While looking online for information on Chinese-made weapons between 1911 and 1949, I came across the following picture of a light machine gun, apparently manufactured in the 40th arsenal (Guangxi Arsenal until 1938). Can anyone tell me more about it, such as the specifications and the designers? Unlike most other Chinese-made weapons of the time, it doesn't seem to be a licenced copy or a knock-off of an existing gun.



More generally, I'd like to have a list of those weapons that the Chinese did manage to manufacture in their arsenals. I'd also like to have their Chinese names. Thanks to anyone who can help me with that.

Lastly, I'm interested in photos of Chinese soldiers using the ZH-29 semi-automatic rifle, which was imported from Czechoslovakia in the early 1930s and issued to some of the troops who defended Manchuria during the Japanese invasion. It was an advanced weapon for its time, and to my knowledge China was the first country to put a semi-automatic rifle to field use.

Okay, I've found where this light machine gun comes from. It's a licence-made copy of the Swiss Neuhausen KE7.

Now what I'd like to know is whether someone has good photos of Chinese soldiers of whatever army using the Hanyang 88 rifle or the Bergmann MP18 submachine gun (or its various clones). Good pictures of the former, in particular, are hard to come by, despite the fact that it was one of the most widespread shoulder arms in China between 1900 and 1949.

Go check out my Unit commander's web site: http://www.chinesefirearms.com/

If you can't read Chinese, you can e-mail him any questions you might have on the topic of Chinese fire arms.

And this is my Chinese ZhongZhen 7.92 Rifle
7.92x57mm Mauser
21st Arsenal 1945

Nice website. Interesting stuff in there.


Since my mastery of Chinese is pretty basic, I think I will. I have some questions about some of the firearms featured on the site, among others the Savage M1917, which I have a certain fondness for.


Looks very well maintained. Do you actually fire it?

I've got hold of two volumes of Osprey Publishing's Men-at-Arms series, Chinese Civil War Armies 1911-49 and The Chinese Army 1937-49: World War II and Civil War, which contain interesting data and great iconography but don't quite go into enough detail.

Zheng He, shall we start a thread: Chinese used weapons in the Republican era?

Good idea. Assuming there isn't already one, but if there is I'm not aware of it.

A question regarding the ammo used for the Hanyang 88 rifle. Did the Hanyang 88s ever convert their barrels to fire the newer "spitzer" pointed bullets rather than the older type with the round-nose?

Good question, and I too would be interested in the answer. I do know that after Mauser designed the Gewehr 98, those Gewehr 88 in German possession were modified for the spitzer round, so it's possible that the change was made with the Hanyang 88 as well. From The Arms Room: