Infantry weapons / Heavy machine guns / QJC88
QJC88
General Facts
- TYPE
Heavy machine gun - ORIGIN
China
- NICKNAMES
QJC88 (PLA designation)
W85 (original designation)
CS/LM3 (export model) - DESIGNED
Early 1980's - DESIGNER
NORINCO - PRODUCTION
1985 - present - PRODUCERS
China - NORINCO
- QUANTITY
Unknown - UNIT COST
Unknown - CHARACTERISTICS
Limited weight
Reliable
Thin barrel
Introduction
The W85 is a late Cold War era heavy machine gun of Chinese origin. The W85 was developed alongside an improved version of the Type 77. The Type 77 heavy machine gun with its rather unconventional design did not perform as well as expected. As an infantry weapon the W85 lost out to the Type 85, the improved version of the Type 77. However, several years later it was adopted under the designation QJC88 as the standard anti-aircraft machine gun for use on all new Chinese armored vehicles.
Design
The W85 was originally designed for infantry use and was to be as light as possible. This is reflected in the small receiver and thin quick change barrel. The W85 is a conventional gas operated weapon and cycles by means of a gas piston mounted under the barrel. Iron sights are fitted as well as rails for day and night optics or special anti-aircraft sights. For infantry use the W85 is mounted on a low profile tripod, which can be put in an elevated position for anti-aircraft use.
Firepower
The W85 fires the 12.7x108mm Soviet round from 50 round belts. It is able to fire the standard Chinese Type 54 round as well as more modern armor piercing ammunition. The cyclic rate of fire is 540 to 600 rounds per minute. The W85 is more accurate than the Type 54 (DShK), but the thinner barrel heats up faster. A model firing the 12.7x99mm NATO round was developed for export and has a somewhat higher rate of fire.
Users
The W85 lost out to the Type 85 as a heavy machine gun for infantry use and it is not in Chinese use as a tripod mounted weapon. On the other hand the W85 is the standard anti-aircraft machine gun on all newer Chinese armored vehicles and thus very common in Chinese service. The W85 is offered for export.
W85
The W85 is the orignal model that was designed for infantry use. As a gas piston operated weapon it can be distinguished from the Type 77 by the long gas piston below the barrel. It uses the same low profile tripod as the Type 85.
Notable variants:
W85: Original production model, chambered in 12.7x108mm Soviet.
W95A: W85 chambered in 12.7x99mm NATO. Also known as CS/LM3.
Type | Heavy machine gun |
---|---|
Caliber | 12.7x108mm Soviet |
Magazine | Belt fed, 50 rounds |
Operation | Gas operated, open bolt |
Fire selector | 0-F |
Rate of fire | 540 - 600 rpm |
Barrel length | 1 m |
---|---|
Rifling | ? |
Muzzle velocity | 850 m/s |
Stock | Fixed |
Length | 1.995 mm |
Width | ? |
Height | ? |
---|---|
Weight | 18.5 kg plus 17.5 kg tripod |
Sights | Iron sights, optional optical sights |
Remarks | - |
Type | Heavy machine gun |
---|---|
Caliber | 12.7x99mm NATO |
Magazine | Belt fed |
Operation | Gas operated, open bolt |
Fire selector | 0-F |
Rate of fire | 650 - 750 rpm |
Barrel length | 1.002 m |
---|---|
Rifling | ? |
Muzzle velocity | ? |
Stock | Fixed |
Length | 2.050 mm |
Width | ? |
Height | ? |
---|---|
Weight | 18.5 kg plus 17.5 kg tripod |
Sights | Iron sights, optional optical sights |
Remarks | - |
QJC88
The vehicle mounted version of the W85 is designated QJC88 in the Chinese army. It is the standard heavy machine gun that is fitted on most armored vehicles for self-defense. As a vehicle mounted weapon it is solenoid fired and fitted in a special cradle for pintle mounting that allows for an elevation of -5 to +65°.
- Specifications:
- QJC88
Type | Heavy machine gun |
---|---|
Caliber | 12.7x108mm Soviet |
Magazine | Belt fed, 50 rounds |
Operation | Gas operated, open bolt |
Fire selector | 0-F |
Rate of fire | 540 - 600 rpm |
Barrel length | 1 m |
---|---|
Rifling | ? |
Muzzle velocity | 850 m/s |
Stock | - |
Length | 1.500 mm |
Width | ? |
Height | ? |
---|---|
Weight | 18.5 kg plus 15.5 kg mount |
Sights | Iron sights, optional optical sights |
Remarks | - |