Type 81 assault rifle

Lore & Background

The PLA's first attempt to replace their aging Type 56 carbine and Type 56 assault rifle was the Type 63 assault rifle, which ended in failure due to a variety of issues. The 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War exposed the limitations of the Type 56 carbine and Type 56 assault rifle, prompting the Chinese state to sponsor the development of a more modern service rifle incorporating features of both these weapons. Development was placed under Wang Zi Jun after the end of the Sino-Vietnamese border clashes in 1979. The weapon was introduced into PLA service in 1981 but did not become widely distributed until the late 1980s. Its first combat use came during the latter part of the Sino-Vietnamese border conflicts of the mid-1980s.

The Type 81 incorporates elements of the Dragunov, SKS, and AK series of rifles. It retains the general layout of the AK-47 and Type 56 assault rifles, but has an SKS-like short-stroke gas-piston design and other improvements to reduce recoil and muzzle jump. Notable physical differences from the Type 56 assault rifle include the stock, the length of the action, bayonet, and the positioning of the front sight. The most easily distinguishable feature is the more exposed muzzle part of the barrel, with the front sight moved back to allow firing 22mm rifle grenades. A horizontal crossbar was added to cover the rear sight notch to prevent glare. The non-detachable spike-shaped bayonet was replaced with a detachable Type 81 knife-bayonet.

The Type 81 is a series of weapons: the Type 81 (fixed stock) and Type 81-1 (folding stock) are assault rifles with 30-round magazines, and the heavier Type 81 LMG fitted with a 75-round drum magazine is used in the squad automatic weapon role. The Type 81 can be fitted with a Picatinny rail, bipod, foregrip, and flashlight.

Reader's Guide

The Type 81 was significant as the replacement for both the Type 56 carbine and Type 56 assault rifle, succeeding where the Type 63 had failed. It was primarily in service during the mid to late 1980s at the height of the Sino-Vietnamese border conflicts, where it saw its first combat use. The design criteria included accuracy of 1.78 in R50 at 100 m, improved controllability in full-automatic, the same reliability of the AK but a longer service life to approximately 20,000 rounds, and the ability to use AK and SKS production tooling. Later, the Type 81 would be used under the designation Type 87 as testing for the PLA's new 5.8×42mm firearms, namely the QBZ-95. The PLA has replaced most of its Type 81s with the Type 95 or Type 03 series of weapons, though it is still in service in the reserves and armed police. A version is used by the Bangladesh Army under the designation BD-08. The Type 81 spawned numerous domestic variants including the Type 81-1, Type 81 LMG, Type 87, and Type 87A, as well as civilian export models such as the T81S and EM355 for the U.S. market.

Did You Know?

• The Type 81 was designed to fire 22mm rifle grenades by sliding them over the unobstructed barrel muzzle.
• The Type 81-1 folding stock variant was originally intended for paratrooper use.
• Only 20 T81S semi-automatic models were imported into the U.S. before importation was blocked by executive order in 1989.
• The Type 81 LMG has its front sight relocated to the muzzle due to the removal of the grenade spigot.