrapped, it was replaced by a simple, single-shot weapon, patterned after a break-open type shotgun. One launcher was ordered from Dave Mathewson, who operated a local fabrication shop, often used by the Springfield Armory. To keep the weight at a minimum, the weapon featured a hard-coated aluminum barrel. The odd shape of the stock was designed so that the bottom edge would be aligned with the line of recoil; the top or comb is contoured to keep the grenadier’s head upright owing to the line-of-sight relief when firing at low angles. To reduce the effects of the recoil on the shooter, a rubber recoil pad was fitted to the butt of the stock. The Infantry Board suggested a folding leaf sight mounted on the barrel with a bead front sight just above the muzzle. The XM79 launcher was sent to the Infantry Board in 1956 and was recommended for type classification in 1957.

To load the weapon, the operator simply moves the barrel-locking latch counter-clockwise to open the breech. Moving the release latch automatically puts the weapon into a safe position; opening the breech cocks the weapon. After closing the barrel, the safety must be pushed forward to fire. The weapon is easily field stripped by removing the front sling swivel screw and removing the forend. The barrel can then be disengaged from the fulcrum pin and separated from the receiver group.

The weight of the loaded launcher is 6.45 pounds; overall length is 28.78 inches. The stock and forearm are made of walnut. The rest of the weapon, except for the aluminum barrel, uses steel parts phosphated for corrosion protection. The original contract price for the M79 was $318.00 each. The M79 was issued with a small arms accessory case, which included a bore brush, plastic oil tube, combination tool and cleaning brush. Early carrying cases for the kit were made of canvas, later changed to vinyl.

During testing by the Infantry Board in June 1960, it was recommended that a new rear sight for the M79 launcher be designed and fabricated. The new sight was completed in October 1960. The early ladder-type sight was replaced with an adjustable, single crosspiece-type sight with a correction for azimuth. All launchers produced up to June 1960 had to be retrofitted. Confirmatory tests in December 1960 revealed requirements for additional windage adjustment on the rear sight. The additional sight modification was incorporated in the first production run. R&D continued in order to improve the reliability and function of the weapon. The launcher was considered acceptable by the Continental Army Command (CONARC) and was subsequently type-classified as the Launcher, Grenade, 40mm, M79 on December 15, 1960. By the first quarter of 1961, the new adjustable rear leaf sight was in full production, and several mandatory changes were implemented on the barrel locking lug, trigger spring and front sight.

The heat and humidity being experienced in Vietnam were causing problems with the warping and swelling of the wooden stocks of the M79. As a result, work began on designing a plastic buttstock and foregrip for the weapon. By 1964, a suitable plastic buttstock was available; General Tire was the primary contractor. There were no plastic foregrips adopted.

Although the M79 grenade launcher was designed and developed at the Springfield Armory, the majority were manufactured by civilian companies. Contracts awarded to private industry included: Action Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Contract DA-11-1199-ORD-736 and Exotic Metal Products, Pasadena, California, Contract DA-11-199-ORD-730. Other contracts were subsequently awarded to the Kanarr Corporation of Kingston, Pennsylvania, and Thompson Ramo Woolridge (TRW) of Lyndhurst, Ohio. The decision to have private companies manufacture the M79, resulted in a lot of resentment with the civilian employees of the Springfield Armory. Series production ran from 1961 to 1971 with an estimated 350,000 M79 launchers produced.

Despite being replaced by modern grenade launchers, like the M320A1 and the M32A1, the M79 is still being fielded by the U.S. military.

The China Lake Grenade Launcher

Developed for the U.S. Navy SEAL teams was a limited production, pump-action 40mm grenade launcher, fed from an under-barrel tubular three-round magazine. The launcher was fitted with M79 front and rear sights and a shotgun-style stock. There was no official designation other than “The China Lake Grenade Launcher.” The weapon was developed at the Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, California, during 1967-1968.

The XM148 Grenade Launcher

While the adoption of the M79 grenade launcher solved one problem, it created another; it reduced the number of riflemen in a squad, the man carrying the single-shot M79 was usually armed with only a pistol for self-defense. To address the problem, the concept of the rifle-mounted launcher was studied. The 40mm XM148 launcher, first issued in 1967, was designed for mounting under the barrel of an M16 rifle. The weapon was developed by Colt Firearms to allow each rifleman in an infantry squad the ability to launch 40mm grenades, rather than one man equipped with an M79. During field testing in Vietnam, a number of problems were encountered. The XM148 launcher was not considered reliable or safe enough for type classification, and the launchers were pulled from service; most were destroyed.

The M203 Grenade Launcher

After the XM148 grenade launcher was scrapped, the concept of a rifle-mounted launcher was not. The Army initiated a competitive program for a new 40mm rifle-mounted grenade launcher. Designs were submitted by Aircraft Armaments Inc., Ford Aerospace and Communications Corporation and Aerojet Ordnance and Manufacturing Company. During August 1968, the Aircraft Armaments (AAI) design was type-classified as the XM203 grenade launcher. A small lot was manufactured and shipped to Vietnam for field testing. AAI’s XM203 40mm grenade launcher was found to be simple, safe and reliable. After successful testing and evaluation, the Aircraft Armaments design was type-classified as the Launcher, Grenade 40mm, M203 in 1969. Ironically, Aircraft Armaments, who developed the weapon, did not have the capacity to produce the number required by the Army, and a contract to manufacture the M203 was awarded to Colt Firearms. The U.S. M4 Carbine version of the M16 was adopted in 1994. The M203 launcher would not fit on the shorter M4. The M203 GL was modified into the M203A1, which is functionally the same as the M203 but is designed to fit on the M4 and M4A1 carbines. The quick-release M203A2 was designed for M4 carbines with a rail system and with M16A4 rifles that have the M5 adapter rail. Currently, there are at least seven U.S. companies manufacturing the M203 grenade launchers and its variants.

By Frank Iannamico

The FightLite/Ares Defense Mission Configurable Rifle (MCR®) is an updated and improved version of the Ares Shrike belt-fed upper receiver assembly for the M16/AR-15 platform, first introduced to the public around 2002. The MCR upper is designed to interchange with standard M16, AR-15 and M4 upper receiver assemblies and readily attaches to any MIL-Spec (small front pin) lower receiver without any permanent modifications.

The MCR is based upon the older ARES-16 AMG-2™ that has been on the Military/Law Enforcement market for almost a decade and is an AR-based solution to the M249 SAW. Now in its 6^th generation, FightLite has improved various components of the system to make the weapon much more durable for sustained full-automatic operation. Updates include: a heat-treated, steel-feed plate designed to reduce feed ramp wear from steel core 5.56mm cartridges; an enhanced breech bolt lug profile; reinforced charging handle assembly; a reconfigured feed roller housing; and a proprietary method of mitigating cook-off risk, while maintaining a select-fire, closed-bolt system of operation that is more accurate and user-friendly than standard open-bolt light machine guns (LMGs).

Some additional key elements of the MCR are that it shares a 52-percent part commonality with existing M16-M4 components. The MCR with the use of an adapter can utilize GI M249 SAW 100- and 200-round soft pouches and 200-round plastic boxes of linked ammunition. The FightLite MCR can also feed from standard M16-M4 magazines or a 100-round Beta C magazine if desired.

Things You May Need or Want

If you’re anticipating, or have already purchased, a FightLite MCR upper for your rifle, there are a number of accessories available that you may need to best utilize the MCR.

M27 Links

The link, cartridge, metallic belt, 5.56mm, M27 used for feeding the MCR is a metallic disintegrating link issued by the United States Armed Forces for use with the 5.56x45mm FN Minimi LMG / M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW). Each link consists of a single piece of metal curved into two partial cylinders, into which adjacent rounds slide. The M27 link is a push-through design in which cartridges are fed by pushing them forward out of the link. With the round freed, the link is ejected. This is in contrast with older, non-disintegrating belt systems that were typically made of fabric and were fed straight through the weapon intact. The M27 links can be collected and reused. The links are considered expendable by the military.

The MCR belt-fed upper uses U.S. M27 disintegrating links, which means, unlike a belt, when cycled the links don’t stay together. They fall to the ground and can be hard to find unless you use a tarp to catch them. A magnet with a long handle will save you a lot of time and effort looking for and picking up links. The chances are good that over time, links are going to be lost; it is suggested that lots of them be procured.

The MCR is designed to feed from linked belts that are carried and normally fed from soft pack pouches: magazine, cartridge, 5.56mm, 100rd, (NSN 1005013341507 / NIIN 013341507) or the magazine, cartridge, 5.56mm, 200rd, “Soft Pack” NSN 1005015605162 / NIIN 015605162. Both were designed for the M249-Series Machine Gun. Although the official nomenclature is “soft pack,” they are better known by the euphemism “nut sack.”

U.S. military soft packs are used to store and feed the linked belts of ammunition. Shown here are the 100-round packs in ACU and Woodland camo patterns.

The soft packs are available in several camo patterns including Army ACU Digital, Woodland Camo and Coyote Brown. Hard plastic black or green boxes also designed for the M249-Series Machine Gun are also available.

Soft Pack Adapter

To attach the soft pack or hard plastic boxes to the FightLite MCR, you will need an adapter that fits into the host rifle’s magazine well and is retained by the magazine catch. The black anodized aluminum adapter permits mounting of GI M249 soft packs and plastic boxes of linked ammo to the weapon. The adapters are available from FightLite Industries.

Bipods

There are a substantial number of bipods available for attaching to the MCR’s handguard available from TangoDown, Harris, Magpul and others. The one attached to the rifle in the photographs accompanying this article is from Magpul. When considering a bipod, be sure it will fit the MCR’s handguard that features a 1913 Picatinny rail.

Tripod Adapter

At an unloaded weight of 7.5 pounds, the MCR is relatively light for a high-volume, belt-fed weapon. For the most accurate, sustained long-range shooting, use of a stable platform such as a tripod is required. There are adapters for tripod use available from KNS Precision that are designed to attach from a Picatinny rail to a standard .30 caliber GI pintle or M60 gooseneck. The adapters are CNC-machined from 7075 aluminum with black anodized finish.

Buffer

The MCR comes with a proprietary recoil spring, which is longer in length than a standard M16 spring. Reliable operation may require a heavier than standard 3.0-ounce CAR buffer. A standard buffer has three steel weights. The H buffer has one tungsten and two steel weights and weighs 3.8 ounces; the H2 buffer has one steel and two tungsten weights and weighs 4.6 ounces; the H3 buffer has three tungsten weights and weighs 5.4 ounces.

Spare Barrels

If you purchase an MCR belt-fed upper for your select-fire M16 or M4 rifle, one might assume that you are probably regularly going to perform 100- or 200-round, full-auto mag “dumps” more often than using the semiauto feature of your weapon. With a full-auto cyclic rate of approximately 800 rounds per minute, a barrel can be overheated in a short period, to the point of being dangerous. Fortunately, the MCR is designed with a quick-change barrel feature, which includes an integral insulated handle to easily change out a hot barrel. Instead of loitering around waiting for the barrel to cool down, you may want to consider a spare barrel or two. Spare barrels are available in 20-inch, 16.25-inch or 12.5-inch lengths. A handheld, infrared, non-contact thermometer is a handy tool to monitor barrel temperatures to avoid overheating and preventing dangerous cartridge cook-offs.

Linker

To save time and fingers, a linker for loading the M27 links is available from Kendall Ordnance.

The M27 links can be loaded by hand but linking several 100- or 200-round belts can be time-consuming, labor-intensive and hard on the fingers. Fortunately, a linker for loading M27 links is available from Kendall Ordnance. The linker is well made from high-grade, durable 6061 T6 aluminum. Key steel components are parkerized; cartridge guides are heat-treated spring steel. After placing cartridges and links on the loader, 25 rounds can be linked with a pull of the handle. The loader weighs 15 pounds and can be attached onto a board or table.

During World War I, the primary weapon issued was the full-power, long range battle rifle, while many officers were issued revolvers or pistols as a personal defense weapon. Handguns, which with their limited range, are generally considered a “last ditch” defensive weapon. The advantage was their relatively small size, which did not interfere with a soldier’s routine non-combat duties.

The Military Armament Corporation’s .380 caliber Model 11 is only slightly larger than a 1911A1 pistol. The Corporation attracted a lot of investors after they were told that that the U.S. Army was going to adopt the Model 11 to replace the standard issue 1911A1 pistol. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Hooper)

Machine Pistols

In the past, efforts were made to increase the effectiveness of hand guns by adding a detachable buttstock and a full-auto capability. Select-fire pistols with detachable stocks were produced by Mauser, Star and others, and they were very popular during the warlord era in China. Although the concept had been long considered obsolete, machine pistols reemerged, based on modern pistol designs like the Soviet APS Stechkin, the Beretta 93R, the Glock 18 and others. Similar weapons were based on existing submachine guns. Heckler and Koch began the trend in 1976 with the MP5K, a small stockless version, of their MP5 submachine gun. Israeli Military Industries introduced their compact 9mm Mini UZI in 1980 and the Micro Model in 1986, both weapons were based on the standard size UZI submachine gun.

During World War II the lightweight M1 carbine (bottom of photo) was conceived to arm officers, NCOs and personal whose primary duties were in a support role. The M1 Garand battle rifle was issued to combat troops.

The U.S. M1 Carbine

Recognizing the limitations of the pistol as an effective combat weapon, the U.S. proposed the light rifle concept in 1938. The idea was to provide a lightweight, compact personal weapon to arm support troops not directly involved in combat. The “light rifle” was adopted as the M1 carbine in 1941. The carbine weighs only 5.8 pounds with a loaded 15-round detachable magazine, and has an overall length of 35.6 inches. During the last months of World War II a select-fire version of the carbine, the M2, and accompanying 30-round magazine, was introduced. The carbine fired a relatively small 7.62x33mm cartridge with a 110 grain FMJ bullet at a velocity of approximately 1970 feet per second. Recoil was mild compared to the primary U.S. battle rifle, the 30’06 caliber (7.62x63mm) M1 Garand.

The Military Armament Corporation manufactured Gordon Ingram’s Model 10 submachine gun during the 1970s. The .45 caliber MAC 10 pictured is fitted with a MAC sound suppressor and 10-round “concealment” magazine.

Submachine Guns

During World War II the submachine gun, firing pistol caliber cartridges, came into widespread use. The United States and many allied nations adopted the Thompson submachine gun. The Thompson was expensive, heavy and a somewhat cumbersome weapon, whose design was nearly twenty years old in 1941. As the war went on many new more modern designs emerged, which were smaller, lighter and cheaper to manufacture. During the period following World War II more compact submachine gun/machine pistol designs were introduced, like the Military Armament Corporation’s MAC 10 and MAC 11, which were only slightly larger in size than many handguns.

After adopting the 5.45x39mm AK-74 in 1976, the Russians introduced the compact AKS-74U model, the weapon is the same caliber as the AK-74 and uses the same 30 and 45 round magazines.

Assault Rifles

As World War II went on, yet another class of small arms was introduced by the Germans, the Sturmgewehr. The revolutionary weapon fired an intermediate range cartridge, in between the long-range battle rifle and the short range submachine gun. The Sturmgewehr had acceptable range capability and was controllable when fired in its full-automatic mode. The assault rifle was born and it would change the way armies viewed infantry small arms.

During the post-World War II years the Soviets, following the midrange infantry rifle concept of the German Sturmgewehr, introduced their soon to be infamous AK-47 rifle. Now there were a number of categories of small arms: the pistol, the machine pistol, the submachine gun, the assault rifle and the battle rifle. The assault rifle replaced many of the aforementioned weapons in most modern armies. During 1959, the United States adopted the short-lived 7.62x51mm M14 rifle, which was replaced by the small caliber high-velocity 5.56x45mm M16 rifle in 1964. During 1976, the Soviets adopted the AK-74 firing the small caliber high-velocity 5.45x39mm round. Before long, compact models of the AK-74 and M16 were designed and adopted as the AKS-74U
and CAR-15 respectively.

Israeli Military Industries introduced the 9mm Mini and Micro (pictured) versions of their UZI submachine gun.

Return of the Submachine Gun

After the introduction of the midrange assault rifle, the submachine gun was considered obsolete as a military weapon. However, the proliferation of increasing violent, and well-armed, drug gangs operating in the U.S. during 1970 thru the 1980s forced many law enforcement agencies to adopt automatic weapons so they wouldn’t be outgunned by their criminal adversaries. One of the most popular weapons was the submachine gun, which with its short range was an asset to minimize collateral damage. The weapon of choice for many law enforcement agencies was Heckler and Koch MP5 made in Germany. The MP5 is a compact, select-fire 9mm weapon that is accurate in semiautomatic and quite manageable in full automatic. The MP5 was able to accommodate a sound suppressor, which when used with subsonic 9mm ammunition provided stealth when needed. Eager to get in on the growing worldwide law enforcement submachine gun market, Colt introduced a 9mm version of their M16 rifle in 1980. One of Colt’s selling points was operation and training for the Colt 9mm SMG is similar to that for the M16, substantially simplifying the familiarization process, and that the weapon was U.S. made, an important considerations for many agencies during the period.

More recently, many law enforcement agencies have begun to replace their submachine guns with the more powerful 5.56mm M4 carbines and the compact Colt Commando. The reason was to match the firepower of their criminal and terrorist adversaries, who often are armed with AK-47 type weapons, as well as their increasing use of personal body armor.

One of the first weapons of the modern Personal Defense Weapon category was the FN 90, firing a bottle-neck 5.7x28mm cartridge, the company also produces a semiautomatic pistol that fires the round. (Courtesy of Dan Shea)

Modern Personal Defense Weapons

The development of the modern PDW began with a 1989 NATO request for a new personal defense weapon to replace current 9mm NATO caliber submachine guns. What was being sought was something more effective than a submachine gun, but less powerful than an assault rifle. Submachine guns were proving ineffective in the face of new threats and the emergence of new ballistic protections. Assault rifles, like the 5.56mm M4 were considered too powerful for lethal engagements in densely populated areas. The NATO request for a more effective weapons resulted in a widespread development of new
cartridges and firearms.

Designers have redefined the Personal Defense Weapon or PDW. Some of the weapons are completely new designs, while others are hybrids of existing weapons. A modern personal defense weapon is now defined as one that is compact, easily concealed, fitted with modern optics. Most modern PDWs fire a small, but powerful bottle-neck cartridge. A PDW is desirable in a high threat situation were a pistol or submachine gun would normally be carried. The concept was introduced during the late 1980s primarily because of the increasing widespread use of modern body armor, which weapons firing the NATO 9mm round cannot not penetrate.

One of the earliest weapons in the new personal defense class to reach series production during 1990 was the FN P90. The weapon was developed by the Belgian firm of FN Herstal. The FN P90 fires a small high-velocity 5.7×28mm caliber bottle-neck, centerfire round also developed by FN. The original cartridge was called the SS90, featuring a 23 grain plastic-core projectile, which had a muzzle velocity of approximately 2,800 feet per second when fired from the P90 weapon. The cartridge has been updated since its introduction. The FN P90 feeds from a unique top-mounted 50-round magazine. The P90 is a selective fire, blowback-operated weapon with a cyclic rate of 900 rounds per minute. The ambidextrous P90 fires from a closed bolt for maximum accuracy, and its design makes extensive use of polymers for reduced weight and cost. Overall, the weapon is relatively lightweight, weighing 6.6 pounds (3kg) with a loaded 50-round magazine. FN also offers a semiautomatic pistol, the FN FiveseveN, that fires the same 5.7x28mm cartridge as the FN P90.

The Brügger & Thomet MP9 is a selective-fire chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum round. The MP9 is a development of the Steyr TMP with a few upgrades added.

Heckler and Koch introduced their MP7 Personal Defense Weapon in 2001 chambered for their proprietary 4.6×30mm cartridge. A new cartridge designed to meet NATO requirements published in 1989, as these requirements call for a personal defense weapon (PDW) class firearm, with a greater ability to defeat body armor than current weapons limited to conventional pistol cartridges. The 4.6x30mm proprietary cartridge was developed jointly by HK and Royal Ordnance (RO), HK’s parent company and a division of BAE Systems. The standard full metal jacket bottleneck cartridge has a 2.7 g bullet with an alloy core and a steel copper plated jacket. Muzzle velocity is approximately 2,000 feet per second (600 m/s). There are also special loadings available that include the Law Enforcement Hollow Point, and the DM11 Penetrator Ultimate Combat round.

The MP7 is gas operated using a short stroke piston and rotating bolt. Barrel length is 7.1-inches (180mm). The weapon is fed from a detachable box magazine available in 20, 30 and 40 round capacities. The full auto cyclic rate is 950 rounds per minute. The weapon weighs 2.76 pounds (1.25kg) with magazine; overall length with the stock extended is 25.1-inches (638mm) with the stock folded the length is reduced to 16.3-inches (415mm). Since introduced, the MP7 has been updated. The current production versions are the MP7A1 and the MP7A2.

There were other attempts at developing a personal defense weapon, however, few have progressed past the experimental stage.

Colt introduced the 5.56x45mm XM177E1 during the Vietnam War. The weapon was a short barrel variant of the standard issue M16. The concept has evolved into today’s M4 Commando, popular with many law enforcement agencies.

Colt attempted to enter the PDW market during the 1990s with their Mini Assault Rifle System or MARS. The prototype weapon was based on the proven M16 rifle, chambered for an experimental 5.56×30mm MARS cartridge. The MARS cartridge fired a 55-grain projectile at a velocity of 2,592 feet per second (790 m/s).
ST Kinetics of Singapore developed a multi-caliber, delayed blow-back submachine gun designated as a Compact Personal Weapon or CPW. The loaded weight of the CPW with a 30-round magazine is only 4.4 pounds (2.0kg). The weapon is select-fire, with a full-auto cyclic rate of fire of 900 to 1100 rounds per minute. Barrel length is 7-inches (180mm) with an open prong flash hider, overall length is 13.78-inches (350mm). Although the original prototype was chambered in 9×19mm, the weapon was designed for easy conversion to either 5.7×28mm or 4.6×30mm cartridges.

Another variation of the M16 offered by Colt was the basic weapon reconfigured to fire 9mm cartridges. The 9mm/M16 was available in several configurations including the “Briefcase or DOE Department of Energy” model pictured.

U.S. manufacturer Knight’s Armament Company developed an experimental personal defense weapon chambered for a 6×35mm cartridge. The advantage of Knight’s round was its low recoil and reported ability to penetrate bullet proof glass and body armor at ranges out to 300 meters. The weapon developed by the company is similar in appearance to Colt’s M4 Commando, but with quite a few internal differences.

One of the Russian entries into the PDW field is the PP-2000, a weapon manufactured by the KBP Instrument Design Bureau. The PP-2000 was introduced during a 2004 exhibition in Moscow. Although the weapon is chambered for the 9×19mm round, it was specifically designed for use with the Russian 9x19mm 7N21 and 7N31 +P+ armor-piercing versions of the cartridge. The performance is reportedly comparable to the 5.7×28mm and 4.6x30mm PDW cartridges while still being able to use common 9x19mm rounds.

The MP9 is a compact weapon currently being manufactured by Brügger & Thomet of Switzerland. The MP9 is a selective-fire PDW chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum round. The weapon fires from a closed, locked bolt utilizing a rotating barrel locking system. The MP9 is a development of the Steyr TMP. The design of TMP was purchased from Steyr in 2001. The primary difference is the TMP has a stock that folds to the right side of the weapon, an integrated Picatinny-style rail, and a trigger safety.

CBJ Tech firm of Sweden has developed a new 6.25x25mm cartridge with case dimensions similar to the 9×19mm Parabellum round. The primary purpose the cartridge’s development is to convert 9mm weapons into modern personal defense weapons with the ability to meet the NATO CRISAT body armor defeat criteria consisting of 1.6 mm titanium and 20 layers of Kevlar.

The cartridge round features a sabotted 4 mm tungsten sub-projectile. The 6.25x25mm round was engineered to produce the similar recoil and pressures to allow most 9mm weapons to be easily converted to 6.5×25mm CBJ by changing the barrel. The 9mm bolt is retained because the cartridge head diameter is also the same for both cartridges. The rounds are designed to fit and feed from the weapon’s original 9mm magazine. The firm also has designed a compact weapon chambered for the 9mm or 6.5mm round, the CBJ-MS personal defense weapon. SAAB-Bofors was initially involved in helping to market the 6.5x25mm but is no longer involved with the project. CBJ Tech is continuing to develop the ammunition and demonstrate its capability in a wide variety of converted submachine guns and pistols. However, CBJ Tech is now mainly focused on adapting existing 9mm weapons.

The select-fire Mauser Model 712 was also popular with the Chinese. RIGHT: To increase the range and effectiveness of the basic Luger pistol, the Germans conceived the Lange Pistole 08 Artillery Model Luger with a long barrel, detachable buttstock and 32-round Trommel-Magazin 08 drum magazine.

Most readers of SAR are familiar with the current U.S. military issue M4 carbine, but some may not know why it was designated as the M4. This article is a brief history of the M4’s predecessors.

In 1938, as a result of numerous surveys of the U.S. Army Field Forces, the Chief of Infantry outlined to the Adjutant General, and the Chief of Ordnance, certain weapons requirements of the infantry. In these requirements he stated that the advisability of equipping ammunition carriers, machine gun crew members, mortar crews and administrative personnel, with a light-weight shoulder weapon. The document dated September, 1938 requested consideration by the Office of the Chief of Ordnance. An evaluation of the Chief of Infantry’s request was made in November of 1938. The use of a new light rifle was not favorably considered at that time.

With the German invasion of Poland in 1939, the Chief of Infantry resubmitted his request for the development of a light rifle. This time the suggestion was considered and by June of 1940 the War Department acted to initiate a weapon development program. By directive 00 474.5/120 from the U.S. Secretary of War, the Chief of Ordnance was ordered to undertake the development, testing, and selection of a light rifle. It was estimated that 500,000 of the new light rifles would be needed, which turned out to be a very conservative figure.

A U.S. Army armorer inspects a stack of well-used M1 carbines.

The Chief of Infantry submitted general requirements for the proposed weapon, these were:

Not less than .27 caliber.
Not more than 5-pound weight with a loaded twenty round magazine.
Effective range not less than 300 yards.
Operating system to be semiautomatic, bolt or lever action.
Five or seven round capacity, seven rounds preferred.
Fixed aperture sights, effective to 300 yards.
Ammunition to have mid-range ordinate of no more than eighteen-inches at 300 yards.
Barrel should be short.
A 1903 type sling should be used.

The Cavalry (Armored Forces) and other combat units concurred with the Infantry’s requirements. The Chief of Infantry specifically recommended that each of the following be developed for possible use:

A light semiautomatic rifle
A submachine gun type
A bolt action rifle

With the selector on an M2 carbine in the forward position (shown) the carbine fired full-automatic. The rearward position was for semiautomatic fire.

The desired characteristics for the light weight rifle were prepared by October of 1940 and were approved at an Ordnance Committee meeting. The requirements were presented to eleven manufacturers and individuals by the end of 1940 including:

The Auto-Ordnance Corporation
Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company.
Hi Standard Manufacturing Company.
Johnson Automatics.
Marlin Firearms.
J.D. Peterson.
Remington Arms Company.
Savage Arms Company.
Smith & Wesson
Winchester Repeating Arms Company.

Each concern received a circular listing weapon requirements, a drawing of the new .30 carbine caliber cartridge and minimum chamber requirements. Within a few months, twenty-five corporations and individuals were invited to submit a design with testing scheduled for 8 May 1941 at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Several weapons that were submitted were immediately rejected. As a result of the preliminary testing certain changes were recommended in the original requirements. The weight was increased to 5.5 pounds and the full-automatic requirement eliminated.

The fire control components of a semiautomatic M1 (top) and the select-fire M2 carbine.

U.S. Carbine, Caliber, .30 M1

The Winchester Repeating Arms entry was the eventual winner of the light rifle trials. The Winchester carbine used a unique short-stroke tappet gas system, and was adopted as Carbine, Caliber .30, M1 in October of 1941. By the war’s end there were more carbines manufactured than any other U.S. small arm. A number of diverse companies manufactured the carbine during the war; these prime contractors were supported by hundreds of subcontractors. Many of the prime contractors involved in the carbine program had no previous gun making experience, many of them manufacturers of music boxes, automotive parts and business machinery, rallied for the war effort to manufacture 6,079,648 carbines by 1945. Although the price of the carbine varied by contractor and contract, the average cost was approximately $50 per weapon. M1 Carbine prime contractors were: Winchester, Inland (Division of General Motors), Underwood-Elliot-Fisher, National Postal Meter (A very limited number were made under the name Commercial Controls Corporation), Rock-Ola, Quality Machine and Hardware, Standard Products, Saginaw Steering Gear (Division of General Motors), International Business Machine (IBM), Irwin-Pederson Arms Company (their contract was taken over by Saginaw).

Years manufactured: M1:1941-1945 (M2: 1945 only)
Magazine capacity: fifteen and thirty round box
Caliber: .30 carbine, 110 grain round nose bullet, 1,970 fps
Cyclic rate (M2 only): 750-775 rounds per minute
Operation: gas operated, closed locked bolt, select-fire (M2)
Weight: 5.2 lbs. (M1A1 model 5.5 lbs.)
Barrel length: 18 inches
Overall length: 35.75 inches (M1A1 length, stock folded 25.75 inches; stock extended 35.75 inches)

M1 Recoil Check, designed to help control muzzle rise on the M2 in the full-automatic mode of fire. The device was secured to the barrel with a clamp.

U.S. Carbine, Caliber, .30 M1A1

To make the carbine more compact for paratrooper use, the M1 carbine was fitted with a side-folding metal buttstock and wooden pistol grip. Carbines in this configuration were designated as the M1A1. With the stock in a folded position the overall length was reduced to 25.75 inches. With the stock unfolded, the overall length of the M1A1 was the same as an M1 carbine. The M1A1 was specifically designed for airborne troops and the action was the same as an M1 carbine. The only manufacturer of the M1A1 was the Inland Division. A total of 140,591 were manufactured from 1942-45. There were no M1A1 carbines originally manufactured as select-fire M2s.

Cartridge, Carbine, Caliber .30

Winchester had also developed a new mid-range cartridge to be used in the new “light rifle.” The cartridge was designated as, Cartridge, Carbine, Caliber .30 M1 and was approved as Standard on 30 September 1941. The Ordnance Department awarded contracts to the Western Cartridge Company, Winchester Repeating Arms, Remington Arms Company, Lake City Ordnance Plant and the Kings Mills Ordnance Plant. While corrosive primers were used in World War II .30-06 and .45 ACP caliber U.S. service cartridges, the .30 caliber carbine rounds all utilized non-corrosive primers. The decision to use non-corrosive primers greatly extended the service life of the carbine’s barrel.

An early M1 and folding stock M1A1 “paratrooper” carbine.

The original configuration of the .30 caliber carbine cartridge was changed early in 1942. The original .30 caliber 110-grain projectile had a cup style base, which tests had shown was unstable during firing, and would often leave a ring of gilding metal in the forward end of the chamber. A new flat base 110-grain projectile was designed to eliminate the problem. The type of powder used in the carbine cartridge was also changed. The original DuPont powder proved to be too bulky for the small case. To achieve a higher projectile velocity a new DuPont powder was introduced. The new powder increased the carbine’s muzzle velocity to 1,970 feet per second and raised the chamber pressure to 40,000 psi.

In September of 1944, the nomenclature of the .30 carbine round was changed to Cartridge, Ball, Carbine, Caliber .30 M1. The change, adding the word “ball,” was to avoid confusion with the newly adopted tracer and grenade launching cartridges developed for the carbine.

The early characteristics of the new cartridge were:
Bullet weight: 110 grains.
Charge weight: 14.5 grains of IMR 4227
Primer: Winchester No. 116
Pressure: 31,000 psi
Muzzle velocity 1,860 feet per second.

The new specifications for the improved carbine cartridge were:
Bullet weight; 110 grains
Charge: DuPont 4809 or Hercules 3950.8B (alternate)
Primer: commercial non-corrosive
Pressure: 40,000 psi
Muzzle velocity 1,970 feet
per second

In September of 1944, the nomenclature of the .30 carbine round was changed to Cartridge, Ball, Carbine, Caliber .30 M1. The change, adding the word “ball”, was to avoid confusion with the newly adopted tracer and grenade launching cartridges developed for the carbine.

Very early box of carbine ammunition: note that the nomenclature is Caliber .30 M1 Short Rifle M-1, so that it would not be confused with M1 Garand ammo. (Courtesy of John M. Miller)

U.S. Carbine, Caliber .30, M2

The original 1940 requirements for the carbine included a select-fire feature. In order to get a new weapon developed quickly, this requirement was dropped. The select-fire M2 would not be fully developed and subsequently adopted until the fall, 1944.

Early in 1944, the Inland Division began to develop a method to convert the M1 carbine into a select-fire weapon. Two Inland engineers, Paul Hamisch and Frederick Sampson, designed a conversion that required only a few new parts along with minimum changes to the weapon’s original design. The experimental select-fire M1 carbine was designated as the T4. After extensive testing of the modified carbine, the weapon was recommended for adoption as the Carbine Caliber .30, M2 in September of 1944 and was adopted as Standard in October 1944. Subsequently, the M1 and M1A1 carbines were reclassified as Limited Standard. By the time the weapon began getting into the hands of the troops in the field the war in Europe was almost over. The M2 carbine saw little combat use in World War II.

The firepower of the M1 carbine was greatly increased with the introduction of the select-fire M2 version. Like a submachine gun, the full-automatic M2 was effective for close-in combat situations and street fighting. The M2 could also be used effectively in the semiautomatic mode at longer ranges, where a pistol caliber submachine gun could not. Original M2s were only manufactured by Inland (199,500 M2 carbines), and Winchester (17,500 M2 carbines). Early Winchester M2s were marked by over-stamping the numeral 1 on the front of the receiver with a number 2. All later manufacture M2s were factory roll-marked “M2.” Original Inland and Winchester M2s all have high serial numbers over 6,000,000. There were a few very early Inland M2s manufactured with six digit serial numbers beginning with zero. Original manufacture M2 carbines were usually factory fitted with late style features, such as the adjustable style rear sight, improved safety lever and the barrel band with the bayonet lug.

Select-fire M2 carbine with 30-round magazine and muzzle brake. The cyclic rate was approximately 750 rounds per minute. RIGHT: M3 carbine with late production M3 sniper scope. (U.S. Marine Corps National Museum)

The M2’s published cyclic rate was from 750 to 775 rounds per minute. A large capacity 30-round magazine was introduced to keep up with the M2’s high rate of fire. The carbine’s light weight together with its relatively fast cyclic rate made it somewhat difficult to control in the full-auto mode of fire. One item designed specifically for controlling muzzle rise on the M2 carbine was the M1 recoil check or muzzle brake.

Some M1 carbines were converted to the M2 configuration by using the “Kit, Conversion T17.” This kit contained all the parts needed for unit armorers to upgrade their M1 carbines to the M2 status. Many existing M1s that were converted were remarked by over-stamping the number 1 with a 2 on the receiver by hand. After World War II ended in Europe, FN Belgium was contracted to inspect and rebuild carbines, and convert some of them to the M2 configuration. The FN program was completed in 1946. Virtually all weapons returned to the U.S. were rebuilt before being placed into long term storage after the war. During the Ordnance Department rebuilding programs, a large number of M1 carbines were also rebuilt to M2 specifications. Just a few years later, the M2 carbine would see its share of combat action in the Korean Conflict.

U.S. Carbine, Caliber, .30 M3

Based on scientific experiments begun in the 1930s, the “Sniperscope, T120” was developed in late 1943. Electronic devices could distinguish objects illuminated by infrared light and make them visible in a telescope. A 6-volt light with an infrared filter mounted under the stock provided invisible light to illuminate an area up to a distance of 400 feet. This combination of a light source and telescope using infrared light became the first practical night vision sight. A handle and a switch for the light were mounted on the stock. Both the telescope and the light source got their power from a heavy, lead-acid wet cell battery carried in a canvas pack.

Before the M3 carbine and M1 sniperscope were type-classified, they were known as the T3 and T120, respectively. The M3 was a carbine fitted with a mount designed to accept an infrared sight for use at night. It was initially used with the M1 sniperscope, an active infrared sight, and saw action in 1945 with the Army during the invasion of Okinawa. An improved M2 sniperscope extended the effective nighttime range of the M3 carbine out to 100 yards. Both the M1 and M2 sniperscopes had the light source located below the stock.

Select-fire M2 carbine with 30-round magazine and muzzle brake. The cyclic rate was approximately 750 rounds per minute. RIGHT: M3 carbine with late production M3 sniper scope. (U.S. Marine Corps National Museum)

The original T-3 version of the carbine was complicated, requiring a number of unique parts to mount the sniperscope. Eventually it was decided to design a simple kit that would enable a standard M1 or M2 carbine to be easily converted to use night vision sights in the field. The special mounting parts would be included with the sight sets. A new flash hider was added to conceal the user’s position. Mass production of the improved infrared night vision system began in 1950 with the “20,000 volt Set No. 1.” This could be mounted on any M1 or M2 carbine, making it an “M3” Carbine. The M3 sniperscope had a large active infrared spotlight mounted on top of the scope body itself, allowing its use with the operator in a prone position. The revised M3 had an effective range of around 125 yards. The improvements in this system included better electronics, resulting in better vision, but were still limited. Fog and rain further reduced the weapon’s effective range. Heavy weight and short battery life remained major shortcomings.

The U.S. M1 and M2 carbines remained in U.S. Army service until the M14 was accepted as their standard weapon in 1957. However, the service life of the carbine had not ended. The U.S. Air Force and Navy still issued them, and the carbine would see more action in the Vietnam War. Large numbers of carbines were provided to many allies and some former enemies as military aid.

The Red Army leaders were quite confident that they could easily overcome any resistance from the Finnish army, which they outnumbered more than three to one.  The Soviets also had substantially more artillery, tanks and aircraft.  What the Soviets didn’t count on was the heavily forested terrain and narrow unpaved roads, which provided a perfect environment for the Finn’s guerilla tactics.  Armed with submachine guns, the Finnish Army put up a fierce resistance by continually ambushing the Soviet forces and then melting into the forest.  The Soviets eventually prevailed in March of 1940 and hostilities ended.  But the Soviets suffered far heavier losses than anticipated and settled for far less than a total victory, but lessons were learned.

A U.S. Army officer with two PPSh type submachine guns captured from Chinese soldiers. (NARA)

Along with the tactics of the Finns, one of the weapons instrumental in keeping the invading Soviet Army at bay was the 9mm Suomi KP-31 (konepistooli) submachine gun.  The KP-31’s fast cyclic rate, and large capacity drum magazine, was responsible for inflicting many casualties on the Soviets.  The Soviets were obviously impressed as they soon began fielding their own submachine guns and drum magazines that were suspiciously similar to the Finn’s.

The Soviets had taken note of the German’s limited use of a rapid firing pistol caliber MP18 submachine gun fielded near the end of World War I, and began development of a domestic design as early as 1926.  However, weapon development had a low priority in the post First War years.

A large cache of weapons captured from the Chinese by the Cavalry Regiment, Capital Division, Republic of Korea Army, 22 October 1951. Note the large number of PPSh 41 type weapons, all with drum magazines. At the end of the row are several PPS-43 type submachine guns. (NARA)

The 7.62x25mm PPD Submachine Gun
Soviet designer Vasiliy Degtyarev had introduced several promising weapon designs by 1931.  Development continued until 1934 when his 7.62x25mm M1934 Degtyarev submachine gun, the PPD (Pistolet-Pulemyot Degtyarev), was adopted for arming senior officers, but production of the PPD was very limited.  Degtyarev continued his work and introduced an improved model, the M1934/38 PPD that used a 25-round box or 73-round drum magazine.  The drum magazine had an extension on it to fit up through the stock.  However, in 1939 a decision was made by the People’s Commissariat for Defense to stop production and withdraw existing submachine guns from service.  They determined the submachine gun would have a limited range, waste ammunition and had little military value – ironically an opinion shared by the U.S. and Great Britain at the time.  The Soviet leaders changed their minds during the disastrous “Winter War” with Finland.  On 6 January 1940 the Commissariat for Defense ordered that large numbers of submachine guns be issued to the army.

Vasiliy Degtyarev continued efforts to improve his PPD design that resulted in the adoption of the PPD 40.  The PPD 40 used a drum magazine, which differed from that of the PPD 34/38 model, by having only feed lips at the top in place of a magazine extension mounted on the top.  This design improved feeding as the PPD 40 was designed only for drum magazines.  The PPD 40 was produced from 1940 to 1941, with approximately 87,000 being built.  The PPD submachine guns were manufactured before the widespread use of metal stampings and had many forged, machined parts that required a lot of tooling and skilled labor to produce.

A rare photo of an early PPSh 41 submachine gun with a tangent rear sight. Note that the detachable front sight hood is intact. (NARA)

The 7.62x25mm PPSh 41
The PPSh 41 submachine gun, and the pressed metal technology to produce it, was conceived by Soviet designer Georgiy Shpagin.  Shpagin was a former Russian army ordnance man who after his discharge began to work at the Kovrov Ordnance factory; the same facility where the PPD submachine guns were ultimately manufactured.  During August of 1940, Shpagin’s first prototype submachine gun was tested.  The weapon proved to be reliable under all conditions and its pressed steel, riveted and welded construction required few skilled workers or specialized machine tools to produce.  The PPSh was adopted in December of 1940 as the M1941 Shpagin submachine gun or Pistolet-Pulemyot Shpagina.  Production began during the fall of 1941.

PPSh 41 production was first organized in a network of factories around the Moscow area, each making parts or subassemblies to be assembled in centralized plants.  Initial production was slow but soon grew exponentially.  There were many companies involved in making PPSh 41 weapons and parts, including a few who had no previous experience with weapon manufacture, these including the Moscow Automotive Factory Zavod imeni Stalin (ZIS).  The ZIS factory symbol was a Cyrillic character that looks like a number 3, which represents the Roman letter Z.  Another PPSh 41 factory was the Scetmach plant in Moscow that marked their receivers with a Cyrillic letter C that translates to the letter S.  Other factories contributing to the production of the PPSh 41 submachine gun were: the Kirov Aviabuilding Plant, the F. Dzerzhinskly Factory, the Korov Plant, the Krasnuj Stamping Plant, the Tbilisi Instrument Factory, and the Tbilisi Train Factory.  However, by October, due to the advancing German army, many of the factories were abandoned and relocated to the Vyatskie Polyany Machine Building Plant.  The designer Shpagin was appointed as the chief designer of the facility, which became one of the primary manufacturers of PPSh submachine guns during the war.  The PPSh drum magazine manufacturing plant, originally located near Moscow was also forced to relocate to the Vyatskie Polyany area.  Many Soviet made PPSh drums and some box magazines will have the Star in a Shield trademark of Vyatskie Polyany plant.

An early manufacture Soviet PPSh 41 submachine gun with a tangent rear sight (top). The clip-on type front sight hood is missing. The magazine is an early production box type. (Private collection). Below it is a 1944 dated Soviet PPSh. The rear sight is a simpler two-leaf type with a U-shape notch. One leaf is calibrated for a 100 meter range, the second for 200 meters. The sight leaves are well protected by large side ‘ears.’ The front sight hood is spot welded to the barrel shroud. The receiver pivot pin is the late two-piece style. The top of the magazine well area of the trigger frame now has reinforcing extension tabs that partially envelope the receiver. Note the reinforcing bolt in the wrist of the stock. (National Museum of the Marine Corps)

The PPSh 41 consisted of eighty-seven separate parts, twenty-four of the parts were fabricated from pressed carbon steel, and only five of the components were forgings.  The four-groove chromium-lined barrel was pressed and pinned to the receiver.  The receiver extended out to form a sheet metal barrel shroud with cooling slots.  The end of the shroud formed a compensator to reduce muzzle climb.  The receiver was hinged at the front; at the back of the receiver was a spring-loaded end cap that had an L shaped lug at the bottom that secured it to the trigger frame.  By pushing the end cap forward the lug was disconnected from the trigger frame and the receiver could be lifted upward for maintenance, pivoting on the front hinge.  The bolt had a fixed firing pin and a cocking handle safety that could secure the bolt in an open or closed position.  The submachine gun was capable of both semiautomatic and full-automatic fire, with an automatic cyclic rate of 900+ rounds per minute.  The sliding mode of fire selector is located inside the trigger guard, forward of the trigger.  The full automatic position is forward, semiautomatic to the rear.  The weapon operates from an open bolt. The ejection port is located in the center of the receiver and spent cases are ejected straight up.

During the 1920s China was embroiled in a civil war between the Chinese Communists led by Mao Tse-tung and the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) who were led by Chiang Kai-shek. The fighting briefly subsided after 1937 with the Japanese invasion of China.  During World War II, the United States became allied with the Chinese Nationalists and provided massive military and financial aid to help China fight the Japanese. The wartime plan of the U.S. was to assist China in becoming a strong ally and a stabilizing force in Asia after the war. When World War II ended the Chinese civil war intensified, eventually resulting in a Communist victory in 1949. The Nationalist government left the mainland and settled on the island of Taiwan. Communist leader Mao Tse-tung renamed China the Peoples Republic of China.

During the Korean War the Peoples Republic of China supported the Communist north and in October of 1950 sent troops in to assist the North Koreans in fighting the South Korean, NATO and U.S. troops. Ironically many of the U.S. made weapons that were sent to China as military aid during World War II were fielded by the Chinese against U.S. soldiers and marines in Korea.

Field stripped view of the Type 68 rifle.

Soviet Post War Military Aid

The Soviet Union began a post World War II program to the assist the new Peoples Republic of China. The program primarily consisted of military aid that included many small arms, which the Chinese soon copied and started to manufacture themselves, with technical and financial support from the Russians. Most of the small arms were exact copies of the Russian weapons including the PPSh 41 submachine gun produced in China as the Type 50, the PPS43 as the Type 43, the SKS as the Type 56 carbine and the AK-47 as the Type 56 rifle. However during the late 1950s the Russians and Chinese began to have differing national interests and political ideologies, resulting in a Sino-Soviet split by the mid 1960s. While many previous Chinese weapons were near exact copies of Russian models, evidence of design variations were observed after the Sino-Soviet split when the Chinese began to produce their own version of the Soviet stamped receiver AKM model. The Chinese version (still designated as the Type 56) differed from the Soviet AKM, and most eastern European copies, by having an 800-meter rear sight, smooth top cover, flat sided lower handguards, relief holes in the gas tube, flat muzzle nut, lack of a hammer delay system and a thicker sheet metal receiver. The stamped receiver Type 56 was followed by other era weapon designs that were uniquely Chinese, including the Type 67 machine gun, the Type 64 submachine gun, and the Type 68 rifle.

The Type 68 rifle is uniquely Chinese; although the weapon resembles an SKS rifle, the locking systems are totally different designs.

The Type 68 Rifle

While most Chinese infantry small arms of the twentieth century were copies of Soviet models, the Type 68 (sometimes referred to as the Type 63) rifle is an indigenous Chinese design. The weapon is somewhat of an anomaly; having a few “modern” features such as a select-fire capability and firing a midrange 7.62x39mm cartridge, but has the appearance, weight and length of an older World War II design.

At first glance the Type 68 looks very much like an SKS rifle, the primary difference between the two designs is that the SKS uses a titling-bolt locking system, while the Type 68 features a rotating-bolt system similar to that of the AK-47 rifle. The SKS is a semiautomatic-only weapon while the Type 68 has a semiautomatic and full-automatic capability.

Left side of the Type 68, the serial number is located on the receiver above the magazine well.

Right side of the receiver, note the presence of rivets indicating that the weapon has a stamped steel receiver.

The gas system used on the Type 68 is an impingement design, that is similar to that used in the SKS. While the SKS gas piston impinges on a spring-loaded gas piston extension, the Type 68’s piston rod impinges directly on the rifle’s bolt carrier. The piston rod extends through a spring that returns the piston to a forward position after engaging the bolt carrier. The gas piston is enclosed inside a circular sheet metal heat shield to protect the upper handguard from excessive heat during sustained firing. The Type 68 gas piston is not attached to the bolt carrier as on the AK-47, but is a separate component. The Type 68 has an adjustable two-position gas regulator located on the front end of the gas tube to keep the weapon functioning when extremely fouled. The gas regulator is adjusted by pressing the retainer and rotating it downward, which will allow it to be pulled free, and the regulator knob rotated to the desired position. The soldier can see the position of the gas regulator spindle, which is indicated by a small and large hole on the back of the knob, at a glance. The smaller of the two gas ports is the normal position. Like the Chinese Type 56 carbine (SKS) and some Type 56 rifles (AK-47) the Type 68 has a permanently attached spike-type bayonet. When not in use, the bayonet can folded and stored under the barrel. To extend the bayonet the soldier pulls the grip rearward and rotates the blade forward locking it onto the L shaped lug under the front sight tower, to retract the blade the grip is pulled to unlock the bayonet and then rotate it under the barrel until it locks into position. There is a barrel mounted front attachment point for a sling and a sling swivel on the buttstock, both are on the left side of the weapon.

The bolt carrier is a steel forging machined for containing the recoil spring, rotating and housing the breech bolt and tripping the automatic sear. There are also grooves on the sides that ride on rails inside the receiver. The cocking handle of the Type 68 is on the right side of the receiver and is an integral part of the bolt carrier; the handle itself extends straight out and is similar in appearance to that of the SKS rifle. A sheet metal cover is fitted over the top of the receiver.