In the matter of creating automatic grenade launchers, China went its own way. The designers from the Middle Kingdom decided not to take the Soviet / Russian 30-mm ammunition and not to turn to the NATO-standard 40-mm ammunition, having released their intermediate version. The modern Chinese easel automatic grenade launcher QLZ-87 uses 35x32 mm rounds for firing.
This weapon is known under two different designations. Domestically, the automatic grenade launcher is designated QLZ-87, and the weapon is exported under the designation W87. In addition to the non-standard caliber of the grenades used and a small mass for that weapon, this representative of the Chinese military-industrial complex is notable for the fact that its developers completely abandoned the tape supply of ammunition in favor of a simpler store food. It must be remembered that in any country in the world, any company specializing in the production of military products has its own point of view on what and how to produce.
Automatic grenade launcher QLZ-87
Back in the late 80s of the XX century, work began in the PRC on the development of a new automatic grenade launcher, which is now known under the designation QLZ-87. By the time the work began, the Chinese military had already formed a clear idea of what exactly an automatic grenade launcher should be, they wanted to see a light weapon that would provide fighters with mobility and maneuverability on the battlefield, while maneuverability was set higher than firepower. Due to this approach, the main task of the QLZ-87 grenade launcher is to directly support the infantry by providing dense suppression fire.
It is also worth noting that by the time development began, the Chinese had already gained comprehensive experience in operating copies (not licensed) of the famous Soviet 30-mm automatic grenade launcher AGS-17 "Flame". The Chinese gunsmiths took into account all the advantages and disadvantages of Soviet weapons and chose their own path, which they considered optimal. It was decided to make the Chinese grenade launcher more compact and faster. In addition to its low weight, the grenade launcher was supposed to allow firing not only from a tripod machine or from mounts on various military equipment, but also from light bipods. The first samples of the new automatic grenade launcher were ready by the mid-1990s, after which the process of testing new weapons began. It is known that by the beginning of the 21st century, the QLZ-87 automatic grenade launcher entered service with the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA).
The Chinese 35-mm automatic grenade launcher was built on the principle of automatic operation with the removal of powder gases from the barrel with a rigid locking by means of a rotary bolt. At the same time, experts note that the gas-operated automation of the Chinese QLZ-87 is identical to that used on the famous American M16 assault rifle, it also implemented a direct discharge of powder gases into the bolt group. In addition, a special gas regulator (manual) was provided in the design of the Chinese grenade launcher. This scheme was used by designers to reduce the total weight of the moving parts of the weapon's automation. The automatic grenade launcher has a pistol-type fire control handle, which is located at a slight downward angle and is located on the right side of the weapon. Among other things, this handle, being movable (moves back and forth), is also used to reload the automatic grenade launcher. The design of the trigger mechanism of the model allows the shooter to conduct both automatic fire and single-shot firing. A feature of the appearance of the grenade launcher is a rather massive integral handle for carrying weapons, which is mounted in its central part.
Automatic grenade launcher QLZ-87
Another distinction of the weapon, which catches the eye even upon external examination, is an unusually long barrel for a grenade launcher, which ends with a massive muzzle brake-compensator, designed to facilitate aimed shooting from a weapon when using the automatic mode of firing. To reduce recoil when firing, a special recoil buffer of the bolt group also works. At the same time, the long barrel provides the weapon with a flat flight path of grenades, which makes it possible to fire direct fire at lightly armored targets.
The QLZ-87 sights were shifted to the left of the symmetry axis of the automatic grenade launcher in order to ensure the convenience of shooting at high elevation angles of the barrel. The sights of the weapon are represented by the front sight and the whole. There is also a rail for attaching triple optical or night sights. It is usually an optical sight of small magnification that is usually used as the main one, while it has an illumination of the reticle.
An interesting feature of the Chinese model of the grenade launcher is that the designers abandoned the rather complex mechanism of tape feed of ammunition as a source of power for the weapon, preferring a simpler and more practical method of ammunition - adjoining stores. Together with a 35-mm automatic grenade launcher, drum-type magazines for 6 or 15 shots can be used (adjacent to the weapon from below). At the same time, a 15-round magazine is used mainly when firing from a machine tool or from equipment, while 6-round magazines are most often used when firing from a grenade launcher from a bipod.
Automatic grenade launcher QLZ-87
As the main ammunition, together with the QLZ-87 automatic grenade launcher, 35x32 mm caliber rounds created in China are used. The total mass of the grenade is about 250 grams, the initial flight speed is 200 m / s. The range of 35-mm rounds for the grenade launcher includes a high-explosive fragmentation grenade, an armor-piercing cumulative grenade, an incendiary, and training (inert) shots. A fragmentation grenade contains 400 ready-made striking elements, the radius of continuous destruction by shrapnel is 10 meters. The cumulative grenade provides a maximum penetration of up to 80 mm of rolled homogeneous steel armor (located at a right angle).
Among other things, the QLZ-87 easel automatic grenade launcher stands out for its high technical rate of fire, various sources indicate values of 400 or even 500 rounds per minute. Not to be confused with the practical rate of fire, which is seriously limited by the time required to reload not the most capacious magazines - a kind of sacrifice for the sake of reducing the mass and increasing the mobility of the weapon. For its small mass, the Chinese automatic grenade launcher has a very high rate of automatic fire, which in theory should make it difficult to control the weapon and increase dispersion when firing bursts, especially from bipods. The effective aiming range for point targets is 600 meters, the maximum firing range is 1750 meters. At the same time, for its class, the weapon has a very small mass and this is an indisputable advantage of the model. The weight of the QLZ-87 without a magazine with grenades is only about 12 kg, the mass with a tripod machine is 20 kg, this is less than that of the Soviet AGS-17 (31 kg with a machine and a sight), and this is taking into account that the Chinese grenade launcher uses larger caliber ammunition.
QLZ-87B grenade launcher
Given the basic qualities of the weapon, it is not surprising that the QLZ-87B model became a further development of the QLZ-87 automatic grenade launcher. This grenade launcher is intended for direct fire support of infantry in the platoon / company link. To ensure increased mobility of weapons in the new model, Chinese gunsmiths completely abandoned the idea of using a grenade launcher along with a machine, the weapon is equipped with a bipod. To reduce the weight of the grenade launcher, aluminum alloys were widely used in its design. The consequence of the work on lightening the weapon was the fact that it completely abandoned the possibility of automatic fire and reduced the capacity of the magazines used, magazines are available only for 4 and 6 shots. Sights are represented by the front sight and the whole, which are placed in an integral handle designed to carry weapons, there is also a Picatinny rail for mounting various sighting devices. All these works made it possible to reduce the weight of the QLZ-87B automatic grenade launcher to 9, 1 kg (without a magazine with ammunition), which significantly increases the mobility of weapons that can be easily used and carried by one soldier.
The performance characteristics of the QLZ-87:
Caliber - 35 mm.
Grant - 35x32 mm.
Length - 970 mm.
Weight - 12 kg (with bipod, without drum)
Weight with the machine - 20 kg (without a drum with shots).
Rate of fire - up to 500 rds / min.
The initial speed of the grenade is 200 m / s.
Food - drums for 6 and 15 shots.
Effective firing range - 600 m (for point targets).
The maximum firing range is 1750 m.
