Engineering:Type 58 assault rifle
| Type 58 | |
|---|---|
 The Type 58 | |
| Type | Assault rifle |
| Place of origin | North Korea |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1958–present |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars |
|
| Production history | |
| Produced | 1958–present |
| No. built | 800,000[1] |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 3.8 kg (8.4 lb) |
| Length | 890 mm (35 in) |
| Barrel length | 415 mm (16.3 in) |
| Cartridge | 7.62×39mm |
| Action | Gas-operated |
| Rate of fire | 600 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 715 m/s |
| Effective firing range | 400 m |
| Feed system | 30-round detachable AK magazines |
| Sights | Iron sights |
The Type 58 is an assault rifle made in North Korea derived from the Soviet AK-47[1] designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It uses a 7.62×39mm cartridge. It is the longest version of the rifle at 890 mm, while the AK-47 is 870 mm.
History
After the Korean War (1950–1953), North Korea was allied with the Soviet Union and continued to receive military support from them. President Kim Il-sung ordered the fabrication of the Type 58.
The gun was used in the Vietnam War, along with the AK-47, AKM and China's Type 56 by Vietcong and North Vietnam Army (NVA) of North Vietnam forces between 1964 and 1975. It was used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the militia Basij of Iran against the Army and the Republican Guard of Iraq in the Iran–Iraq War (1980–88). In Nicaragua the Sandinista Popular Army used Type 58 weapons against the Contras in the Sandinista Revolution (1980–90).
Users
See also
- Defense industry of North Korea
- Type 56
- List of assault rifles
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "North Korean Small Arms". http://www.sadefensejournal.com/wp/?p=1785&page=3. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
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