Type 56
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 414 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.03 kg
- Introduced
- 1956
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Type 56 is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 7.62x39mm, produced by China North Industries (Norinco) since 1956. This Chinese-manufactured firearm reflects the engineering traditions and quality standards of its country of origin, designed to meet the demands of both civilian and professional users in a competitive global marketplace. Featuring a 30-round magazine capacity, this assault rifle offers generous firepower for duty use and home defense. The 16.3-inch barrel maximizes accuracy potential and ballistic performance, making this an excellent choice for target shooting, competition, or field use. At 4030g (142.2 oz), this is a substantial firearm whose weight contributes to reduced felt recoil and enhanced stability during precision shooting. The steel frame provides a solid, premium feel with the durability to withstand decades of regular use and thousands of rounds. This firearm represents its manufacturer's commitment to delivering a well-engineered, reliable product that serves the needs of discerning shooters seeking quality, accuracy, and dependable performance from a proven platform.
The Type 56's permanently attached folding spike bayonet became its most recognizable visual feature, distinguishing it from all other AK variants worldwide. China exported Type 56 rifles so prolifically during the Cold War that in many African and Asian conflicts, the 'Chinese AK' became more common than the Soviet original.
The Type 56-1 features an under-folding metal stock similar to the Soviet AKMS. The Type 56-2 introduced in 1980 has a right-side folding stock with integral cleaning kit storage. The QBZ-56C (Type 56C) is a compact carbine variant primarily used by PLA Navy units. Licensed copies were produced in Albania, Sudan, and other countries. Iran reverse-engineered the design as the KL-7.62. North Vietnam produced a variant designated TUL-1. Early milled-receiver Type 56 rifles are prized by collectors.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Norinco
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- China
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1956
- Variant of
- Licensed copy
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 414 mm
- Overall length
- 874 mm
- Height
- 190 mm
- Width
- 45 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.03 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 4.51 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated long stroke
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 30
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Wood
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 735 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 2010 J
- Effective range
- 400 m
- Maximum range
- 800 m
- Rate of fire
- 625 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.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Chrome lined barrel
Chrome lined chamber
Curved magazine
Rotating bolt
Select fire
Hooded front sight
Integral spike bayonet
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 59 7.62x39mm assault rifles | 4.03 kg | 3.60 kg | Heavier than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 58 7.62x39mm assault rifles | 874 mm | 880 mm | Shorter than about 70% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 57 7.62x39mm assault rifles | 414 mm | 415 mm | Shorter than about 80% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 59 7.62x39mm assault rifles | 30 | 30 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the Type 56
How much does the Type 56 weigh?
The Type 56 weighs 4.03 kg (8.88 lb) empty and 4.51 kg (9.94 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Type 56?
The Type 56 is chambered in 7.62x39mm.
How many rounds does the Type 56 hold?
The Type 56 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Type 56?
The Type 56 is 874 mm (34.4 in) long overall, with a 414 mm (16.3 in) barrel.
Who makes the Type 56?
The Type 56 is made by Norinco (China).
When was the Type 56 introduced?
The Type 56 was introduced in 1956.
How does the Type 56 operate?
The Type 56 uses a gas operated long stroke action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
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
- 1956
- Vietnam People's Army
- 1960
- Sri Lanka Armed Forces
- 1985
- Pakistani Armed Forces
- Pakistan
- North Korean People's Army
- North Korea
- Ethiopian Armed Forces
- Ethiopia
- Albanian Armed Forces
- Albania
- Sudanese Armed Forces
- Sudan
Provenance
Confidence in this record
80%
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/type-56' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "type-56", "name": "Type 56", "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": "assault-rifle", "name": "Assault Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "CN", "year_introduced": 1956, "barrel_length_mm": 414, "weight_empty_g": 4030, "action_type": "gas_operated_long_stroke"}