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QBZ-03

The QBZ-03 (Mandarin: Qīngwǔqi Bùqiāng Zìdòng—"light rifle automatic") assault rifle, also known as the Type 03,[1] is a Chinese gas operated, selective-fire assault rifle designed and developed for the 5.8×42mm DBP87 round.[2]

Unlike the bullpup QBZ-95, the QBZ-03 has a conventional design. It is designed to be easily used by police officers and soldiers already familiar with previously issued assault rifles.[3]

History

The QBZ-03's design was finalized in December 2003 and it was given the name designation Type 03.[4] It appears to be a continuation of the Type 87.[4] Public information regarding the rifle was first reported in the November 2004 issue of "Weapon Knowledge".[5]

Plans to develop the QBZ-03 were made over concerns made from reports with the use of the QBZ-95.[5]

Design details

The QBZ-03 has a faster rate of fire compared to the QBZ-95. Operating system is similar to Type 81 assault rifle featuring rotating bolt locking and short-stroke gas piston.[6] The QBZ-03 has a folding stock.[7]

In 2015, the manufacturer displayed a version with a quad-rail hand guard; the short rear section screws onto the upper receiver.[8]

The gas block has two position regulator and a hooded front sight with a flip-up rear diopter sight.[2]

Variants

T03

The T03 is an export variant chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge.[2]

EM3513

The EM3513 is semi-automatic export variant, chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge.[9] First introduced in 2005 by the China Jing-She. An Import-Export and Jiang-She Group companies, the variant is fed by STANAG magazines and has an integrated three-round burst mode.[2]

QTS-11 OICW Upgrade

In February 2011, photos appeared of the QTS-11, a combination of the Type 03 assault rifle with a 20 mm airburst grenade launcher.[2] This made China the third country to develop an airburst infantry weapon, after the United States and South Korea.[10]

Users

  • People's Liberation Army
  • People's Liberation Army Ground Force border defense units[11]
  • People's Liberation Army Rocket Force[12]
  • People's Liberation Army Marine Corps[2]
  • People's Armed Police[1][13]

Non-State

  • United Wa State Army[14]

External links

References

  1. QBZ-03: China's latest assault rifle 29 December 2008^
  2. ODIN - OE Data Integration Network^
  3. What We've Learned About China's New QBZ-191 Assault Rifle 9 January 2021^
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20070820155619/http://www.sinodefence.com/army/small_arms/type03rifle.asp^
  5. 03式突击步枪 ——〖枪炮世界〗^
  6. Picture Modern Firearms, 27 October 2010, retrieved 21 February 2018^
  7. 中国最新型Qbz03式5.8毫米自动步枪(图)_新浪军事_新浪网^
  8. Chinese Small Arms from the 7th Beijing Police Equipment Expo 13 May 2015, retrieved 13 July 2018^
  9. EMEI/5.6mm Semi-Automatic Rifle Model EM3513 retrieved 2016-01-08^
  10. Weapons: China Builds A Lighter OICW www.strategypage.com, retrieved 2025-12-03^
  11. Matthew Moss. POTD: Border Guards with China's QBZ-03 Rifle thefirearmblog.com, 2018-12-18, retrieved 2025-02-04^
  12. 95步枪究竟是强是弱？轻武器专家为你客观解读95式 Phoenix Television, 2018-09-17^
  13. Xusheng Dai, Hao Yang. 武警青海总队执勤支队二大队：驻扎无人区，守护青藏铁路 Chinese Military, 2021-06-21^
  14. China Supplies QBZ-03 Rifle to United Wa State Army 7 May 2012, retrieved 31 March 2019^