Norinco Type 56 (AK47)

The Type 56 is selective fire, gas operated assault rifle with rotating bolt. It is the Chinese copy of the Kalashnikov AK-47 and AKM assault rifle, which has been manufactured since 1956. The gun first began production in 1956 at State Factory 66 and continued so until 1973 when production started in Norinco. It is estimated that around 10 to 15 millions of them were made in that time. In post WWII world, communist China was looking to modernized it's army so they ask Soviets for help. With help of communist Russia, China in 1956 started to manufacture their own copies of famous Russian Simonov SKS carbine and Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle. The Chinese copy of Simonov SKS carbine was named Type 56 carbine (be aware of carbine to avoid confusion with Type 56 AK clone). Copy of AK-47 was called Type 56 and they had milled receiver but later copies they made with AKM-type stamped receivers. The type 56 is almost exact copy of Russian AK-47 with only notable difference to be under folding non-detachable bayonet while Soviet original had detachable bayonet. The type 56 is still manufactured by Chinese state factories and Norinco in few variations. Type 56-1 is variant with steel underfunding stock, Type56-2 has side-folding stock, Type 56-1S is semi auto version in .223 Remington/5.56x45mm and Type 56C is compact version with short barrel and side-folding stock. Chinese Type 56 was used in Vietnam war, the Soviet war in Afghanistan, Iraq-Iran war and many other was and local conflicts.