QJZ89 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun

The GJZ89 (also known as Type 89) 12.7mm machine gun is an automatic, gas-/recoil-operated, belt-fed, air-cooled, crew-served weapon designed to provide a sustained and intensive fire support for the ground troops. Its barrel is quick-detachable. Mounted on a tripod, the machine gun is operated by a three-man crew. It can be fitted with an optical sight for better fire accuracy, or an image-intensified night vision for night combat. First seen in operation with the PLA garrison troops stationed in Hong Kong in 1997, the weapon has since then been fielded by the PLA ground forces for fire support role at battalion and company levels.

Specifications

Calibre: 12.7mm
Overall length: 1,192mm
Barrel length: 1,003mm
Combat weight: 26.5kg
Machine gun weight: 17.5kg
Tripod Weight: 8.5kg
Muzzle velocity: 825m/s
Rate of fire: 450~600 rds/min (maximum)
Effective range: 1,500m
Feed system: Belt-fed
Cartridge capacity: 50 rounds
Cartridge: Type 54, 12.7 X 108mm; Type 84, 12.7 X 108mm, armour-piercing discarding sabot; Type 89, 12.7 X 108mm, armour-piercing and incendiary with tracer; Type 89, 12.7 X 108mm, armour-piercing HE and incendiary

Last update: 10 August 2007