Type 56 Assault Rifle

The Type 56 is a Chinese assault rifle chambered in 7.62 by 39 millimeter and a variant of the Kalashnikov design. China began adopting it in 1956 after the Soviet Union supplied the country with information and production equipment for the AK in 1955. It was manufactured by State Factory 66, Norinco and PolyTech, with more than ten million units built. The earliest Type 56 rifles were licensed copies of the AK-47 with milled receivers, and later production shifted to stamped receivers similar to the Soviet AKM. A fully enclosed hooded front sight distinguishes the Type 56 from other AK variants. The rifle has been exported widely and used in numerous conflicts around the world, and it remains in service today.