Type 87 assault rifle

The Type 87 (Chinese: 87式自动步枪) is a Chinese-designed selective-fire, gas-operated assault rifle.

History

The Chinese People's Liberation Army attempted to replace the Type 56 assault rifle and the Type 56 carbine, which led to a failed adoption of the Type 63^[1][2].

Consecutively^[3], the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War acclerated the PLA's need for a modernised service rifle, which led to the birth of the Type 81.

Thus, the Type 81 was redesigned into the Type 87, as a development platform for the next generation of PLA small arms which was finalized in 1987^[4][5].

Design

Main articles: Type 81 assault rifle and 5.8×42mm

The Type 87 is similar to the Type 81 except that it has a plastic furniture and an L-shaped folding stock^[6].

The Type 87 served as a test-bed for the then new 5.8×42mm DBP87 ammunition, which was later used by QBZ-95, QBZ-03 and QBZ-191 as the standard issue rifle ammunition.

The Type 87 could be equipped with DQJ03、DQP-1 and DQD-1 rifle grenades, while being issued with the Type 87 bayonet, the first knife bayonet in PLA service.

Variants

Type 87A

Prototype assault rifle designed from late 1987 to 1989 as a facelift for the Type 87 in anticipation of the 1989 National Day parade, known as the "Project 8910"^[7][8].

The rifle features a two-piece polymer handguard with improved ventilation, polymer magazines, and polymer pistol grip.

Limited production began in spring of 1989. It never went into full-scale production but has been in service with PLA special forces.

Type 87 LMG

Prototype light machine gun based on the Type 87 design, also known as the QJB87^[8].

QBZ-03

Main article: QBZ-03

Redesigned and modernised Type 87 rifle.

Adoption

While the Type 87 never went into full-scale production and was soon replaced, it remains in PLA service in limited numbers.

Users

• China