The National Interest

China’s Type 81 Rifle: It Can Fire 15,000 Rounds Without a Problem

Key point: It was meant to be a test of the Chinese ability to develop small arms on its own. In the 1980s, China’s small arms were largely inferior to the United States and Russia. The PLA was mostly ...
The National Interest

The Type 81 Rifle Tested China’s Arms Prowess—Did It Impress?

Here’s What You Need to Remember: The Type 81 was reliable, able to shoot around 15,000 rounds on average without parts breaking or needing replacement. It was more accurate than a standard AK in ...