Type 63 Assault Rifle

The Type 63, often incorrectly referred to as Type 68 by Western sources, is a Chinese-designed rifle with a resemblance to the SKS. However, the weapon uses a rotating bolt working system from the AK-47 rifle, rather than the tilting bolt system of the SKS.

The origin of the Type 63 is based on the Type 56.

The Type 63/68 rifle is a select-fire weapon, feeding by proprietary "cut-down" 20-round magazines or standard AK-47 30-round magazines, although these require minor modifications (removal of the bolt hold-open device) to fit. The fire selector is placed on the right side of the weapon right above the trigger guard, at index finger reach. The Type 63/68 rifle also features a non-removable folding spike-bayonet and a gas regulator system to use standard live ammunition or blank ammunition for the launch of rifle grenades.

The Type 63/68 was an outdated design already at the moment of its adoption, much like the American M14 rifle. It responded to a military philosophy based on the use of masses rather than of weapons, a philosophy that wanted the troops to be able to stop the enemy advance by rifle shots at extremely long distances, and relying on the use of the bayonet for the final close-quarters engagements. As such, the Type 63/68 had the accuracy and range of an “old time” rifle, but was too long and heavy to be serviceable, and lacked the firepower of a true modern assault rifle as it resulted less than controllable in full-automatic fire. Additionally, design flaws and poor manufacturing qualities erupted with user experience gaining a reputation of unreliability. Poor performance and increasing availability of more modern weapons (Chinese-made AK clones) in Chinese service led to the final withdrawal of this weapon from PLA use in 1978.

Several thousand of these rifles, with welded semi-auto only selectors, were imported as surplus into Australia and sold to the public in the late 1980s. It was shown that the guns could be converted back to select fire, albeit requiring a reasonable knowledge and skill of metalworking plus having access to the right machinery. Customs made an attempt to recover them but many were not, it's unknown as to how many were recovered. Several dozen have turned up in the hands of OPM rebels in West Irian provence of Indonesia, they have also been seen in the recent fighting in Bangladesh as to whether or not they come from Australia is unknown as the Chinese did "sell" many Type 63/68s on to other interested parties.

The Type 63 can be loaded in 4 different ways, owning to its system:

1. Using an empty 20-round magazine, cocking the action holds the bolt to the rear; a 10-round SKS-type charger can then be put into the feed guides and the rounds forced down. A second charger can be used to fully load the magazine.
2. 20 rounds can be forced down, one after the other, into the magazine.
3. A 20-round magazine can be pre-loaded off the gun and then placed in position.
4. If the bolt stop has been removed or ground down, a 30-round magazine can be used. But, it must be pre-filled off the gun as the bolt will automatically close on the empty chamber and close off the top feed opening.

Type 63
Type	Rifle
Place of origin	People's Republic of China
Service history
In service	1968–1978
Used by	Afghanistan, Albania, Cambodia, China, Vietnam
Wars	Vietnam War, Cambodian Civil War, Cambodian-Vietnamese War, Sino-Vietnamese War, Soviet War in Afghanistan
Production history
Designed	1959–1963
Manufacturer	PRC government arsenals
Produced	1969–1978
Number built	Approx. 6,000,000
Specifications
Weight	3.8 kg (8.38 lb)
Length	1,033 mm (40.7 in)
Barrel length	531 mm (20.9 in)
Cartridge	7.62x39mm
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	680–725 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	735 m/s (2,411 ft/s)
Effective range	100–800 m sight adjustments
Feed system	20-round detachable box magazine
Sights	Hooded front post, rear U-notch on sliding tangent