Type 77 heavy machine gun
| Type 77 Heavy Machine Gun QJG-85 | |
|---|---|
 Type 85 heavy machine gun, Type 77's improved variant | |
| Type | Heavy machine gun |
| Place of origin | China |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1977—present |
| Wars | Syrian Civil War Mali War M23 rebellion Tigray War War in Sudan (2023) |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Norinco |
| Produced | 1977- |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 28 kg (61.73 lb) (gun only) 28.3 kg (62.39 lb) (tripod) |
| Length | 2,150 mm (84.6 in) |
| Barrel length | 1,016 mm (40.0 in) |
| Cartridge | 12.7×108mm |
| Action | hybrid short-recoil and direct gas impingement |
| Rate of fire | 650-700 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 825 m/s |
| Feed system | 60-round belt |
| Sights | Iron/Optical |
The Type 77 heavy machine gun or Type 85 is a Chinese 12.7×108mm heavy machine gun featuring an indigenous design.[1]
History
[edit]During the mid-1970s, China decided to develop a lighter 12.7 mm machine gun to replace the Type 54 (indigenous DShK) that was more suited for mobile anti-aircraft applications. The weapon was adopted in 1977 and mass production commenced in 1980. To save weight the Type 77 used a hybrid short-recoil and direct gas impingement operated action,[2] somewhat unusual for a machine gun, resulting in few moving parts and a long and slim, tubular receiver. Overall weight of the gun and tripod comes to about 56 kg (120 lb), less than half that of a mounted Type 54/DShK, though it retains the same locking system and belt feed.
The barrel is also thinner as light weight was favored over volume of fire, which causes it to overheat faster, with a prominent "pepperpot" muzzle brake. It has iron sights and a mount for a low-magnification optical sight suitable for engaging ground and air targets. The gun also has a large charging handle below the receiver, shoulder stock, and fires from an open bolt.[3][4]
Variants
[edit]Type 85 heavy machine gun
[edit]Military designation QJG-85. Five years after the Type 77 entered service, it was replaced in production by the updated Type 85 heavy machine gun. An evolution on the Type 77, it used a more conventional muzzle brake and replaced the spade grips and separate cocking handle with horizontal grips and a sliding trigger unit, the entirety of which is moved forward and back to cock the gun. The gun and tripod were also lighter, weighing 24 kg (53 lb) and 17.5 kg (39 lb) respectively. Both weapons can be mounted on vehicles.[3][4]
Users
[edit]
Afghanistan[5]
Cambodia[citation needed]
People's Republic of China[citation needed]
Djibouti[citation needed]
Iraqi security forces: Used by Unmanned ground vehicle "Alrobot".[6][7] Also used by the Popular Mobilization Forces.[8][9]
South Sudan[10]
Sudan[5]
Yemen[11]
Non-State Actors
[edit]- Free Syrian Army[5] and Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army[12][13]
Islamic State[14][15]- People's Movement for the Liberation of Azawad[16]
- Tigray Defense Forces[17]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Type 77 heavy machine gun (PR China) Archived 2010-09-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Type 77". Weapon System.
- ^ a b Indigenous Machine Guns of China: Part Two – Heavy Machine Guns Small Arms Defense Journal. 25 May 2014.
- ^ a b Type 77 Weapon Systems.
- ^ a b c Timothy Yan (2016-06-21). "These Are not the DShKs you're looking for: Part 2, the W85 Heavy Machine Gun". Guns & Tech. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
- ^ "This Chinese weapons and hit play a leading role in Iraq on unmanned combat vehicles". Best China News. 2016-08-25. Retrieved 2018-09-22.
- ^ 伊拉克用中国技术造出战斗机器人 配合无人机专打狙击手
- ^ "Bataille de Mossoul: Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, la milice chiite qui se bat en Syrie et en Irak". France Soir (in French). 8 November 2016.
- ^ Puxton, Matteo (30 August 2017). "Kataib al-Imam Ali, cette puissante milice chiite qui se bat à la fois en Irak et en Syrie". France Soir (in French).
- ^ "Sudan - Global trade, local impact: Arms Transfers to all Sides in the Civil War in Sudan" (PDF). Human Rights Watch Report. 10 (4): 25. August 1998.
- ^ Mitzer, Stijn; Oliemans, Joost (20 September 2015). "The Oryx Handbook of Pre-war Yemeni Fighting Vehicles". Oryx.
- ^ "Syrie: Liwa al-Mutasim, le groupe rebelle qui a lié son sort à la Turquie contre le régime d'Assad et les djihadistes". France Soir (in French). 25 October 2017.
- ^ "Conflit syrien: les rebelles de la division Sultan Mourad, fer de lance de la Turquie en Syrie". France Soir (in French). 24 March 2017.
- ^ "Bataille de Mossoul: aux abois dans la deuxième ville d'Irak, Daech appelle ses partisans à commettre des attentats en Occident". France Soir (in French). 1 June 2017.
- ^ "Etat islamique et chars d'assaut: comment les djihadistes emploient leurs blindés en Irak et en Syrie". France Soir (in French). 2 February 2017.
- ^ Small Arms Survey (2005). "Sourcing the Tools of War: Small Arms Supplies to Conflict Zones". Small Arms Survey 2005: Weapons at War. Oxford University Press. p. 166. ISBN 978-0-19-928085-8. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 9, 2010.
- ^ "TDF in ACTION". Assena TV. Sep 26, 2022.
