Story and Photos By Gordon Arthur (King Arthur’s Writes)
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA), an armed force beholden to the Chinese Communist Party rather than to the nation of China, is the largest military in the world. Such an enormous military, comprising some two million personnel, has a huge appetite for weapons, especially since Chairman Xi Jinping has been investing heavily to modernize this force over the past decade.
This article examines, in photographs and annotated captions, some of the wide range of small arms currently used by the PLA, from pistols to assault rifles to anti-materiel rifles. The photographs mostly date from 2019, which is when the author left the Chinese territory of Hong Kong for the final time.
Norinco’s QSZ92 semiautomatic pistol, here in 5.8mm caliber, has been the standard pistol in the PLA since the late 1990s. The magazine holds 20 double-stacked rounds of 5.8mm ammunition. The pistol weighs 26.8 ounces, is 7.4 inches long and has a barrel length of 4.4 inches. The QSZ92 has a muzzle velocity of 1148 fps and an effective range of 55 yards. The barrel has a listed life of 3,000 rounds. (Gordon Arthur)
The QSZ92 Type 06 silenced pistol is issued to scouts and special forces personnel, and the PLA claims it is easy to assemble/disassemble and to maintain. The QSW06 replaced the Type 67 silenced pistol. (Gordon Arthur)
When fitted with a silencer, the QSZ92 5.8mm semiautomatic pistol is known as the QSW06. This Type 06 suppressed weapon weighs 35 ounces, while the silencer alone measures 7.8 inches long. (Gordon Arthur)The Type 11 (QSZ11) compact pistol chambered for 5.8mm x 21 rounds has a magazine capacity of just eight rounds. Intended for “senior commanders, personal protection details, aviators and cosmonauts,” the QSZ11 was never intended as a replacement for the incumbent QSZ92 pistol. (Gordon Arthur)The Type 11 (QSZ11) compact pistol weighs 21 ounces, is 6 inches long and has a maximum effective range of 55 yards. (Gordon Arthur)
This rather unique device of the PLA is described as a close-range self-defense weapon, though it seems better suited to assassination or stealthy missions. The QSB11 is both a dagger and a pistol. The Type 11 holds four 5.8mm bullets (two barrels are visible here, with another two beneath the blade), with each barrel having its own firing mechanism. The firearm has a 11 yard. range, with the PLA claiming it can penetrate 4.7-inch-thick wood at that range. The QSB11, which has a barrel life of 1,200 rounds, is 10.4 inches long and it weighs 24 ounces. The dagger by itself is 5.7 inches long, with the sheath pictured here on the left. (Gordon Arthur)
This is the PLA’s QCW05 5.8mm suppressed submachine gun; note the silencer attached to the barrel. The weapon is produced by Jianshe Industries Group Corporation in Chongqing. It fires the same 5.8 x 21mm DCV05 subsonic rounds as the QSW06 silenced pistol. The bullpup weapon is issued to the likes of reconnaissance and special forces personnel. It can fire in fully automatic, semi-automatic or single-shot modes, with its low rate of fire improving accuracy out to a maximum effective range of 218 yards. against unprotected targets. It has a 50-round detachable magazine. (Gordon Arthur)The QCW05 with suppressor weighs 6 lb., and it measures 27 inches long. If the suppressor is removed, it becomes the QCQ-05 variant and it can fire regular DAP92 5.8mm pistol rounds, as well. The barrel life is 8,000 rounds, and its muzzle velocity is 492 fps when the suppressor is fitted. (Gordon Arthur)The Type 95-1 5.8mm assault rifle, or QBZ95-1 to give it its correct PLA nomenclature, is the standard weapon in Chinese infantry squads alongside the original QBZ95. The latter was first seen publicly during China’s takeover of Hong Kong in 1997. The maximum effective range of the Type 95-1 is 437 yards. The bullpup rifle weighs 7.3 pounds, and it is 29.3 inches long. The standard magazine holds 30 rounds, and the PLA claims a barrel life of 10,000 rounds. This weapon has a YMA-95-1-600 day sight with 3x magnification fitted. (Gordon Arthur)Note this soldier of the Hong Kong Garrison of the PLA has used tape to bind the Type 87 bayonet to his QBZ95-1 5.8mm assault rifle. This seems to have been common practice on weapons as seen by the author in Hong Kong. (Gordon Arthur)More photos showing the Type 95-1 5.8mm assault rifle in use by members of the PLA’s Hong Kong Garrison or of the PLA in general. (Gordon Arthur)More photos showing the Type 95-1 5.8mm assault rifle in use by members of the PLA’s Hong Kong Garrison or of the PLA in general. (Gordon Arthur)
A soldier reassembles a Type 95-1 5.8mm assault rifle in use by members of the PLA’s Hong Kong Garrison during a demonstration to the public. (Gordon Arthur)
This Type 95-1 5.8mm assault rifle has a QLG10A 35mm under-barrel grenade launcher mounted. This updated grenade launcher is based on the existing QLG10, but it was designed specifically to fit the latest Type 95-1 rifle or Type 95B-1 carbine. This 2.2-pound launcher measures 9 inchs in length, and it is capable of firing ten grenades per minute. Its barrel life is expected to be 1,000 rounds. (Gordon Arthur)This Type 95-1 5.8mm assault rifle has a QLG10A 35mm under-barrel grenade launcher mounted. This updated grenade launcher is based on the existing QLG10, but it was designed specifically to fit the latest Type 95-1 rifle or Type 95B-1 carbine. This 2.2-pound launcher measures 9 inchs in length, and it is capable of firing ten grenades per minute. Its barrel life is expected to be 1,000 rounds. (Gordon Arthur)This Type 95-1 5.8mm assault rifle is distinguished by the fact that it has a drum magazine instead of the usual curved 30-round magazine. The drum contains 75 rounds of 5.8mm caliber. The weapon is 33.5 inches long and it weighs 8.7 pounds in this configuration. Note also that a bipod is fitted. (Gordon Arthur)The PLA calls this the QBU88 5.8mm sniper rifle, although it is more correctly a designated marksman rifle. It is seen here with its bipod and 4x telescopic sight attached. The QBU88 weighs 9.3 pounds, is 36.2 inches long (including a 24.4-inch-long barrel), has an effective range of 875 yards and a muzzle velocity of 2985 fps. (Gordon Arthur)The gas-operated QBU88 5.8mm Type 88 offers a longer range than the standard QBZ95 assault rifle, and adjustable iron sights come as standard. It was the first of the new generation of PLA small arms to adopt the 5.8mm caliber, firing a heavier 5.8mm x 42 round contained in a ten-round magazine. (Gordon Arthur)These PLA soldiers at Ngong Shuen Chau Naval Base in Hong Kong appear on high alert. Given that the photo was taken in 2019, at the height of popular protests against the government, this is unsurprising. The soldier in the foreground at the left is wielding a Norinco-built QBS09 semiautomatic shotgun. (Gordon Arthur)The 7.6-pound QBS09/Type 09 shotgun fires DBD09 18.4mm tungsten alloy anti-personnel buckshot out to ranges of 109y with a muzzle velocity of 1378 fps. The QBS09 has a spring-buffered shoulder stock. The 12-gauge shotgun is 28 inches long and has a five-round internal tube magazine. (Gordon Arthur)The Type 10 (QBU10) 12.7mm anti-materiel rifle in the hands of the Hong Kong Garrison of the PLA. This weapon weighs 29.3 pounds and the PLA cites ranges of “1,093 yards for human targets, and 1,640 yards for materiel targets.” (Gordon Arthur)An infrared sight/ballistic rangefinder is shown fitted on the 4.5-foot-long Type 10 (QBU10) 12.7mm anti-materiel rifle, this giving it a night-fighting capacity. Its magazine contains five rounds. It is primarily used by PLA reconnaissance forces as well as the PLA Navy Marine Corps. (Gordon Arthur)An infrared sight/ballistic rangefinder is shown fitted on the 4.5-foot-long Type 10 (QBU10) 12.7mm anti-materiel rifle, this giving it a night-fighting capacity. Its magazine contains five rounds. It is primarily used by PLA reconnaissance forces as well as the PLA Navy Marine Corps. (Gordon Arthur)The last military parade to be held in Beijing occurred in 2019. On that occasion, 1 October 2019 that celebrated the birth of the People’s Republic of China 70 years earlier, a new assault rifle of 5.8mm x 42 caliber was observed. These QBZ-191 weapons were carried by members of the PLA ground forces, including special forces. The conventional rifle type is destined to become the next-generation service rifle of the PLA, gradually replacing the bullpup design of the QBZ95 family. The short-stroke piston gas-operated QBZ-191 has a full-length Picatinny rail and a 3x daylight prismatic sight. The standard version has a 14-inch (368.3mm) barrel, whereas the QBZ-192 carbine version for vehicle crews (10.5-inch/266.7mm barrel) and QBU-191 designated marksman rifle with a longer barrel are also available. (Gordon Arthur)The last military parade to be held in Beijing occurred in 2019. On that occasion, 1 October 2019 that celebrated the birth of the People’s Republic of China 70 years earlier, a new assault rifle of 5.8mm x 42 caliber was observed. These QBZ-191 weapons were carried by members of the PLA ground forces, including special forces. The conventional rifle type is destined to become the next-generation service rifle of the PLA, gradually replacing the bullpup design of the QBZ95 family. The short-stroke piston gas-operated QBZ-191 has a full-length Picatinny rail and a 3x daylight prismatic sight. The standard version has a 14-inch (368.3mm) barrel, whereas the QBZ-192 carbine version for vehicle crews (10.5-inch/266.7mm barrel) and QBU-191 designated marksman rifle with a longer barrel are also available. (Gordon Arthur)The last military parade to be held in Beijing occurred in 2019. On that occasion, 1 October 2019 that celebrated the birth of the People’s Republic of China 70 years earlier, a new assault rifle of 5.8mm x 42 caliber was observed. These QBZ-191 weapons were carried by members of the PLA ground forces, including special forces. The conventional rifle type is destined to become the next-generation service rifle of the PLA, gradually replacing the bullpup design of the QBZ95 family. The short-stroke piston gas-operated QBZ-191 has a full-length Picatinny rail and a 3x daylight prismatic sight. The standard version has a 14-inch (368.3mm) barrel, whereas the QBZ-192 carbine version for vehicle crews (10.5-inch/266.7mm barrel) and QBU-191 designated marksman rifle with a longer barrel are also available. (Gordon Arthur)For training purposes, the PLA uses laser devices attached to rifles to simulate actual weapon firing. The laser module is mounted alongside the barrel. (Gordon Arthur)
For training purposes, the PLA uses laser devices attached to rifles to simulate actual weapon firing. Here, a laser is mounted besides the weapon’s optic system. (Gordon Arthur)
For training purposes, the PLA uses laser devices attached to rifles to simulate actual weapon firing. On this occasion, dummies make up the targets, where each dummy has colored smoke that is released when its sensors detect a hit. Of course, this laser simulation gear is also worn by soldiers during training. (Gordon Arthur)The QBU141 5.8mm sniper rifle, also known as the CS/LR3, a weapon commonly used for counterterrorism tasks, among others. (Gordon Arthur)The QBU141 5.8mm bolt-action sniper rifle from Norinco weighs 14.3 pounds and it offers a range of 656 yards with DBU141 5.8mm x 42 rounds. The QBU141 sniper rifle with free-floating barrel is 3.9 feet long, and its box magazine contains ten rounds. (Gordon Arthur)The QBU141 5.8mm sniper rifle, also known as the CS/LR3, a weapon commonly used for counterterrorism tasks, among others. The bolt-action sniper rifle from Norinco weighs 14.3 pounds and it offers a range of 656 yards with DBU141 5.8mm x 42 rounds. The QBU141 sniper rifle with free-floating barrel is 3.9 feet long, and its box magazine contains ten rounds. (Gordon Arthur)
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