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NORINCO W-85 (QJC-88)


Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) / Vehicle Machine Gun


China | 1985



"The NORINCO W-85 Heavy Machine Gun series of the Chinese Army is no doubt influenced by the many decades of use regarding Soviet-era heavy guns."

Performance
Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the NORINCO W-85 (QJC-88). Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.
600
Rounds-Per-Minute
Rate-of-Fire
2,788 ft/sec
850 m/sec
Muzzle Velocity
Physical
The physical qualities of the NORINCO W-85 (QJC-88). Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.
40.79 lb
18.50 kg
Weight
Gas-Operated; Belt-Fed; Air-Cooled; Full-Automatic Fire Only
Action
12.7x108mm Soviet
Caliber(s)
Belt-Fed
Feed
Iron.
Sights
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the NORINCO W-85 (QJC-88) Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) / Vehicle Machine Gun family line.
W-85 - Base Series Designation.
QJC-88 - Alternative local designation.
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/08/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The W85 is a Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) design originating out of China and undoubtedly influenced by many decades of Soviet hardware use and doctrine. Chambered in the proven 12.7x108mm Soviet cartridge, the weapon is designed to defeat light-armored elements at-range and can also counter the threat posed by low-flying aircraft such as helicopters. The gun is a common sight on Chinese military vehicles, where it sits atop a trainable mounting, and the system can also be affixed to a tripod assembly to serve as a static air defense system - its inherent weight precludes it being man-portable.

The gun alone (unloaded) tips the scales at 41lb and this balloons to 86lb with the tripod assembly attached. Internally, the weapon relies on a gas-operated action with a long-stroke gas piston and open-bolt design, feeding 12.7x108mm cartridges from a linked belt. The gas cylinder resides under the long-running barrel which is capped by an oversized brake to help contend with the recoil action of firing such a large-caliber round. A front iron sight is positioned just aft of the brake and ahead of the gas cylinder though optics are typically assigned to the weapon for increased accuracy at-range. Muzzle velocity of the outgoing bullet is rated at 2,788 feet-per-second and rate-of-fire reaches up to 600 rounds-per-minute.

The W86 HMG is found on the Type 99, Type 96, and Type 15 combat tanks as well as the Type 05, Type 08, PLL-05, and Type 89 armored vehicles. It is in active service with the nations of Algeria (where it is produced under local license), Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Mali, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, and Syria as well as elements of the Free Syrian Army, Islamic State (ISIL), and the Tamil "Tigers".

With its wide export base, this heavy machine gun has seen combat service in modern clashes including the War in Darfur, the Northern Mali Conflict, the Syrian Civil War, the Libyan Civil War, the Iraqi Civil War, and the Yemeni Civil War.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the NORINCO W-85 (QJC-88). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.

Contractor(s): China NORth INdustries COrporation (NORINCO) - China
National flag of Afghanistan National flag of Algeria National flag of Bangladesh National flag of China National flag of Iraq National flag of Libya National flag of Rwanda National flag of Sri Lanka National flag of Sudan National flag of Syria

[ Algeria; Afghanistan; Bangladesh; Cambodia; China; Iraq; Iraq; Libya; Mali; Rwanda; South Sudan; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Syria ]
1 / 1
Image of the NORINCO W-85 (QJC-88)
Image from the Chinese Ministry of Defense; Public Release.

Going Further...
The NORINCO W-85 (QJC-88) Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) / Vehicle Machine Gun appears in the following collections:
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