W85 heavy machine gun
W85 mounted on a Type 96B tank
TypeHeavy machine gun
Place of originChina
Service history
In service1980s-present
Used bySee Users
WarsWar in Darfur
Northern Mali conflict
Syrian Civil War
Libyan Civil War
Iraqi Civil War[1]
Yemeni Civil War
Russo-Ukrainian War[2]
Production history
ManufacturerNorinco
Produced1985-present
VariantsQJC-88
Specifications
Mass18.5 kg (40.79 lb) (gun only)
39 kg (85.98 lb) (with tripod)
Cartridge12.7×108mm
ActionGas-operated, long stroke gas piston, open bolt
Rate of fire550-600 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity850 m/s (2,788 ft/s)
SightsIron sights

The W85 heavy machine gun or QJC-88 vehicle mounted heavy machine gun is a gas-operated heavy machine gun designed in the People's Republic of China. It fires the Soviet-designed 12.7×108mm round.[3] The W85 was never accepted into the PLA service in its original configuration, only adopted as a vehicle mounted machine gun as the QJC-88.

Overview

Pintle-mounted QJC-88

The W85 was designed to be as light as possible for infantry use. Its small receiver is of generally rectangular cross-section, and it has a thick gas tube below the barrel containing a conventional gas piston. In addition to iron sights, it has rails for optics or anti-aircraft sights. It fires 12.7×108mm rounds from belts and is more accurate than the Type 54 heavy machine gun, but the thinner barrel overheats faster.

In trials, the W85 lost out to the Type 85 as an infantry weapon and was not accepted into PLA service for this role.[4]

QJC-88

The QJC-88 was introduced as a pintle mounted machine gun for tanks and armored vehicles. It weighs the same as the W85, is solenoid fired, and is mounted on a special cradle allowing for elevation angles of -5 to +65°.[4]

Mounted platforms:

Users

Non-state actors

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Iraq: Turning a blind eye: The arming of the Popular Mobilization Units (PDF) (Report). Amnesty International. 5 January 2017. p. 25. MDE 14/5386/2017.
  2. ^ "匪夷所思！乌军使用上中国W85式高射机枪，他们是如何搞到的？" (in Chinese). Jan 16, 2023.
  3. ^ W85 heavy machine gun Archived September 14, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b Indigenous Machine Guns of China: Part Two – Heavy Machine Guns Small Arms Defense Journal. 25 May 2014.
  5. ^ "Soviet Influenced Heavy Machine Guns in Afghan Service". thefirearmblog.com. May 4, 2018.[better source needed]
  6. ^ a b c d "W85式/QJC88式高射机枪" (in Chinese). firearmsworld.net. 2011-02-03. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
  7. ^ World Guns Modern Firearms (2017-06-21). "W85 heavy machine gun (PR China)". modernfirearms.net. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
  8. ^ a b Timothy Yan (2016-06-21). "These Are not the DShKs you're looking for: Part 2, the W85 Heavy Machine Gun". Guns & Tech. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
  9. ^ "The Coronavirus Could Heal Libya". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  10. ^ Powelson, Simon J. (December 2013). "Enduring engagement yes, episodic engagement no: lessons for SOF from Mali". Monterey, California: Naval postgraduate school. p. 24. hdl:10945/38996.
  11. ^ Small Arms Survey 2014, p. 233.
  12. ^ "Army-manufactured innovative Unicob - MRAPV unveiled". www.defence.lk. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  13. ^ Small Arms Survey (2014). "Weapons tracing in Sudan and South Sudan" (PDF). Small Arms Survey 2014: Women and guns (PDF). Cambridge University Press. p. 241. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 5, 2014.
  14. ^ "Ukraine Weapons Tracker: Another curious weapon appears in #Ukraine- a Chinese 🇨🇳 W85 12.7x108 HMG mounted on a Ukrainian technical". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-11-14.
  15. ^ "Puissante contre-offensive de l'Etat islamique dans le désert syrien". France Soir (in French). 16 October 2018.
  16. ^ Nash & Searle 2021, p. 28.
  17. ^ Nash & Searle 2021, p. 43.

Bibliography

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