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Type 79 submachine gun
Photo: Isaac0100 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Type79submachinegun

Machine Pistols · People's Republic of China · 1979
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Type79submachinegun

Type 79 submachine gun
Type 79 submachine gun Photo: Isaac0100 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
* Absolute score — assessed within category · no era adjustment
Firepower
60
Full-Auto Control
50
Magazine Capacity
40
Concealability
70
Accuracy
55
Reliability
85
Ergonomics
65
Rate of Fire
70
Versatility
50
Cost-Effectiveness
80
Origin People's Republic of China
ManufacturerChina North Industries Group Corporation Limited
CategoryMachine Pistols
EraCold War
In service1979–1992
Operators1 countries
Quantity200,000
Data Quality83%
MASS(Military Archive Scoring System)
61
Machine Pistols MASS Rating
16/53
Cold War
53/217
All-Time
Machine Pistols · 10 axes scored
Firepower
60
Full-Auto Control
50
Magazine Capacity
40
Concealability
70
Accuracy
55
Reliability
85
Ergonomics
65
Rate of Fire
70
Versatility
50
Cost-Effectiveness
80
ⓘ Regardless of era, the same scoring system applies to all units in the machine pistols category.
01 / Overview
Type 79 submachine gun
Production
1979–1992
Quantity
200,000
Operators
💰 PERFORMANCE / PRICE ASSESSMENT Methodology ↗
MACHINE PISTOLS · COLD WAR
16
PERFORMANCE/PRICE
78
UNIT COST (2025 USD)
—
61
machine pistols category
ⓘ Performance/Price and MASS score are computed across all units in the machine pistols category, regardless of era.
02 / Specs & Design
◎General6MOD.6
  • First Production Year1981
  • Service Entry Year1979
  • DesignerLiu Zhitong
  • Weight (Empty)1.75 kg
  • Currently In ServiceYes
  • Notable UsersPeople's Liberation Army, People's Armed Police, Public Security Police
◈Cartridge & Calibre6MOD.6
▣Operation8MOD.8
◇Ballistics2MOD.2
  • Muzzle Velocity515 m/s
  • Effective Range (point)200 m
◆Barrel & Sights5MOD.5
▤Construction7MOD.7
▲Production & Cost4MOD.4
  • Total Production200,000
  • Production Start1981
  • Production End1992
  • Variants6
03 / History
SERVICE LIFESPANStill in Service
  1. 1979Production started
  2. 1992Production ended
47
years in service
13
years in production
200,000
units produced
1
countries operating
ⓘ The producing country still actively operates it.
04 / Operators
Operator Countries1country
📖 TERMS ON THIS PAGE7terms
A firearm feed system where ammunition is stored in a separate container (magazine) that can be removed and replaced, enabling rapid reloading.
A firearm stock that can be folded or collapsed to reduce overall length for storage or transport.
Firearm action type where expanding gas from a fired cartridge cycles the mechanism, typically via a piston or direct impingement.
Uses high-pressure gas to cycle the action, rather than recoil energy.
Adjustable metal aiming devices on firearms, consisting of a front post and rear notch, used without magnification.
A mounting system for attaching optical sights to rifles.
Select fire is a fire selector mechanism on a firearm that lets the shooter choose the firing mode, such as semi‑automatic, burst, or fully automatic.
These terms are listed automatically because they appear on this page.full encyclopedia →
📚 Sources
📖 ENCYCLOPEDIA Browse the Machine Pistols entry →