Norinco M99
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Barrel
- 800 mm
- Weight, empty
- 12.00 kg
- Introduced
- 1999
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Norinco M99, also known as the Zijiang M99 or Type 99, is a Chinese semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle chambered in 12.7x108mm, developed by China North Industries Corporation (Norinco) for the People's Liberation Army. The rifle uses a direct impingement gas operating system with a rotating bolt, feeding from a 5-round detachable box magazine. Designed for engaging lightly armored vehicles, equipment, and personnel at extended ranges up to 1,500 meters, the M99 features a massive multi-port muzzle brake to mitigate the substantial recoil of the 12.7mm cartridge, along with an adjustable bipod and rear monopod for stable shooting positions. The buffered buttstock further absorbs recoil impulse, making sustained fire practical despite the weapon's large caliber.
The Norinco M99 represents China's entry into the anti-materiel rifle market, designed during the PLA's rapid modernization of the late 1990s. Its semi-automatic action gives Chinese forces a capability that most competitors achieve only with bolt-action designs, allowing rapid engagement of multiple targets or fast follow-up shots against moving vehicles.
The M99 was one of China's first domestically designed anti-materiel rifles, entering service in 1999 as part of the PLA's modernization program. The improved M06 variant features refinements to the gas system and ergonomics. The rifle's semi-automatic action provides a significant advantage over bolt-action competitors in rapid follow-up shots against moving or multiple targets. The direct impingement system, while less common in Chinese firearms design, was chosen for its weight savings compared to a piston-driven system. The M99 has been exported to several countries and has appeared in various regional conflicts throughout Asia and the Middle East.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Norinco
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Country
- China
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1999
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 800 mm
- Overall length
- 1473 mm
- Weight, empty
- 12.00 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 12.80 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated direct impingement
- Firing mechanism
- Rotating bolt
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Trigger pull
- 35.0 N
- Capacity
- 5
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Steel polymer
- Finish
- Matte black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 800 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 15457 J
- Effective range
- 1500 m
- Maximum range
- 3000 m
- Rate of fire
- 30 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Multi port muzzle brake
Adjustable bipod
Rear monopod
Buffered buttstock
Carrying handle
Picatinny rail
Chrome lined barrel
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 430 sniper rifles | 12.00 kg | 5.40 kg | Heavier than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 429 sniper rifles | 1473 mm | 1150 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 434 sniper rifles | 800 mm | 620 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 434 sniper rifles | 5 | 6 | Holds fewer rounds than about 70% |
Answers
Questions about the Norinco M99
How much does the Norinco M99 weigh?
The Norinco M99 weighs 12.00 kg (26.46 lb) empty and 12.80 kg (28.22 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Norinco M99?
The Norinco M99 is chambered in 12.7x108mm.
How many rounds does the Norinco M99 hold?
The Norinco M99 holds 5 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Norinco M99?
The Norinco M99 is 1473 mm (58.0 in) long overall, with a 800 mm (31.5 in) barrel.
Who makes the Norinco M99?
The Norinco M99 is made by Norinco (China).
When was the Norinco M99 introduced?
The Norinco M99 was introduced in 1999.
How does the Norinco M99 operate?
The Norinco M99 uses a gas operated direct impingement action, and its firing mechanism is rotating bolt.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- People's Liberation Army
- 1999
- People's Armed Police
- China
- Myanmar Armed Forces
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Pakistani Armed Forces
- Pakistan
Provenance
Confidence in this record
68%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/norinco-m99' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "norinco-m99", "name": "Norinco M99", "manufacturer": { "id": "norinco", "name": "Norinco", "countryCode": "CN", "foundedYear": 1980, "website": "https://en.norincogroup.com.cn", "logoUrl": null, "description": "China North Industries Group Corporation Limited (Norinco), a state-owned enterprise founded in 1980 and headquartered in Beijing. Among the world's largest defense contractors, producing firearms and military equipment.", "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:40", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "version": "5286c8a850a565bc4d9bd2e7a8e4b18084a491b62d93d828ac7de90983853065" }, "category": { "id": "sniper-rifle", "name": "Sniper Rifle", "description": "Precision rifles optimized for long-range accuracy" }, "country_of_origin": "CN", "year_introduced": 1999, "barrel_length_mm": 800, "weight_empty_g": 12000, "action_type": "gas_operated_direct_impingement"}