W85 heavy machine gun

Not to be confused with the Type 85 heavy machine gun.
W85 heavy machine gun
W85 mounted on a Type 96B tank
Type Heavy machine gun
Place of origin China
Service history
In service 1980s-present
Used by See Users
Wars War in Darfur
Northern Mali conflict
Syrian Civil War
Libyan Civil War
Iraqi Civil War
Yemeni Civil War
Russo-Ukrainian War
Production history
Manufacturer Norinco
Produced 1985-present
Variants QJC-88
Specifications
Mass 18.5 kg (40.79 lb) (gun only)
39 kg (85.98 lb) (with tripod)
Cartridge 12.7×108mm
Action Gas-operated, long stroke gas piston, open bolt
Rate of fire 550-600 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity 850 m/s (2,788 ft/s)
Sights Iron 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. 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.

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°.

Mounted platforms:

  • Type 99 tank: as commander heavy machine gun.
  • Type 96 tank: as commander heavy machine gun.
  • Type 15 tank: as commander heavy machine gun on a remote weapon station.
  • Type 59 Durjoy tank: as commander heavy machine gun.
  • Type 05: on armored personnel carrier variant.
  • Type 08: on various comigrations, such as ZSL-10 APC, ZTL-11 assault vehicle, and Type 08 Artillery Reconnaissance Vehicle.
  • PLL-05: as commander heavy machine gun.
  • Type 89 AFV: on various comigrations as the self-defense weapon.

Users

Non-state actors

See also