Type 58
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 415 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.81 kg
- Introduced
- 1958
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Type 58 is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 7.62x39mm, produced by North Korean State Arsenals since 1958. 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 3810g (134.4 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. Safety features include manual safety selector, hammer notch, reflecting modern design standards that prioritize safe handling and operation. 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. As a recognized participant in the global firearms industry, North Korean State Arsenals applies modern manufacturing technology and quality control processes to deliver products that compete effectively in a market where reliability and performance are non-negotiable requirements for both civilian and professional end users.
The Type 58 was one of the earliest AK production lines established outside the Soviet Union, predating even some Warsaw Pact nations' domestic AK manufacturing. North Korea supplied large quantities of Type 58 rifles to North Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and captured examples were frequently encountered by US forces alongside Chinese Type 56 rifles.
The Type 58 predates the Chinese Type 56 in North Korean service and represents one of the earliest AK production lines outside the Soviet Union. It retains the heavier milled receiver of the original AK-47 rather than the stamped receiver of the later AKM. While largely superseded by the Type 68 (AKM copy) and Type 88 (AK-74 copy) in front-line North Korean service, the Type 58 remains in widespread reserve use given the KPA's policy of maintaining massive small arms stockpiles. Manufacturing quality of early examples is reported as comparable to Soviet production; later quality is uncertain. The rifle was exported to Vietnam, various African nations, and non-state actors throughout the Cold War.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- North Korean State Arsenals
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- North Korea
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1958
- Variant of
- Foreign production
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 415 mm
- Overall length
- 890 mm
- Height
- 190 mm
- Width
- 45 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.81 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 4.21 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
- 715 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 2037 J
- Effective range
- 400 m
- Maximum range
- 800 m
- Rate of fire
- 600 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
Rotating bolt
Select fire
Milled receiver
Accessory rail
Ambidextrous slide stop
Textured grip
Reversible magazine release
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 | 3.81 kg | 3.60 kg | Heavier than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 58 7.62x39mm assault rifles | 890 mm | 880 mm | Longer than about 60% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 57 7.62x39mm assault rifles | 415 mm | 415 mm | Near the median |
| Magazine capacityAmong 59 7.62x39mm assault rifles | 30 | 30 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the Type 58
How much does the Type 58 weigh?
The Type 58 weighs 3.81 kg (8.40 lb) empty and 4.21 kg (9.28 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Type 58?
The Type 58 is chambered in 7.62x39mm.
How many rounds does the Type 58 hold?
The Type 58 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Type 58?
The Type 58 is 890 mm (35.0 in) long overall, with a 415 mm (16.3 in) barrel.
Who makes the Type 58?
The Type 58 is made by North Korean State Arsenals (North Korea).
When was the Type 58 introduced?
The Type 58 was introduced in 1958.
How does the Type 58 operate?
The Type 58 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
- Korean People's Army
- 1958
- North Vietnamese Army
- 1960
Provenance
Confidence in this record
72%
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-58' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "type-58", "name": "Type 58", "manufacturer": { "id": "north-korean-state-arsenals", "name": "North Korean State Arsenals", "countryCode": "KP", "foundedYear": null, "website": null, "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:40", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:48", "version": "a9dda2d04adf878344d3240dbf7e2875a611937eddcbb52d34b9a2ed3b9f2266" }, "category": { "id": "assault-rifle", "name": "Assault Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "KP", "year_introduced": 1958, "barrel_length_mm": 415, "weight_empty_g": 3810, "action_type": "gas_operated_long_stroke"}