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The Type CQ is an unlicensed Chinese variant of the
M16 rifle The M16 rifle (officially designated Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is a family of military rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States military. The original M16 rifle was a 5.56×45mm automatic rifle with a 20-r ...
manufactured by
Norinco China North Industries Group Corporation Limited, doing business internationally as Norinco Group (North Industries Corporation), and known within China as China Ordnance Industries Group Corporation Limited (), is a Chinese state-owned defense ...
. According to the Norinco website, the rifle is officially known as CQ 5.56. It can be distinguished from other
AR-15 An AR-15-style rifle is any lightweight semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design. The original ArmaLite AR-15 is a scaled-down derivative of Eugene Stoner's ArmaLite AR-10 design. The then Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation ...
and M-16 pattern rifles by its long, revolver-like pistol grip, somewhat rounded handguards, and the unique shape of its stock.


History

The CQ was first introduced in the early 1980s. This weapon is chambered for 5.56×45mm cartridges and it was intended for export sales. Two variants of the CQ rifle are made: the CQ 5.56, also known as the CQ-311 or CQ M-311, the select-fire variant for Military/LE sales; and the CQ M311-1, the semiautomatic version for the civilian market. Later, a carbine variant has been introduced, called the CQ 5.56mm Type A. The Semi-auto sporter have been successful in the civilian market. The CQ was never adopted by the Chinese military or even unofficially distributed within Chinese troops. Other military uses of the Type CQ assault rifle have been reported within guerrilla and insurgent movements in the Southeast Asian area.


Differences

Though it has the same look as the
M16 rifle The M16 rifle (officially designated Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is a family of military rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States military. The original M16 rifle was a 5.56×45mm automatic rifle with a 20-r ...
, there are some modifications to various parts. The most immediately recognizable distinguishing features that tell the Type CQ apart from an M16 rifle are its distinctive handguard and stock, curved pistol grip, and hooded front sight. The Type CQ rifle, in both its Military/LE and Civilian variants, has a 1:12 rifling pitch which allows it to properly stabilize the M193 "Ball" variant of the 5.56mm ammunition or the Type CJ Chinese clone, as well as any
.223 Remington The .223 Remington (designated as the 223 Remington by the SAAMI and 223 Rem by the CIP) is a rimless, bottlenecked rifle cartridge. It was developed in 1957 by Remington Arms and Fairchild Industries for the U.S. Continental Army Command ...
commercial cartridge variant that can be stabilized by the 1:12 pitch rifling barrel (normally Varmint or other simple sporter cartridges, up to a maximum bullet weight of 55 Grains). The M193 "Ball" 5.56mm cartridge was never a
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two N ...
standard until the adoption of this weapon system by other nations. Type CQ is chambered in "5.56×45mm NATO", but it will not properly stabilize the
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two N ...
standard 5.56mm ammunition (the SS109, M855 in US service), which requires a 1:9 or 1:7 pitch rifling barrel due to a bullet weight of 62 Grains.


Variants


Type CQ assault rifle

Also known as the CQ 5.56, the CQ-311 or the CQ M-311, this is the
select-fire Selective fire is the capability of a weapon to be adjusted to fire in semi-automatic, fully automatic, and/or burst mode. The modes are chosen by means of a selector switch, which varies depending on the weapon's design. Some selective-fire w ...
assault rifle version intended for military and police use. It is a
gas-operated Gas-operation is a system of operation used to provide energy to operate locked breech, autoloading firearms. In gas-operation, a portion of high-pressure gas from the cartridge being fired is used to power a mechanism to dispose of the spent ...
, rotating-bolt
full-automatic An automatic rifle is a type of autoloading rifle that is capable of fully automatic fire. Automatic rifles are generally select-fire weapons capable of firing in semi-automatic and automatic firing modes (some automatic rifles are capable of ...
firearm that feeds from factory-made 20- or 30-round magazines ( STANAG magazine clones), firing the M193 "Ball" 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge (manufactured in China by Norinco as the Type CJ cartridge). The Type CQ rifle has a three-position fire selector: Safe, Single Shot, and Full-Automatic fire. The weapon sports a 508mm (19.9 inches) barrel with a 1:12 rifling twist. The main differences within this weapon and the original American-made M16 are in the shape of some metal and plastic parts (namely the stock, the grip, the handguard, and the flash suppressor), and in the type of metal the rifle is made of. While the American AR-15/M16 rifles are built in T70-74 aluminum, the Chinese Type CQ is built in T60-60 aluminum, used to allow the process of
metal injection molding Metal injection molding (MIM) is a metalworking process in which finely-powdered metal is mixed with binder material to create a "feedstock" that is then shaped and solidified using injection molding. The molding process allows high volume, ...
to be used instead of forging. According to the manufacturer's website, the Type CQ assault rifle can be equipped with an under-carried
grenade launcher A grenade launcher is a weapon that fires a specially-designed large-caliber projectile, often with an explosive, smoke or gas warhead. Today, the term generally refers to a class of dedicated firearms firing unitary grenade cartridges. The mo ...
.
Norinco China North Industries Group Corporation Limited, doing business internationally as Norinco Group (North Industries Corporation), and known within China as China Ordnance Industries Group Corporation Limited (), is a Chinese state-owned defense ...
manufactures several models of grenade launchers in different calibers, generally clones of the American
M203 The M203 is a single-shot 40 mm under-barrel grenade launcher designed to attach to a rifle. It uses the same rounds as the older stand-alone M79 break-action grenade launcher, which utilizes the high-low propulsion system to keep recoil forces ...
(known as the LG2-I and LG2-II) or to the Russian GP-25/GP-30 (known as the LG-1, seen mated to the
QBZ-95 The Type 95 automatic rifle () or QBZ-95 is a bullpup assault rifle designed and manufactured by Norinco, and issued since 1995 as the service rifle for the People's Liberation Army, People's Armed Police and various paramilitary law enforce ...
assault rifle), and a wide array of anti-riot underbarrel launchers. However, seen the lack on the Type CQ assault rifle of a quick-attachment/detachment design hand guard as instead present on the American M16A2 assault rifle and
M4 carbine The M4 carbine (officially Carbine, Caliber 5.56 mm, M4) is a 5.56×45mm NATO, gas-operated, magazine-fed carbine developed in the United States during the 1980s. It is a shortened version of the M16A2 assault rifle. The M4 is extensive ...
, the installation of an underbarrel grenade launcher on the Type CQ assault rifle requires partial replacement of the handguard.


Type CQ semi-automatic rifle

Also known as the CQ 311-1 or the CQ M311-1, this rifle is the civilian version of the above-mentioned Military model. Nothing changes from the select-fire version, except that the CQ M311-1 rifle is not capable of fully automatic fire, and that the most recently manufactured models shift from the distinctive Type CQ curved pistol grip and hooded front sight to more standard parts, similar to the ones found on other AR-15 rifles. It is manufactured with a semi-automatic only trigger group, and the selector switch only has two positions, for Safety and Fire. The 1:12 barrel rifling allows the rifle to properly shoot and stabilize light
.223 Remington The .223 Remington (designated as the 223 Remington by the SAAMI and 223 Rem by the CIP) is a rimless, bottlenecked rifle cartridge. It was developed in 1957 by Remington Arms and Fairchild Industries for the U.S. Continental Army Command ...
commercial cartridges (55 grains & under) and the military surplus 5.56×45mm M193 "Ball" ammunition widely available on the market. The CQ M311-1 was first available in the North American market in 1987, when only 500 units were sold before the import was halted; reasons for this halt are stated to be several by many sources: the restrictions applied in the United States since 1989 (an import ban signed by George H. W. Bush on 41 types of military-style firearms in the aftermath of the Stockton massacre), a copyright infringement lawsuit from Colt against Norinco or an agreement between the two companies; however none of these assumptions can be supported by official confirms. The CQ M311-1 semiautomatic rifle was available in Canada until it was reclassified as a Prohibited Firearm on May 1, 2020, while any further import into the United States still remains impossible due to restrictions that apply since 1986 and after other pieces of legislation passed in the 1990s and in the early 2000s. The gun is also available in Europe (particularly Italy), where it is sold with a 10-round detachable clear plastic magazine manufactured in the United States by
DPMS Panther Arms DPMS (Defense Procurement Manufacturing Services) Panther Arms is an American manufacturer headquartered in West Columbia, South Carolina, known for its wide range of military and civilian rifles and accessories. History Randy Luth founded Defen ...
(this because the Norinco CQ M311-1 rifles and the DPMS Panther Arms products are imported in Italy by the company NUOVA JAGER srl).


CQ 5.56mm Type A assault carbine

This variant introduced in the year 2006 in several Defense expos worldwide, including the MILIPOL, is a copy of the American M4A1 assault carbine. It features a telescoping stock, a removable carrying handle mounted on a Picatinny rail, and a 368.3mm (14.5 inch) barrel. The CQ Type A carbine variant is able to stabilize both M193 "Ball" and SS109/M855 variants of the 5.56mm cartridge, as would be expected from a rifle with a 1:9 barrel rifling twist. It will quickly accept the installation of grenade launchers due to the quick attachment/detachment handguard design and to the step-cut barrel. The CQ 5.56mm Type A assault carbine is the only Type CQ variant known to be in official use with a regular Armed force, having been purchased in significant quantities by the DECEI (''Destacamento Conjunto de Empleo Inmediato'' "Joint Quick Deployment Detachment") of the Paraguayan Army. A semi-automatic version of this carbine was available on the civilian market for sports shooters in Canada until their prohibition, Italy,
Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inva ...
, and South Africa.


CS/LM11

The CS/LM11 was unveiled in 2010 at foreign weapons expo conventions, made by Huaqing Machinery Company. It can fire both SS109 and M193-based 5.56 NATO ammo. It's an offshoot of the CQ, with improvements made to barrel from 6,000 to 12,000 rounds fired.


DIO Model S-5.56 assault rifle

In the year 2003, the
Defense Industries Organization The Defense Industries Organization (DIO) is a Conglomerate (company), conglomerate of companies run by the Iran, Islamic Republic of Iran whose function is to provide the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Armed Forces with the necessar ...
of
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
began marketing the S-5.56 (''Sayyad'') rifle, an unlicensed clone of the Type CQ. It is also known as SRAG-15. It had been first unveiled in the West in 2001. It was originally designed for export sales. But has been shown in use by
Revolutionary Guards The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC; fa, سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی, Sepāh-e Pāsdārān-e Enghelāb-e Eslāmi, lit=Army of Guardians of the Islamic Revolution also Sepāh or Pasdaran for short) is a branch o ...
special forces units. The rifle itself is offered in two variants. The S-5.56 A1 with a 19.9-inch barrel and 1:12 pitch rifling (1 turn in 305mm), optimised for the use of the M193 Ball cartridge. The S-5.56 A3 with a 20-inch barrel and a 1:7 pitch rifling (1 turn in 177, 8mm), optimized for the use of the SS109 cartridge. There is also a variant with quad-rail handguards and telescopic CAA CBS-style buttstock and sometimes with extended quad-rail and cut carry handle.


TERAB rifle

The ''Terab'' rifle manufactured by the MIC ( Military Industry Corporation) of
Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
is a clone of the Iranian DIO Sayyad-5,56, itself a clone of the Norinco CQ. The manufacturer's website lists it as a
7.62×51mm NATO The 7.62×51mm NATO (official NATO nomenclature 7.62 NATO) is a rimless, bottlenecked rifle cartridge. It is a standard for small arms among NATO countries. First developed in the 1950s, the cartridge had first been introduced in U.S. service fo ...
which would make it more of a copy of the
AR-10 The ArmaLite AR-10 is a 7.62×51mm NATO battle rifle designed by Eugene Stoner in the late 1950s and manufactured by ArmaLite (then a division of the Fairchild Aircraft Corporation). When first introduced in 1956, the AR-10 used an innovative com ...
. The Sudan has a background in military usage of the AR-10, having employed it as its standard service rifle from 1957 to 1989. Recent updates show that MIC lists the Terab with a caliber of 5.56 NATO.


ARMADA rifle and TRAILBLAZER carbine

The "Armada" rifle is a clone of the Norinco CQ manufactured by S.A.M. – ''Shooter's Arms Manufacturing'', a.k.a. ''Shooter's Arms Guns & Ammo Corporation'', headquartered in Metro Cebu, Republic of the Philippines. S.A.M. launched the ''Armada'' rifle in 2009, making it available to local government units and/or active law enforcement and military agencies in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
and abroad. The ''Armada'' is a select-fire rifle composed of two receivers (upper and lower) manufactured in forged aluminum, uses a 22-inch barrel with a 1:9 right-hand twist (able to stabilize both M193 "Ball" and SS109/M855 variants of the 5.56mm cartridge), Norinco CQ-style plastic parts (grip, stock, handguard), flip-up rear sight adjustable for windage, front post sight adjustable for elevation, and feeds by STANAG magazines. The total weight of the weapon unloaded is claimed to reach 3.3 kilograms, with an overall length of 38.5 inches. A carbine version of the ''Armada'' rifle, similar to the ''Norinco CQ 5'56mm Type A'', has also been launched under the name of "Trailblazer".


CQ-D

Export-specific automatic rifle of the CQ family, featuring upgraded Picatinny rails & foregrip and offered by the China Jing An Import & Export Corp.


Users

* : Type CQ 311 used by Royal Cambodian Army, along with M16 rifle. CQ 5.56mm Type A used by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces. * : Said to be used by the
People's Armed Police ) , abbreviation = PAP ("People's Armed Police") CAPF ("Chinese Armed Police Force"), formerly abbreviated''Wujing'' ( zh , s = 武警 , p = Wǔjǐng , l = Armed Police , labels = no ), or WJ as on vehicle license plates , patch ...
Snow Leopard Commando Unit. * : Seen in the hands of Ghanaian peacekeepers in Mali, and used by the
Ghana Navy The Ghana Navy (GN) is the naval warfare organizational military branch of the Ghanaian Armed Forces (GAF). The Ghanaian Navy, along with the Ghanaian Army (GA) and Ghanaian Air Force (GHF), make up the Ghanaian Armed Forces (GAF) which are co ...
* : Used by
Revolutionary Guards The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC; fa, سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی, Sepāh-e Pāsdārān-e Enghelāb-e Eslāmi, lit=Army of Guardians of the Islamic Revolution also Sepāh or Pasdaran for short) is a branch o ...
special forces. CQ 5.56mm and CQ Type A (limited quantity) variants. Iran locally produces its own variant, S-5.56. * : Used by National Liberation Army. * : Used by the
RELA Corps The People's Volunteer Corps ( ms, Jabatan Sukarelawan Malaysia), abbreviated RELA, officially the Malaysia Volunteers Corps Department, is a paramilitary civil volunteer corps formed by the Malaysian government. Their roles include: Helping t ...
Department as a training weapon alongside the
M16A1 The M16 rifle (officially designated Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is a family of military rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States military. The original M16 rifle was a 5.56×45mm automatic rifle with a 20-roun ...
. Some rumours state that many
M16A1 The M16 rifle (officially designated Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is a family of military rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States military. The original M16 rifle was a 5.56×45mm automatic rifle with a 20-roun ...
have had the standard forwards grips (old or damaged parts) changed to CQ grips for cost saving purposes. * : CQ and CQ-A used by
Korean People's Army Ground Force The Korean People's Army Ground Force (KPAGF; ) is the main branch of the Korean People's Army, responsible for land-based military operations. History The Korean People's Army Ground Force was formed on August 20, 1947. It outnumbered and out ...
* : Norinco CQ-5.56mm Type A adopted by the Paraguayan Army Special Forces. * : 6000 units (2 batches of 3,000 units each on June and October 2017 respectively) CQ-A5 donated by the Chinese government to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. * * : Used by
Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement The South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF), formerly the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), is the army of the Republic of South Sudan. The SPLA was founded as a guerrilla movement against the government of Sudan in 1983 and was a ...
,
South Sudan Liberation Movement The South Sudan Liberation Movement (SSLM) is an armed group that operates in the Upper Nile Region of South Sudan. The group's creation was announced in November 1999 by people of the Nuer ethnicity who were in both the rebel Sudan People's Li ...
and
Lou Nuer The Nuer people are a Nilotic ethnic group concentrated in the Greater Upper Nile region of South Sudan. They also live in the Ethiopian region of Gambella. The Nuer speak the Nuer language, which belongs to the Nilotic language family. T ...
and Murle militias * : CQ M311-1 Used by the South Sudan Democratic Movement/Army * : Seen in the hands of Syrian opposition forces in the Syrian Civil War. * : Sold to the
Royal Thai Navy The Royal Thai Navy ( Abrv: RTN, ทร.; th, กองทัพเรือไทย, ) is the naval warfare force of Thailand. Established in 1906, it was modernised by the Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse (1880–1923) who is known a ...
and Air and Coastal Defense Command. *


Non-state groups and terrorist entities

* : Captured from Shiite Militia and
Syrian Army " (''Guardians of the Homeland'') , colors = * Service uniform: Khaki, Olive * Combat uniform: Green, Black, Khaki , anniversaries = August 1st , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles = 1948 Arab–Israeli War Six-D ...
.Weapons and Equipment Tied to Shiite Militias
. Retrieved February 19, 2016.


References

{{commons category, Norinco CQ rifle 5.56 mm assault rifles Assault rifles of the People's Republic of China ArmaLite AR-10 derivatives Norinco