The Type 64 (Chinese: 1964年式衝鋒槍; pinyin: 1964 Niánshì Chōngfēng Qiāng; lit. '1964Year Type Submachine Gun')[3] is a submachine gun of Chinese origin. Designed for silent operations, the Type 64 has an integral suppressor making the weapon considerably quieter.[4] The weapon is a magazine-fed selective-fire submachine gun using a open-bolt, blowback action,[5] chambered for 7.62×25mm Type 64 (A special subsonic version of the Chinese 7.62x25 Type-51 7.62×25mm Tokarev round).
This was one of the few Chinese-made Cold War small arms that were not based on any existing Soviet small arms.[6]
While the Type 64 has been used in the PLA, it was eventually replaced in service by the Type 85 submachine gun.[7] The weapon was developed together with the Type 64 suppressed pistol for special forces missions.[8][9]
Some Type 64s were exported for the North Vietnamese military during the Vietnam War.[10] It was used in the Sino-Vietnamese War in 1979 by Chinese troops.[8]
The Type 64 was replaced in the PLA with the Type 85 submachine gun.[11]
The Type 64 was designed from the beginning to be a suppressed weapon, unlike many other suppressed firearms that are simply modified versions of standard production guns. An amalgam of many designs, the gun features the bolt of a PPS submachine gun and the trigger group of a ZB vz. 26, both of which are grafted onto the receiver of an AKS-47.[4] The rate of fire is at 1,000.[1] to 1,300 RPM.[11] This was reported in 1971 by the Small Arms Systems Lab of the US Army Weapons Command Research and Engineering Directorate.[11]
The safety/fire selector lever is based on the Type 56 assault rifle.[12] An additional trigger safety is present, which is used to prevent the user from accidentally firing the weapon.[11] While standard 7.62mm Tokarev ammo can be used, it will increase the rate of having the integrated suppressor wear off.[12] It is best used with 7.62×25mm Type 64 ammo since they are subsonic.[13] The Type 64 can use 20 or 30-round magazines.[8]
A flip-up rear sight is available, set for ranges from 100 to 200 meters.[14]
Chinese sources reported that the Type 64's noise level is at 84 decibels when using subsonic ammo.[11] The tests conducted by the Small Arms Systems in 1971 reported a claim of 150 decibels.[11]
China: Formerly used by the PLA during the Sino-Vietnamese War.[11]
North Vietnam: Formerly used by the North Vietnamese military.[10]
