Type 64 submachine gun
Chinese suppressed submachine gun with integral suppressor and subsonic ammunition.
The Type 64 (Chinese: 1964年式衝鋒槍) is a Chinese submachine gun designed for silent operations, featuring an integral suppressor that makes the weapon considerably quieter. It is a magazine-fed, selective-fire weapon using an open-bolt, blowback action chambered for the 7.62×25mm Type 64 round, a special subsonic version of the Chinese 7.62×25mm Type-51 Tokarev cartridge. Notably, it was one of the few Chinese-made Cold War small arms not based on any existing Soviet design.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- China
- Is Ranged
- YES
- Wars
- Vietnam War / Sino-Vietnamese War
- Manufacturer
- State factory 66
- Weight
- 3.4kg, with empty 20-rounds magazine
- Length
- 630mm Stock folded / 860mm Stock open
- Part Length
- 245mm
- Cartridge
- 7.62×25mm Type 64
- Caliber
- 7.62mm
- Action
- Blowback, open bolt
- Rate
- 1,000rpm (with subsonic cartridge) / 1,300rpm (with non-dedicated cartridges)
- Velocity
- 290～305 m/s
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Type 64 was developed from the beginning as a suppressed weapon, unlike many other suppressed firearms that are simply modified versions of standard production guns. Its design is an amalgam: the bolt from a PPS submachine gun, the trigger group from a ZB vz. 26, and the receiver from an AKS-47. The safety/fire selector lever is based on the Type 56 assault rifle, and an additional trigger safety prevents accidental firing. While standard 7.62mm Tokarev ammunition can be used, it accelerates wear on the integrated suppressor; the weapon is best used with the subsonic 7.62×25mm Type 64 round.
The Type 64 was used by the People's Liberation Army and saw action during the Sino-Vietnamese War in 1979. Some examples were exported to the North Vietnamese military during the Vietnam War, where they were issued to armed police under the designation K64. The weapon was eventually replaced in PLA service by the Type 85 submachine gun.
Reader's Guide
The Type 64 occupies a unique place in Cold War small arms as one of the few Chinese designs not derived from Soviet weapons. Its integral suppressor and dedicated subsonic cartridge made it purpose-built for silent operations, a niche that few contemporary submachine guns filled. The weapon's noise level is reported at 84 decibels with subsonic ammunition by Chinese sources, though a 1971 US Army test recorded 150 decibels, leaving its actual acoustic signature uncertain. The Type 64 was developed alongside the Type 64 suppressed pistol for special forces missions, indicating a coordinated approach to quiet firearms. Though replaced in the PLA by the Type 85, its use in the Vietnam War and the Sino-Vietnamese War underscores its role in Chinese and regional conflicts. The design's hybrid nature—borrowing components from Soviet, Czech, and Chinese firearms—reflects a pragmatic engineering approach that prioritized function over originality.
Did You Know?
- It was developed together with the Type 64 suppressed pistol for special forces missions.
- The weapon's bolt is from a PPS submachine gun, its trigger group from a ZB vz. 26, and its receiver from an AKS-47.
- Chinese sources report a noise level of 84 decibels with subsonic ammunition, while a 1971 US Army test recorded 150 decibels.
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