NAME – Type 64 Suppressed

NAME (NATIVE) – 64 Shìwēi shēng chōngfēngqiāng (Type 64 Silent Submachine gun)

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – Chinese People Republic

DATE OF MANUFACTURE – 1964

CALIBER – 7.62x25mm (Type 64)

OVERALL LENGTH – 63.5 cm (25 in) Stock closed, 84.3 cm (33.2 in) Stock open

BARREL LENGTH – 20 cm (7.9 in)

RIFLING (TYPE & TWIST) – 4 groove, Right hand twist

BULLET DIAMETER – 7.82mm (0.308 in)

BULLET WEIGHT – 7.78 g (120 gr) Type 64)

MUZZLE VELOCITY – 290 m/s (960 fps) (Type 64)

MUZZLE ENERGY – 333 j (243 ft/lbs)

WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 3.4 kg (7 lbs 7.9 oz)

WEIGHT (LOADED) – 4.0 kg (8 lbs 13.1 oz)

SIGHTS – Front sight – Blade, Rear sight – flip aperture, set for 100 and 200 m

EFFECTIVE RANGE – 135 m (148 yds)

OPERATION – Blowback, fires from open bolt

TYPE OF FIRE – Selective, Semi and Full Automatic

RATE OF FIRE – 40 rpm Semi, 120 rpm Full

CYCLIC ROF – 1000 – 1300 rpm

FEED DEVICE – 30 round box magazine, double column, double feed

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 0.22 kg (7.8 oz)

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (LOADED) – 0.60 kg (1 lb 5.2 oz)

BASIC LOAD – 4 magazines (120 rounds)

LOAD WT – 2.4 kg (5 lbs 4.7 oz)

MANUFACTURER – State Factory 66, North Industries Corporation (NORINCO)

STATUS – Obsolescent

SERVICE – Chinese military, commercial sales

     This submachinegun was designed from the start as a special purpose suppressed weapon. Though the milled steel receiver resembles a shortened version of an AK-47 the internal parts are very different. The bolt of the Type 64 resembles that of the Type 43 submachinegun, the Chinese copy of the Soviet PPS-43. The trigger mechanism follows that of Czechoslovakian light machineguns and the Type 56 rifle (Chinese AK-47). The suppressor that the weapon was designed around is a Maxim-type with a stack of metal baffles extending from the end of the barrel to the muzzle cap. The barrel itself is 20 cm (7.8 inches) long with the final 6.9 cm (2.7 inches) perforated with four rows of nine 3mm holes each. In front of the muzzle of the barrel is the continuing 16.5 cm (6.4 inches) of suppressor tube holding the stack of 12 5mm deep baffles with a much wider 22mm deep 13th baffle against the muzzle of the barrel. Each baffle has a dished front depression with a 9mm central hole. The stack is also secured by two rods that extend the length of the stack. The entire interior of the suppressor including the exterior tube can be removed for cleaning. The suppressor tube itself is the mounting point for both the front and rear sight assemblies. The magazines used with the Type 64 are proprietary to it, being slightly longer to accept the 37mm overall length of the Type 64 Subsonic round as compared to the 35mm overall length of the Chinese Type 51 round. The magazine lockup is much like that of the AK-47. The front of the magazine top has a lug that goes into the receiver, then the magazine is pulled back to lock up with the magazine latch. This makes for a very firm magazine when locked to the weapon, one that can be used as a forward grip if necessary.

     The controls on the Type 64 are particular to it. On the right side of the weapon is the standard-style AK-47 safety switch, significantly shortened for this design. Push up, the switch puts the weapon on safe and covers the open portion of the action where the bolt handle travels. The switch also prevents the bolt from being able to move back far enough to pick up a round and fire it accidentally if the weapon is struck a blow while being carried. There is a second safety, at the rear of the trigger guard, that flips forward to block movement of the trigger. One the left side of the receiver, above and behind the trigger, is the selector switch. With the switch in the forward position, the weapon fires on semiautomatic only. Set to the rear position, the switch puts the weapon on full automatic. The Type 64 has a very high cyclic rate of fire and is most likely fired on semiautomatic most of the time. There is no front handguard or other protection from the suppressor body, which would become extremely hot during automatic fire. The chamber of the weapon has three longitudinal flutes machine in it to aid in extraction. These flutes put a noticeable mark on the neck and shoulder of fired cases.

Right side view of the Chinese Type 64 suppressed submachinegun with the stock open. There is no magazine in the feed well and the safety switch is in the open/off position. The bolt is forward in the fired position. The tall protected front and rear sight assemblies stand out in their positions on top of the suppressor tube. PHOTO CREDIT: DIA
Right side view of the Chinese Type 64 suppressed submachinegun with the stock open. There is no magazine in the feed well and the safety switch is in the open/off position. The bolt is forward in the fired position. The tall protected front and rear sight assemblies stand out in their positions on top of the suppressor tube. PHOTO CREDIT: DIA
Left side of the Chinese Type 64 suppressed submachinegun. The underfolding stock is locked in the open position. On the center of the receiver, above and behind the trigger, is the fire selector switch. The switch is set to the rear position in this picture for full automatic fire. PHOTO CREDIT: DIA
Left side of the Chinese Type 64 suppressed submachinegun. The underfolding stock is locked in the open position. On the center of the receiver, above and behind the trigger, is the fire selector switch. The switch is set to the rear position in this picture for full automatic fire. PHOTO CREDIT: DIA
This is a standard layout submachinegun designed as a replacement for the Type 79 (in the unsuppressed version) and as a suppressed replacement for the Type 64. It is a straight blowback weapon, seen in this illustration with the bolt cocked in the firing position. The long suppressor body mounts both the front and rear sight. Above and in front of the trigger is the selector switch with the selector down in the full automatic fire position. The center position id for Safe while the top detent is for semiautomatic fire. The magazine is the same as that used in the Type 64 suppressed submachinegun. PHOTO CREDIT: PRC
This is a standard layout submachinegun designed as a replacement for the Type 79 (in the unsuppressed version) and as a suppressed replacement for the Type 64. It is a straight blowback weapon, seen in this illustration with the bolt cocked in the firing position. The long suppressor body mounts both the front and rear sight. Above and in front of the trigger is the selector switch with the selector down in the full automatic fire position. The center position id for Safe while the top detent is for semiautomatic fire. The magazine is the same as that used in the Type 64 suppressed submachinegun. PHOTO CREDIT: PRC
This is the Chinese Type 64 suppressed submachinegun stripped down to its basic components. At the top of the illustration is the long suppressor body that fits over the perforated and slotted barrel of the weapon. Above the barrel is the stack of baffles to the suppressor. Behind the baffle stack is the bolt above the mainspring. Below the top cover at the left in the picture, behind the mainspring, is a plastic buffer that minimizes the impact of the bolt against the back of the receiver. At the lower right is a 20-round magazine also stripped to its component parts for cleaning. PHOTO CREDIT: PRC
This is the Chinese Type 64 suppressed submachinegun stripped down to its basic components. At the top of the illustration is the long suppressor body that fits over the perforated and slotted barrel of the weapon. Above the barrel is the stack of baffles to the suppressor. Behind the baffle stack is the bolt above the mainspring. Below the top cover at the left in the picture, behind the mainspring, is a plastic buffer that minimizes the impact of the bolt against the back of the receiver. At the lower right is a 20-round magazine also stripped to its component parts for cleaning. PHOTO CREDIT: PRC