Chinese Type 67 Suppressed Pistol
By Dan Shea
SAR had the opportunity to examine a Chinese Type 67 integrally sound suppressed pistol while overseas. This particular example was manufactured in 2000. The caliber is .32 Rimless - a special round (7.65x17mm Rimless). We were unable to locate any of this ammunition to perform chronograph testing.
The suppressor was threaded onto the muzzle of the host pistol. This was quite interesting, as early examples of the Type 67 observed in the scrap heap at Long Binh, Vietnam, had a “twist-and-press” means of attaching and detaching the suppressor, similar to the Type 64 sound suppressed pistol. Removing the suppressor on either model requires swinging the sheet-metal trigger guard down and out of the way. The trigger guard indexes the suppressor. Once the suppressor is removed, you can observe that it is vented in one small series of concentric vents at the tip of the chamber, then not vented anymore. When the front sight is aligned properly, the trigger guard will slide back into place, a very good feature for maintaining both sight alignment and point of impact after reassembly.
The suppressor internals are wire mesh, with a thin sheet-metal tube around the mesh assembly that slides into the tubular suppressor housing. Wire mesh is used as a “heat sink” and disrupts the path of the expanding propellant gasses. The front end of the suppressor has one baffle and one wipe which appeared to be rubber and had a central hole. The end cap is flat, no front concavity at all, which I would have expected in such a “close-and-personal” weapon. The Type 67 seems designed for the same role the British Welrod has filled so nicely over the years, with the added potential of semiautomatic fire.
This somewhat unique design features a split-type slide, the rear portion of which has a cross bolt lock on it. There is a two-stage trigger that when pulled back slightly permits semiautomatic fire. A firm pull on the trigger while firing, will block the slide from retracting, making a locked slide single shot. This is an excellent feature for clandestine weaponry of this type. This differs from the earlier, heavier, Type 64 pistol that provided for locked breech operation only when a selector bar was pushed to the right. This provides the operator with two choices - one shot with no empty case ejection or semiautomatic fire with conventional case ejection.
Ammunition performance is apparently variable, with some reported by Jane’s Ammunition Handbook 1998-99 as not penetrating an aircraft skin from 2 meters, but still having a moderate wound ballistics potential against human targets. This writer would still consider this weapon system to be a point blank tool. The caliber is also described variously as 7.65x17mm Rimless and 7.62 x17mm Rimless.
There is a convenient lanyard loop set out of the way in the lower side of the left hand grip frame area. This is a wise addition to an operational pistol. The black painted grip panels are held on with a single machine screw that goes through the pistol and holds the two wooden grips together.
The workmanship altogether was a bit crude, and the “screwdriver” on the front of the magazine base where it sticks out forward, is truly annoying. It almost seems designed to cut your hand from that position.
Disassembly:
Point in a safe direction and remove magazine, then retract the slide to inspect the chamber to ensure it is clear.
At the rear of the slide is a flathead screw, parallel to the bore axis. This screw is the tip of a guide rod very similar to a Browning 1919A4 machine gun recoil rod. To remove this, use a flathead screwdriver (The magazine has a flathead screwdriver on the front of it, but it is very weak and may twist off. The operator may want to grind this off anyway, as it is an annoying protrusion) DO NOT ALLOW YOUR FACE TO GET IN THE PATH OF THIS RECOIL ROD- IT IS UNDER HEAVY TENSION. Depress the rod and turn it with the screwdriver- you will feel the tension increase, and allow this rod and spring system to come to the rear and out of the slide. Be sure to control this operation carefully.
Using a thin blade flathead screwdriver or other suitable object, carefully pry the sheet metal trigger guard down and off the suppressor tube - it is hinged at the rear and will remain attached there. Turn the suppressor tube in an anti-clockwise manner - the threads are right hand. Remove the suppressor tube to the front. You will now be faced with a tightly rolled piece of wire mesh that surrounds the barrel - pull this out carefully from the front. The wire mesh has a thin tube that goes around it for support and containment. There is a cap that fits on the other end of the mesh. You may tap out the wipe and baffle from the tube.
Remove the screw holding the two grips in place.
Disassembly beyond this was not performed on the example we had access to, and from what I saw, I would not recommend it in the field. Access to all parts for cleaning is now available.
Reassemble in the reverse order. Note: putting the wire mesh back onto the barrel is tricky - this is not a highly advanced suppressor design. Be sure to check the path of the bore for obstructions after you put the wire mesh and its shield back over the barrel. The trigger guard will index the front sight on the suppressor tube - the guard will not go into place until the tube is properly aligned. Once everything is in place, close the slide and install the recoil rod assembly. Do this with great care, and remember it is pushed in, and then turned about a quarter turn - until you feel it come back up a slight bit and lock into the detent index, very similar to a 1919A4 recoil spring rod.
SAR’s Technical Specifications for the Chinese Type 67 suppressed pistol:
Caliber: 7.65x17R (.32 Rimless).
Overall Length: 8.875 inches (226.2 mm).
Barrel Length: 3.375 inches (95.25 mm).
Suppressor dimensions: 5 x 1 inch (127x 25.4 mm).
Height: 5 inches (127 mm).
Width: 1.125 inches (28.575 mm).
Weight, Empty: 2.31 pounds (1.05 kg).
Magazine: 9-round, single-column, detachable box-type.
Barrel: Four grooves with right-hand twist.
Muzzle Velocity:
755-820 fps (230-250 m/s) - From Jane’s. However, there are various reports of 1,017 fps (310 m/s), which would be more logical.
Firing Modes: Semiautomatic or locked slide.
Method of operation: Blowback.
Lock up method: Split slide, cross-bolt lock.
Finish on metal surfaces: blued.
Construction of receiver: Steel.
Furniture: Wood, painted black
Manufacturer: China North Industries Corp (Norinco), Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 2137, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.
Iron Sights: Rudimentary Fixed, front and rear; front sight: crude blade;
rear sight: flat with notch.
Range of use: Point blank out to 15 meters/yards.
This article first appeared in Small Arms Review V6N6 (March 2003) |
| SUBSCRIBER COMMENT AREA |
Comments have not been generated for this article.
