Type 68 Rifle
China North Industries Corporation (Norinco) · Rifle · Discontinued · 1968
Also known as: Type 63, Type 63/68, Type 68 Rifle
Overview
The Type 68 is a Chinese gas-operated, select-fire rifle chambered in 7.62x39mm. An indigenous design developed after the Sino-Soviet split, it merged the rotating bolt of the AK-47 with a fixed-magazine layout and integral folding bayonet reminiscent of the SKS, originally cleared for service as the Type 63 before formal adoption in 1968. It served as a general-issue infantry rifle for the People's Liberation Army and was widely exported throughout Asia.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3490 g (123.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1030 mm (40.55") |
| Barrel Length | 521 mm (20.51") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 20 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 732 m/s (2402 fps) |
| Effective Range | 400 m (437 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 800 m (875 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 750 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 7.62x39mm Soviet, M43, 7.62mm Kalashnikov
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Selector Lever
- Features: Rotating Bolt, Integral Folding Bayonet, Adjustable Gas Regulator, Stamped Steel Receiver, Select Fire
Service history
Operators
- People's Liberation Army · adopted 1968 · as Type 68
- People's Army of Vietnam
- Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
Conflicts
- Vietnam War (1955-1975)
- Sino-Vietnamese War (1979)
Production
Estimated total produced: 6,000,000 · Production years: 1968-1978
Approximately 6 million units manufactured before being superseded by Type 56 and later Type 81 rifles
Origin
Country of origin: China
Designer: Norinco / Chinese state arsenals
Discontinued: 1978
Notes
Frequently labeled 'Type 68' after its 1968 operational adoption, though the design was accepted as the Type 63 in 1963. Standard feed was a 20-round detachable box magazine, but the action could accept 30-round AK-pattern magazines with modification.
Background
Created in the wake of the Sino-Soviet split, the Type 63/68 was China's attempt to field a fully domestic infantry rifle combining the SKS handling familiar to its troops with the firepower of the AK-47's rotating-bolt action.