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Type 80
Photo: National Ground Intelligence Center · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
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Type80

General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG) · People's Republic of China · 1983
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Type80

Type 80
Type 80 Photo: National Ground Intelligence Center · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
* Absolute score — assessed within category · no era adjustment
Sustained Firepower
85
Effective Range
75
Penetration
70
Reliability
90
Accuracy
78
Barrel Endurance
85
Mount Versatility
80
Controllability
82
Portability
70
Cost-Effectiveness
88
Origin People's Republic of China
ManufacturerChina North Industries Group Corporation Limited
CategoryGeneral Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)
EraCold War
In service1983
Operators13 countries
Data Quality87%
81
General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG) MASS Rating
3/18
Cold War
11/131
All-Time
General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG) · 10 axes scored
Sustained Firepower
85
Effective Range
75
Penetration
70
Reliability
90
Accuracy
78
Barrel Endurance
85
Mount Versatility
80
Controllability
82
Portability
70
Cost-Effectiveness
88
ⓘ Regardless of era, the same scoring system applies to all units in the general purpose machine guns (gpmg) category.
01 / Overview
💰 PERFORMANCE / PRICE ASSESSMENT Methodology ↗
GENERAL PURPOSE MACHINE GUNS (GPMG) · COLD WAR
3
PERFORMANCE/PRICE
87
UNIT COST (2025 USD)
—
81
general purpose machine guns (gpmg) category
ⓘ Performance/Price and MASS score are computed across all units in the general purpose machine guns (gpmg) category, regardless of era.
02 / Specs & Design
◎General6MOD.6
  • First Production Year1980
  • Service Entry Year1983
  • DesignerMikhail Kalashnikov
  • Weight (Empty)12.6 kg
  • Currently In ServiceYes
  • Notable UsersChina, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Somalia, India, Cameroon, Malta, Croatia, Kurdistan Workers' Party, Boko Haram, Islamic State
◈Cartridge & Calibre6MOD.6
  • Cartridge* 7.62×54mmR * 7.62×51 NATO (For CF 06 version)
  • Calibre7.62 mm
  • Case Length54 mm
  • Calibre Class7.62mm
  • RimfireNo
  • Caseless AmmunitionNo
▣Operation5MOD.5
◇Ballistics4MOD.4
  • Muzzle Velocity840 m/s
  • Effective Range (point)1,000 m
  • Effective Range (area)1,500 m
  • Sighting Range1,500 m
◆Barrel & Sights5MOD.5
▤Construction4MOD.4
▲Production & Cost2MOD.2
  • Production Start1983
  • Variants3
03 / History
SERVICE LIFESPANStill in Service
  1. 1945First deployment: Cold War
  2. 1983Production started
  3. 2022Sale: Turkey (2,800 units)
43
years in service
13
countries operating
ⓘ The producing country still actively operates it.
04 / Conflicts
TYPE 80 · CONFLICTS SERVED IN0% win
Total Conflicts
1
Victories
0
Ongoing
0
Losses
0
ⓘ Shown only from conflicts recorded in our database.
05 / Operators
Operator Inventory2country · 3,000units
3,000active
Type 80SALES2records
YearBuyerQuantityAmountPresent Value (2025)
2022Turkey2,800——
—Sri Lanka200——
ⓘ "Present Value" is an estimated amount adjusted for inflation.
📖 TERMS ON THIS PAGE7terms
A firearm feed system where ammunition is stored in a flexible or rigid container (magazine) inserted into the grip or attached externally, feeding rounds into the chamber via a spring or follower.
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.
Integral bipod: a permanently attached, built‑in bipod that provides a two‑point support for a firearm, allowing it to be rested on a surface without separate accessories.
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 General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG) entry →