Guns Used by the Chinese Special Forces

By Chris Lange Published Aug 31, 9:34AM EDT

Guns Used by the Chinese Special Forces — © CS-LR4 Sniper Rifle (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Rhk111

Many armies in the world have elite special forces units capable of carrying out special operations, tasks, and missions. While the United States is considered to have some of the most effective special forces units in the world, other nations have built up comparable units. China is one, and the number of its special forces has ballooned over the past few decades.

Chinese special forces, like many others across the globe, employ a range of locally and foreign manufactured weapons tailored to their specific operational needs.

To determine the guns used by Chinese Special Forces, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of weapons used by the Chinese Special Forces produced by Military Factory, an online database of military vehicles, aircraft, and arms. We removed similar guns and guns that are believed to no longer be in use by the Chinese Special Forces and ranked the rest according to when they entered service. Supplemental data on the type of weapon, maximum effective range, and the caliber used by each gun also came from Military Factory.

A majority of these guns are produced in-house by Chinese arms manufacturers, primarily China North Industries Corporation and China South Industries Group. Despite being produced in-house, these guns use a range of ammunition both domestically and internationally produced, everything from NATO to Russian rounds. (These are China’s 8 biggest weapons manufacturers and what they build.)

The primary firearms used by Chinese Special Forces encompass a variety of categories, from assault rifles to submachine guns. The QBB-95 and QBZ-03 series of assault rifles are examples of China’s domestically developed small arms, both manufactured by NORINCO, and chambered for 5.56x45mm NATO rounds. Both of these guns also allow for the integration of modular components so operators can customize their weapons for specific mission requirements.

Additionally, submachine guns like the QCW-05 make up another part of the arsenal. Designed for close-quarters combat and special operations, these compact firearms provide operatives with a lightweight option for stealthy engagements. Their compact size and suppressed firing make them suitable for undercover and covert operations where minimizing noise and visibility are crucial. (Also see, the 30 guns used by Delta Force.)

From domestically developed assault rifles to specialized submachine guns and precision sniper rifles, these are the guns the Chinese Special Forces use.

Click here to see guns used by the Chinese special forces.

26. Dragunov SVD
> Year entered service: 1963
> Type: Designated marksman rifle
> Maximum effective range: 4,265 ft.
> Caliber: 7.62x54mmR Soviet
> Manufacturer: Izhmash, NORINCO

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25. FB PM-63 RAK
> Year entered service: 1965
> Type: Submachine gun
> Maximum effective range: 492 ft.
> Caliber: 9×19 Parabellum
> Manufacturer: Lucznik Arms, NORINCO

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24. HK MP5
> Year entered service: 1966
> Type: Submachine gun
> Maximum effective range: 660 ft.
> Caliber: 9×19 parabellum
> Manufacturer: Heckler & Koch

23. Type 67
> Year entered service: 1967
> Type: Light machine gun
> Maximum effective range: 2,952 ft.
> Caliber: 7.62x54mmR
> Manufacturer: NORINCO

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22. KBP AGS-17 Plamya
> Year entered service: 1970
> Type: Automatic grenade launcher
> Maximum effective range: 5,741 ft.
> Caliber: 30x19mm
> Manufacturer: NORINCO

21. Type 69
> Year entered service: 1970
> Type: Rocket-propelled grenade launcher
> Maximum effective range: 655 ft.
> Caliber: 40mm
> Manufacturer: NORINCO

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20. CZ75 Phantom
> Year entered service: 1976
> Type: Semi-automatic service pistol
> Maximum effective range: 164 ft.
> Caliber: 9×19 Parabellum
> Manufacturer: Ceska Zbrojovka

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19. GP-25 / GP-30 GL
> Year entered service: 1978
> Type: Muzzle-loaded grenade launcher
> Maximum effective range: 1,312 ft.
> Caliber: 40mm
> Manufacturer: KBP Instrument Design Bureau

18. Type 64
> Year entered service: 1980
> Type: Silenced semi-automatic pistol
> Maximum effective range: 115 ft.
> Caliber: 7.62x17mm
> Manufacturer: NORINCO

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17. Type 81
> Year entered service: 1983
> Type: Assault rifle
> Maximum effective range: 920 ft.
> Caliber: 7.62x39mm
> Manufacturer: NORINCO

16. HJ-8
> Year entered service: 1985
> Type: Anti-tank guided missile
> Maximum effective range: 14,760 ft.
> Caliber: 120mm
> Manufacturer: NORINCO

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15. QBU-88
> Year entered service: 1988
> Type: Sniper rifle
> Maximum effective range: 2,624 ft.
> Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
> Manufacturer: NORINCO

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14. QBB-95
> Year entered service: 1997
> Type: Assault rifle
> Maximum effective range: 2,300 ft.
> Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
> Manufacturer: NORINCO

13. QSZ-92
> Year entered service: 1998
> Type: Semi-automatic service pistol
> Maximum effective range: 164 ft.
> Caliber: 9×19 Parabellum
> Manufacturer: NORINCO

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12. CNPMIEC FeiNn-6
> Year entered service: 1999
> Type: Man-portable air defense system
> Maximum effective range: 12,464 ft.
> Caliber: 72mm
> Manufacturer: China National Precision Machinery

11. QJY-88
> Year entered service: 1999
> Type: General purpose machine gun
> Maximum effective range: 2,955 ft.
> Caliber: 5.8x42mm HV
> Manufacturer: NORINCO

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10. QBZ-03
> Year entered service: 2003
> Type: Assault rifle
> Maximum effective range: 1,475 ft.
> Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
> Manufacturer: NORINCO

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9. QCW-05
> Year entered service: 2005
> Type: Suppressed submachine gun
> Maximum effective range: 985 ft.
> Caliber: 5.8x21mm
> Manufacturer: China South Industries Group

8. Zijiang M99
> Year entered service: 2005
> Type: Anti-material rifle
> Maximum effective range: 5,000 ft.
> Caliber: 12.7x108mm
> Manufacturer: Zijiang Machinery

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7. JS 9
> Year entered service: 2006
> Type: Silenced submachine gun
> Maximum effective range: 410 ft.
> Caliber: 9×19 Parabellum
> Manufacturer: China South Industries Group

6. QSW-06
> Year entered service: 2006
> Type: Suppressed semi-automatic pistol
> Maximum effective range: 165 ft.
> Caliber: 5.8x21mm
> Manufacturer: NORINCO

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5. QX-04
> Year entered service: 2011
> Type: Semi-automatic service pistol
> Maximum effective range: 165 ft.
> Caliber: 9×19 Parabellum
> Manufacturer: China South Industries Group

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4. LG3
> Year entered service: 2011
> Type: Automatic grenade launcher
> Maximum effective range: 7,215 ft.
> Caliber: 40x53mm
> Manufacturer: NORINCO

3. LG4
> Year entered service: 2011
> Type: Multiple grenade launcher
> Maximum effective range: 1,235 ft.
> Caliber: 40x53mm
> Manufacturer: NORINCO

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2. CS/LR4
> Year entered service: 2012
> Type: Bolt-action sniper rifle
> Maximum effective range: 3,610 ft.
> Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO
> Manufacturer: NORINCO

1. NSG-85
> Year entered service: 2014
> Type: Designated marksman rifle
> Maximum effective range: 2,625 ft.
> Caliber: 7.62x54mmR
> Manufacturer: NORINCO

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About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.