What does the new QBZ-191 remind you of?
Yup.. there it is. Thanks IWI and GunMagWarehouse!
Apparently China has released video of their new 5.8x42mm conventional layout assault rifle. The spacey looking QBZ-95 had too many problems. That makes another world military power that had bullpups and has reverted to conventional layout rifles.
Israel’s X95, Austria’s AUG, The UK’s SA80A3, and Australia’s EF88/F90 AUG one-off (I happen to like it the most of the AUG’s) are pretty much the last of military bullpups. They’re hanging strong. I like bullpup rifles, have had a few and still do. But there are simply weak points in the designs too that conventional rifles mitigate.
But back to the ACE..er… QBZ-191
First, it seems clear that they are still militarily heavily married to the AK concept. The QBZ-191 looks primarily like a Galil ACE with perhaps a little FAL/XCR on the back end of the receiver. A one front hinge pin design. They retained AK rock-in magazines even.
I’m not certain if the charging handle or safety selector are ambidextrous (I suspect the selector is) but it looks like the have gone with some manner of non-reciprocating adaption of the standard AK charging handle with a fairly short travel, location is consistent with that theory.
Three barrel lengths have been listed. 10.5″, 14.5″, and an unspecified ‘Marksman’ length.
In addition to closely copying the ACE as a base rifle it looks like they copied PMAGs and a forend from Magpul. The front sight might fold FN SCAR style, the rear sight does. Stock looks adjustable.
They are also proclaiming a new projectile design, probably a clone of M855A1.
It’s like they waited for all the other militaries and developers to do the groundwork for awhile and then went to SHOT going, “I’ll clone that, and that, and these, and… what are you gonna do about it? We’re literally the Chinese government.”
