Type 79 submachine gun

Lore & Background

Development of the Type 79 began in 1966 after the PLA General Staff Department issued a requirement in August 1965 for a weapon suitable for jungle warfare. The 208th Research Institute led the design, but the project was repeatedly canceled between 1966 and 1970 due to the Cultural Revolution. It was reinstated in March 1970, and prototypes were tested from 1971 to 1978. Early prototypes failed torture tests between 1971 and 1975 because the chamber could not handle the pressure of Chinese steel-core 7.62×25 mm ammunition, forcing redesigns. The weapon was finally certificated in 1979, giving it its name.

The Type 79 is a gas-operated, closed-bolt submachine gun with a short-stroke gas piston above the barrel and a folding buttstock. Its bolt group and fire selector were influenced by the Type 56 assault rifle. The receiver and stock are stamped steel. The selector has two settings: '1' for single shot and '2' for burst fire. Sights are marked for 100 and 200 meters. The extended magazine housing serves as a forward grip.

The weapon gained a notorious reputation during the Cultural Revolution. In 1971, development prototypes and design diagrams were stolen by participants in Lin Biao's coup, and hundreds of reverse-engineered copies were found after the coup failed. In 1976, prototype production was partially relocated to Shanghai at the request of the Ministry of National Defense, with the illicit intention of manufacturing the weapon for the Gang of Four.

Reader's Guide

The Type 79 entered service with the PLA after initial production from 1981 to 1982. During the war with Vietnam, Chinese soldiers on recon operations used it as their main weapon alongside the Type 64. However, PLA feedback cited excessive rate of fire, limited magazine capacity, and reliability issues in jungle environments, including jamming, making it unsuitable for jungle warfare. The PLA subsequently dropped the Type 79 as its main submachine gun.

The weapon found immediate acceptance within the People's Armed Police and Public Security Police after the PLA phased it out. It became extremely popular in police forces due to its gas-operated, closed-bolt design and accuracy in semi-automatic fire. Reliability issues were less significant in urban environments, and later modifications resolved many earlier problems. From 1981 to 1992, more than 200,000 Type 79s were produced, with peak production between 1988 and 1991 at over 30,000 per year.

Due to its large production run, the Type 79 and its modernized variants became ubiquitous in Chinese police forces. In the early 2000s, surviving Type 79s were retrofitted with railed fore-ends for tactical accessories, first seen with the Guangzhou Public Security Police. The weapon was replaced in PLA service by the QCW-05 in 2001, and in police service by the CS/LS7 after trials around 2017.

Did You Know?

• The Type 79 was developed over 15 years by a staff of over 70 people.
• Development prototypes were stolen in 1971 by participants in Lin Biao's coup.
• More than 200,000 Type 79s were produced between 1981 and 1992.