QBZ-191 service rifle family

Blitzo

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
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Yes, especially when its downright suicidal for any country to even think about a ground invasion of mainland China today. So it is understandable for PLA infantry to not get the latest and greatest equipment. Of course, a hot will will change all that quickly

Certainly, though I was also thinking about the opportunity cost of funding one thing versus funding another.
Equipping all PLA infantry with m lok handguard rifles and accessories similar to the US military and having the manufacturing capacity to produce all of those things in an adequate timespan may end up only being a small fraction of the annual PLA budget but given the high demands of the PLA budget I could see them thinking those coppers used somewhere else.

I suppose if the PLA ever had to engage in a longer period of COIN or MOUT then that would be different.

However in a traditional "high intensity" land war (which is arguably the kind of land war the PLAGF is still most configured to fight), the combined arms units and their recce, artillery and maneuver capabilities will be more decisive and yield greater effects than the additional accessories and mounts that infantry have or lack.


The US military, especially the Marine Corps being the smallest and least funded branch had similar issues back in the 90s which was considered a peacetime military even up to the mid 2000s with OEF and OIF in full swing. In boot camp and MCT 2005 we got primarily ALICE gear and PASGT helmets and vests. Didn't see anything MOLLE until I got to my first unit. I didn't get issued an ACOG and PEQ-15 until 2008. Plate carriers and FROG uniforms 2010. The conflicts of course helped immensely with improving the Marines and Soldier's personal equipment.

I do have access to full auto HK416s at work and I have to say they are overrated, overgassed German piston ARs with non standard magwell and taller profile making standard AR BUIS incompatible with it! Typical HK trying to make their own standards lol

"HK416 and friends with Chinese characteristics" I do like it and hopefully the new rifle is much more refined than the 416.

The HK416's issues are definitely known about, though AIUI the overgassing issue was resolved somewhat with later blocks. But the premium for HK products is also not really worth the cost.
"and friends" was my way of referencing the HK416 clones/peers like Sig 516, CAR816, even the DSAR-15PC -- i.e.: I was thinking basically AR-15 pattern rifles with single piece handguards as designed, and short stroke pistons, while retaining the similar modularity/upgradability of the AR-15 pedigree.


QBZ-191 from what we could see and has been released, takes after the contemporary short stroke piston AR-15 family in the configuration of its receiver, buffer spring/stock, the short stroke piston (of course), even adopting a similarly located bolt release as well as a more "ergonomic" feature like having ambi fire select. And exploiting some of the advances in domestic industry and technology re not only the construction of the barrel but the overall gun itself, with corresponding benefits for accuracy, barrel life, as well as its bullet.

OTOH, the "Chinese characteristics" retained I would consider to be reasonable cost cutting measures and keeping old but reliable features that the PLA are used to. The non free floated, non aluminum handguard for standard QBZ-191 rifle/carbines would fit into the "reasonable cost cutting measure" category, and things like the reciprocating charging handle, and magazine well and magazine release both in the "old but reliable features" category.


I imagine China's experience with short stroke pistons and designing it ground up for QBZ-191 wouldn't face the same teething issues as HK416 did in adapting the G36 system for the AR-15 platform initially, especially as they developed an entirely new 5.8mm bullet type to take advantage of QBZ-191.
 

SpicySichuan

Senior Member
Registered Member
The handguard of QBZ191 should be a single piece -- the top rail of the QBZ191 from the receiver to the front of the handguard is not monolithic.
We can see that in the picture below where the top part of the handguard/rail has an interface point with the receiver/rail.
(Also in the cad drawings of the QBZ-191 action we can see the receiver's rail only extending as far as the receiver itself and not to the handguard)

View attachment 70248


View attachment 70249

The handguard of QBZ-191 as far as I can see seems to be very similar to the handguard of HK416 in nature (or indeed, any other modern single piece handguard for an AR15 pattern rifle) in the sense that it seems to be a single piece and fully enclosed "shroud" -- the difference being that it the standard QBZ-191's handguard is at least partly polymer (or perhaps fully polymer).
The attachment of QBZ-191's handguard to the rest of the gun seems to have one point near the gas block at the front of the barrel and at least one point at the rear of the handguard at the receiver.


OTOH, the QBU-191's handguard looks like it should be aluminum, and is quite similar to some of the m lok handguard solutions such as this one from geissele

View attachment 70251View attachment 70252

View attachment 70250
I can imagine how smooth (and easy to shoot) a 5.56mm version would be.
 

by78

General
An image shared by a private military company. It looks like the real deal, or maybe it's the rumored training rifle? Note the translucent magazine. I don't recognize the optic. A part of the rifle is censored (just above the magazine).

50997151669_9a769a7b6f_3k.jpg
 

Aniah

Senior Member
Registered Member
An image shared by a private military company. It looks like the real deal, or maybe it's the rumored training rifle? Note the translucent magazine. I don't recognize the optic. A part of the rifle is censored (just above the magazine).

50997151669_9a769a7b6f_3k.jpg
Is that a separate optic rail or just part of the optic?
 

Aniah

Senior Member
Registered Member
Ignore my previous comment, just found out it was separate to hold the scope a bit higher.
 

by78

General
Is that a separate optic rail or just part of the optic?

It looks like a riser of some sort that's mounted on the integrated rail. The optic is then mounted on the riser.

EDIT: The above reply was made before I read your subsequent comment.
 

plawolf

Lieutenant General
An image shared by a private military company. It looks like the real deal, or maybe it's the rumored training rifle? Note the translucent magazine. I don't recognize the optic. A part of the rifle is censored (just above the magazine).

50997151669_9a769a7b6f_3k.jpg
Looks like they PS’d out the serial number, which is standard practice. The optic looks to be some sort of smart scope. It should have a built-in digital night vision and ballistic calculator but would be too fancy and delicate for general military issue. Police units might buy it, but I doubt the PLA will beyond a few test samples.

Looks like the mag well might even have a slight flair to it to make reloading that bit easier. Would be a nice touch if so.
 

j17wang

Senior Member
Registered Member
An image shared by a private military company. It looks like the real deal, or maybe it's the rumored training rifle? Note the translucent magazine. I don't recognize the optic. A part of the rifle is censored (just above the magazine).

50997151669_9a769a7b6f_3k.jpg

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This is the exact optic, run-of-the-mill thermal. Not that pricy in the scheme of things, InfiRay has a good reputation even in the west. Check out reviews on the Rico RH50, its the top of the line model. If I end up getting one, Ill post the loadout.
 
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