The Type 81 Assault Rifle (Chinese: 81式自动步枪) is a Chinese-designed Kalashnikov and SKS based, second-generation, selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm automatic assault/battle rifle which has been used by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) since the mid-1980s.
The weapon was introduced into PLA service in 1981 but did not become widely distributed until the late 1980s. It replaced the SKS and the Type 56 rifle (a Chinese license produced AK-47). Its first combat use came during the Sino-Vietnamese border conflicts of the mid-1980s. 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. It is also used by Bangladesh Army. An improved version has been showed referred as BD-08mk2.
The Type 81 incorporates elements of the Dragunov, SKS, and AK-47 series rifles.
The rifle retains the general layout of the Chinese Type 56 assault rifle (a license produced AK-47), but it has a SKS-like short-stroke gas-piston design and other improvements to reduce recoil and muzzle jump, giving better firing accuracy. Notable physical differences from the Type 56 assault rifle include the stock of the rifle, the length of the action, bayonet, and the positioning of the front sight.
The most easily distinguishable feature of the Type 81 is the more exposed muzzle part of the barrel. The front sight has been moved back as a modification to be able to fire rifle grenades, which are slid over the unobstructed barrel muzzle now formed into a spigot-type rifle grenade launcher.
There is a significant gap between the trigger guard and the magazine on Type 81 rifles, while on the Type 56 rifle series the magazine is adjacent to the front of the trigger guard.
The non-detachable swing-out spike-shaped bayonet of the Type 56 rifle was also replaced on Type 81 rifles with a detachable knife-bayonet.
Like its predecessors, the Type 81 is a series of weapons. The Type 81 (fixed stock) and Type 81-1 (folding stock) are 7.62×39mm caliber assault rifles with 30-round magazines, and the heavier Type 81 light machine gun (LMG) fitted with a 75-round drum magazine is used in the squad automatic weapon (SAW) role. Its sight remains at the front of the LMG barrel.
The Type 81 can be fitted with a Picatinny rail, bipod, foregrip and flashlight.
Type 81 7.62×39mm assault rifle with a fixed wooden buttstock. 400,000 were produced before it was replaced by the Type 81-1.Type 81-1 7.62×39mm assault rifle with a foldable buttstock. Originally intended for paratrooper use, the Type 81-1 replaced the Type 81 with its fixed wooden buttstock as the standard issue rifle for the PLA. Type 81 LMG 7.62×39mm squad machine gunType 81 MGS Semi-automatic only version of the Type 81 LMG.Type 81S Early semi-automatic only model intended for the U.S. market. Only 20 were imported in January 1989 before further importation was blocked by executive order.EM356 5.56×45mm variant of the Type 81S, intended for the U.S. market. Only 3 Tool room prototypes were completed and imported for the 1989 SHOT show before importation was banned along with the Type 81S by executive order. No magazines were ever made for them so modified 5.56×45mm AK magazines must be used instead.T81SA Semi-automatic variant in 7.62×39mm.T81-1SA Same as above, but with folding buttstock.Type 87-1 5.8×42mm experimental assault rifle, used to develop and test 5.8×42mm DBP87 cartridge for the QBZ-95 rifleType 87 Served as a development platform for the next generation of PLA small arms, being used as a test-bed for the then new 5.8×42mm DBP87 ammunition. It never went into full-scale production but has been in service with PLA special forces.Type 81 Tactical Tactical variant used by the PAPCS/LR14 7.62×51mm battle rifle. Newest tactical upgrade with modifications, such as tactical rails, foregrip, additional mountings, etc.NAR-10 Tactical variant made for export.NR-81S semi-automatic made primarily for the European and Canadian markets. Bangladesh
BD-08: Made under license by the Bangladesh Ordnance Factories in 2008. The BD08MK2 is an improved of the original BD-08. Myanmar
Kachin Independence Army produced Type 81 variants dubbed the M23, comes with updated polymer furniture with a Sun Motif. Not much is known about their manufacturing details due to their clandestine origins, possibly unofficially licensed built with PRC tooling as proxy military aid delivered through Bangladesh.Kachin K09: Comes with black/plum polymer furniture.Kachin K010: Comes with green polymer furniture.Kachin K011: Dedicated indigenous 45mm rifle grenade launcher variant. Algeria Bangladesh - Under license by the Bangladesh Ordnance Factories as BD-08 Assault Rifle Benin - Seen in the hands of Beninese peacekeepers in northern Mali. China - The Type 56 replaced by Type 81 and 95 in PLA front line service, but the Type 56 remains in use with reserve and militia service. Comoros - Used by the Military of the Comoros. Djibouti Gabon Guinea - Seen in the hands of Guinean Sailors Iraq - Seen in the hands of Iraqi Police. Ivory Coast Kyrgyzstan Laos Myanmar Niger Nigeria - Produced under license by the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria Pakistan - Used by the Pakistan Army. Rwanda: - Seen in the hands of Rwandan United Nations Police in the Central African Republic. Senegal South Sudan Sri Lanka Sudan Syria- seen in used by Syrian army during Syrian civil war Tajikistan: Equipped with Type 81s since 2014. Tanzania Uganda: Ugandan soldiers seen carrying Type 81s during military exercise in Lohatla, South Africa 2015. Zimbabwe: Type 81s Seen in the hands of Zimbabwean military police officers. All Burma Students' Democratic Front Arakan Army Kachin Independence Army Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army Revolutionary United Front Ta'ang National Liberation Army Tamil Tigers United Wa State Army
