NR97MG light machine gun
The NR97MG light machine gun is an export-type light machine gun produced by Norinco. It is the machine gun version of the NR97A automatic rifle.
Overview:
In 1997, after Hong Kong returned to China, the PLA Hong Kong Garrison stationed in Hong Kong was equipped with my country's latest light weapons, including the 5.8mm Type 95 gun family, 5.8mm QSZ92 automatic pistol and 12.7mm QJZ89 heavy machine gun. Among them, the Type 95 gun family consists of the Type 95 automatic rifle, the Type 95 short automatic rifle, and the Type 95 squad machine gun.
When the Type 95 gun family was equipped with the Chinese army, its twin sister, the Type 97 gun family, was also exported by Norinco. The light machine gun was later named NR97MG light machine gun, also known as QJB97 Type light machine gun. This light machine gun adopts a gas-guided automatic mode and a bullpup layout (that is, the receiver serves as the butt). The total gun length is 874mm, the barrel length is 600mm, and the total gun mass is 4.9kg.
Due to the bullpup layout, the NR97MG light machine gun has a barrel length of 591mm while the total length is only 874mm, and the total gun mass is only 4.02kg. However, the bullpup design also has disadvantages. Since there is no special butt, the gun body is indeed much shorter, but the aiming baseline is also much shorter. This will reduce the human-machine efficiency of the gun, and the actual performance of the weapon in actual combat shooting will be reduced. Shooting accuracy will also be slightly reduced.
The NR97MG light machine gun uses two types of ammunition, one is the 30-round magazine of the NR97A automatic rifle, and the other is the 80-round drum magazine. In order to facilitate export and earn foreign exchange, the magazine of the NR97A automatic rifle directly uses the 4179 standard magazine of the M16 automatic rifle.
In terms of barrel, the NR97MG light machine gun, like the domestic Type 95 light machine gun, uses a barrel that cannot be quickly replaced. This barrel is similar to a rifle barrel, but is relatively heavier and longer.