The National Interest

China’s Type 81 Rifle Was Meant to Be More Than Just a Gun

Here’s What You Need to Remember: Despite its success, in the end, the Type 81 was still a stopgap rifle. What the PLA really wanted was a rifle in a new true intermediate caliber: 5.8mm. In the 1980s ...
The National Interest

The Type 81 Rifle Was China’s First Taste of Military Power

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 ...