Type 56 Light Machine Gun: North Vietnamese Forces Accession Number: RELAWM40791

Description

Chicom Type 56 Light Machine Gun. This is a Chinese copy of the Soviet Degtyaryov light machine gun model 1944 (the RPD - Ruchnoy Pulemyot Degtyaryova).

Machined and pressed metal construction receiver with a right-hand cocking lever. It is marked with three Chinese characters and 36 within a triangle. Serial number 909213.

The butt, fore grip and pistol grip are wood. The barrel is air cooled with an enclosed recoil gas piston group underneath for half the length from the breech and a folding bipod is attached just behind the fore sight post. The fifty round ammunition belt carrier slides onto a bracket under the gun.

Contextual Description

This weapon was captured at the Battle of Long Tan on the 18th of August 1966 by 6 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.

Details

Accession Number
RELAWM40791
Manufactured by
Classification
Technology
Object Type
Firearm
Physical Description
Material: Metal
Material: Wood
Measurement
Overall
Date Made
c 1956
Whole/Part
Whole
Item Count
1
Copyright
Copyright not applicable

Conflicts

Places

Units

Tags

Accession RELAWM40791

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Record information

Last modified: 13 October 2026 - 4.29 am