XT98
- Category
- Rifle
- Barrel
- Not recorded
- Weight, empty
- Not recorded
- Introduced
- 2011
About
What it is, and why it matters
The XT98 is a Taiwanese semi-automatic designated marksman rifle chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO, developed by the Combined Service Forces 205th Arsenal and unveiled as a prototype at the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition in 2011. It is built by rebuilding existing Type 57 rifles (a licensed M14 clone) into a modern chassis system capable of mounting optics and accessories, conceptually similar to the U.S. Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle. A heavier free-floating barrel improves precision in the counter-sniper and overwatch role, while reusing the existing Type 57 receiver inventory reduces procurement cost and shortens operator training.
The XT98 reflects a recurring theme in Taiwanese small-arms development: extending the service life of legacy U.S.-pattern designs. By converting Type 57 rifles, themselves M14 derivatives, into a modern marksman platform, the 205th Arsenal sought a low-cost counter-sniper capability without adopting an entirely new rifle.
Prototype displayed at TADTE 2011; the arsenal reported three prototype rifles completed, pending service trials. The platform recycles in-service Type 57 (M14-pattern) rifles rather than building new actions.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Combined Service Forces 205th Arsenal
- Category
- Rifle
- Country
- Taiwan
- Status
- Prototype
- Produced
- 2011
- Variant of
- Marksman rifle
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single action
- Capacity
- 20
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Aluminum alloy
- Finish
- Phosphate
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 850 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 3441 J
- Effective range
- 800 m
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.
Free floating heavy barrel
Modular chassis
Picatinny rail
Optics ready
Adjustable cheek riser
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magazine capacityAmong 1,611 rifles | 20 | 5 | Holds more rounds than about 90% |
Answers
Questions about the XT98
What caliber is the XT98?
The XT98 is chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO.
How many rounds does the XT98 hold?
The XT98 holds 20 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
Who makes the XT98?
The XT98 is made by Combined Service Forces 205th Arsenal (Taiwan).
When was the XT98 introduced?
The XT98 was introduced in 2011.
How does the XT98 operate?
The XT98 uses a gas operated 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
- Republic of China Armed Forces
- Taiwan
Provenance
Confidence in this record
55%
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/xt98' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "xt98", "name": "XT98", "manufacturer": { "id": "csist-205th-arsenal", "name": "Combined Service Forces 205th Arsenal", "countryCode": "TW", "foundedYear": 1976, "website": null, "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:48", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:48", "version": "d7aef2fba4b036e7e5ace16458885b5b88a54a633c3aca43b097bea0ef2b3db2" }, "category": { "id": "rifle", "name": "Rifle", "description": "Long-barreled firearms designed for accurate shooting" }, "country_of_origin": "TW", "year_introduced": 2011, "barrel_length_mm": null, "weight_empty_g": null, "action_type": "gas_operated"}