Type 80 machine gun
Chinese copy of the PKM, briefly adopted before being dropped.
The Type 80 is a general-purpose machine gun built by Norinco in China, copying the Soviet PKM. Its design was finalized and certified in 1980, with service entry in the People's Liberation Army beginning in 1983. It was meant to replace the Chinese-made Type 67, but after successful trials in the Chengdu Military Region, the PLA decided to keep the Type 67 instead. Only small numbers of the Type 80 were used by the PLA Marine Corps and airborne units. A modified version, the Type 86, was later adopted as a coaxial machine gun for armored vehicles.
Development started after Chinese engineers studied PKMs captured from Vietnamese forces during the Sino-Vietnamese War. Changfeng Machinery was subcontracted to produce the CS/LM4, a variant chambered for 7.62×51mm NATO ammunition, marketed to nations that used Soviet, Eastern European, or Chinese small arms but had shifted to NATO rounds.
The Type 80 fires the 7.62×54mmR cartridge. It is gas-operated, air-cooled, belt-fed, and fully automatic. It can be mounted on a tripod or use a foldable bipod attached to the gas tube under the barrel. Belts come from 100-round boxes in light machine gun setups, or 200- and 250-round boxes for tripod use. It has open iron sights but can accept optical or night-vision sights.
Variants include the Type 80 (the PKM copy in 7.62×54mmR, with a modernized version copying the PKP Pecheneg), the Type 86 (coaxial vehicle weapon), and the CF06 (export-only, chambered for 7.62 NATO). The CF06’s development began with an evaluation from July to December 2006, a prototype review in February 2007, production from April to May 2007, and formalization in January 2008. It uses polymer furniture instead of wood, and its two barrels each have a life of 12,500 rounds, totaling 25,000 rounds. The CF06 is also known as the CS/LM4 GPMG from 2008. A foreign variant, the Mokhtar, is produced by Sudan’s Military Industry Corporation in 7.62×54mmR.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- China
- Is Ranged
- yes
- Service
- 1983–present
- Designer
- Mikhail Kalashnikov
- Design Date
- 1980
- Manufacturer
- Norinco / Changfeng Machinery (For CS/LM4 variant) / Military Industry Corporation
- Weight
- 12.6 kg
- Length
- 1192 mm
- Part Length
- 658 mm
- Cartridge
- 7.62×54mmR / 7.62×51 NATO (For CF 06 version)
- Action
- Gas-operated, open bolt
- Rate
- 700–800 round/min
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Development of the Type 80 began when Chinese firearms engineers studied PKMs captured from Vietnamese forces during the Sino-Vietnamese War. The machine gun performed well in tests conducted in the Chengdu Military Region, but was ultimately dropped in favor of keeping the Type 67 GPMG in use. Only a few Type 80s were used by the People's Liberation Army Marine Corps and airborne units. A modified version, the Type 86, was accepted as a vehicle coaxial machine gun by PLA armor units. The Type 80 uses the 7.62×54mmR round and can fire from a tripod or a foldable bipod on the gas tube below the barrel. Belts are fed from 100-round boxes in light machine gun configurations, and from 200- or 250-round boxes in tripod-mounted applications. It uses an open iron sight but can also be fitted with an optical or night-vision sight. The CF06 is an export-only version chambered for 7.62 NATO ammunition, equipped with polymer furniture instead of wood, and is also known as the CS/LM4 GPMG. A foreign variant, the Mokhtar, is made by the Sudanese Military Industry Corporation in 7.62x54R caliber.
Reader's Guide
The Type 80 represents a direct Chinese adaptation of the Soviet PKM, developed from captured examples during the Sino-Vietnamese War. Despite being certified in 1980 and entering service in 1983, it was not widely adopted; the PLA chose to retain the indigenous Type 67 instead. The Type 80 saw limited use in Chinese Marine Corps and airborne units, and its coaxial variant, the Type 86, found a role in armored vehicles. The export-oriented CF06 (CS/LM4) chambered in 7.62 NATO broadened its market, targeting countries transitioning from Eastern-bloc to NATO ammunition. The Type 80 has been used by various state and non-state actors, including Croatian police, Indian troops (captured from insurgents), the Armed Forces of Malta, Sri Lanka, and Sudan, where it is also produced locally as the Mokhtar. Its legacy is that of a capable but niche GPMG that never fully replaced its predecessor in Chinese service, yet achieved notable international distribution.
Did You Know?
- The Type 80 was based on PKMs captured from Vietnamese forces during the Sino-Vietnamese War.
- Only a few Type 80s were used by PLA Marine Corps and airborne units.
- The CF06 export variant is chambered in 7.62 NATO and has polymer furniture.
- Sudan produces a local variant called the Mokhtar.
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