SKS Paratrooper (Type 56 PARA)
Norinco (China North Industries Corporation) · Carbine · Out Of Production · 1956
Also known as: Type 56 PARA, SKS Para, 16.5-inch SKS, Paratrooper Carbine
Overview
The SKS Paratrooper, also known as the Type 56 PARA, is a shortened-barrel variant of the Chinese Norinco-produced Type 56 SKS carbine. Featuring a 419mm (16.5-inch) barrel - approximately 102mm shorter than the standard Type 56's 521mm tube - the paratrooper variant was produced primarily for export to the US civilian market in the 1980s and early 1990s, with the barrel length deliberately set to clear the US National Firearms Act's 16-inch rifle barrel minimum. Despite the 'Paratrooper' nickname coined by importers, there is no documented evidence that Chinese airborne forces ever fielded the configuration in service; the Type 56-1 underfolding-stock assault rifle was the actual paratrooper-issue weapon. Most paratrooper SKSs feature a folding spike bayonet, retain the standard fixed 10-round internal magazine, and use a milled receiver with a chrome-lined bore. Imports were halted by the 1994 Clinton-era ban on Chinese small arms.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3500 g (123.5 oz) |
| Overall Length | 905 mm (35.63") |
| Barrel Length | 419 mm (16.50") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Short Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 10 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 685 m/s (2247 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1865 J (1376 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 300 m (328 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 600 m (656 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 35 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.62x39mm · primary — also known as 7.62mm Soviet, 7.62x39mm M43
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Internal Box Magazine, Stripper Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety Lever, Trigger Block Safety
- Features: Shortened 16-5 Inch Barrel, Folding Spike Bayonet, Stripper Clip Loading, Fixed Internal Magazine, Chrome Lined Barrel
Base model
Service history
Operators
- US civilian market
Conflicts
- Sino-Vietnamese War (1979)
Production
Production years: 1956-1994
Produced by Norinco state factories primarily for the US export market in the 1980s; total production unknown but likely in the low hundreds of thousands
Origin
Country of origin: China
Designer: Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov
Discontinued: 1994
Notes
Often called the 'Para SKS' or '16-inch SKS'. The shortened barrel produces noticeably more muzzle blast and flash than a full-length SKS but does not significantly degrade ballistics inside 200 meters. Some examples were also produced or rebuilt by Norinco with synthetic 'Cowboy Companion' style stocks for the US sporting market.
Background
Despite the romantic 'Paratrooper' branding, the Type 56 PARA was almost certainly never carried out the door of a Chinese transport aircraft. The name was a marketing flourish invented by US importers who needed to differentiate the short-barrel variant from the standard SKS - and 'Paratrooper' sold considerably better than 'Export Carbine, NFA-Compliant'.