5.56mm Type 64 Rifle

Overview

5.56mm Type 64 Rifle
General Information
Type	Assault Rifle
Place of Origin	Taiwan (Republic of China)
Designer Companies	Combined Logistics Command
Manufacturer	Joint Logistics Plant No. 205
Period Produced	c.1973 - 1976
Developed From	• AR-15 / M16 / M16A1 • AR-18 • Unnamed domestic AR-18 clone
Developed Into	5.56mm T65 Rifle
In Service	1976 (trials)
Characteristics
Cartridge	5.56x45mm
Action	Gas-operation, short-stroke gas piston, rotating bolt
Feed System	Detachable box magazine
Ammunition Loading	Unknown compatibility magazines, presumably: T65 / T65K1 compatible magazines: • 30-rnd
Stock
Stock Type	Fixed
Sights
Sights	Iron sights; tritium night sights

The 5.56mm Type 64 Rifle (abbreviated as Type 64) is a Taiwanese assault rifle developed in the early 1970s.

Development

In the 1960s, Taiwan purchased a small batch of M16s from the United States to trial, and in the 1970s the M16A1 was also purchased. The Taiwanese military was impressed with the weapon and began development of their own domestic copy.

The M16 was seen as a good firearm, but Taiwan decided against the M16's internals for unknown reasons. Two main theories are posed for this decision; that Taiwan's industry was underdeveloped and the stamped AR-18 internals proved easier to manufacture, or the US experience with the somewhat error-prone M16 (pre-M16A1) gas system and its blockages lead to the alternate choice. Either way, the AR-18 was chosen, and an unnamed domestic copy of the AR-18 was manufactured in 1973, and work began on improving the design with elements from the AR-15/M16A1 design.

Externally, the weapon resembled an AR-15 but with AR-18 furniture and sights, but internally it was primarily AR-18 components. A collection of these weapons, now known as 5.56mm Type 64 Rifle, entered trials with the Taiwanese military. The weapon was seen as a major success, but could do with minor improvements, which lead to the 5.56mm T65 Rifle being adopted after minor changes to the furniture.

Design

The Type 64 Rifle is a development of the AR-15 and AR-18 platforms. The weapon consists of the AR-15, with the AR-18 short-stroke gas piston system instead of the AR-15 method. The bolt mechanism, the firing mechanism, the charging handle, and all other parts are that of the AR-15 design. The auxiliary 'forward assist' and carry handle sights were removed, with new tritium night iron sights added, with similar appearance to the AR-18. The furniture was unique, but sharing inspiration from both the AR-15 and AR-18 models.

A manufacture or derivative license was not purchased for the AR-15 or AR-18, which resulted in a suing for copyright infringement. It is unknown how this case was resolved, but production continued either way.

Variants

5.56mm Type 64 Rifle Prototype model. 5.56mm T65 Rifle Standard model. 5.56mm T65K1 Rifle Improved model with new handguard. ~24,000 built. 5.56mm T65K2 Rifle Overhauled model with many improvements, including compatibility with STANAG magazines. 5.56mm T65K2 Carbine Compact T65K2 from 1993 with a shorter barrel and stock from the Colt 733. 5.56mm T65K3 Carbine Compact T65K2 from 1995/1996 with a short barrel (but longer than the T62K2 Carbine), and many improvements. Not adopted. T65K2 Training Gun Training version with brown furniture and red muzzle device, cannot fire. Derivatives 5.56mm T86 Rifle Modernization.

Taiwan (Republic of China) Weapons Cold War Period (1946 — 1990)

Infantry Weapons
Melee Weapons	Bayonet	[[]]
	Survival Weapon	[[]]
Sidearms	Pistol	T51 (K1)
	Revolver	[[]]
	Machine Pistol	[[]]
Close Quarters	Personal Defense Weapon	[[]]
	Submachine Gun	[[]]
	Shotgun (automatic)	[[]]
	Shotgun (semi-automatic)	[[]]
	Shotgun (manual-action)	[[]]
Primary Weapons	Assault Rifle (5.45/5.56)	Type 64 • T65 (K1 • K2) • T68
	Assault Rifle (7.62)	[[]]
	Assault Rifle (other)	[[]]
	Carbine (5.45/5.56)	T65 (K2 • K3)
	Carbine (7.62)	[[]]
	Carbine (other)	[[]]
Automatic Support Weapons	Light Machine Gun	[[]]
	General Purpose Machine Gun	T74
	Heavy Machine Gun	[[]]
Long Range	Anti-Materiel Rifle	[[]]
	Bolt-Action Rifle	[[]]
	Designated Marksman Rifle	[[]]
Launchers	Grenade Launcher (Attachment)	[[]]
	Grenade Launcher (Standalone)	[[]]
	Disposable Rocket Launcher	[[]]
	Rocket Launcher	[[]]
	Guided, Anti-Tank	[[]]
	Guided, Anti-Air	[[]]
Non-Lethal Weapons	Rifle	[[]]
	Pistol	[[]]
Underwater Weapons	Sidearm	[[]]
	Rifle	[[]]
Explosives	Anti-Personnel Mines	[[]]
	Anti-Tank Mines	[[]]
	Offensive Grenades	[[]]
	Smoke Grenades	[[]]

Firearm Accessories
Optics	Iron Sights	[[]]
	Collimator	[[]]
	Telescopic	[[]]
	Magnifier	[[]]
Attachments	Flashlights & Lasers	[[]]
	Foregrips & Bipods	[[]]

Infantry Equipment
Clothing	Backpacks	[[]]
	Body Armour	[[]]
	Bomb Suit	[[]]
	Elbow and knee pads	[[]]
	Signals & IFF	[[]]
	Suits	[[]]
	Vests & Webbing	[[]]
Headwear	Communication	[[]]
	Gas Masks & Rebreathers	[[]]
	Goggles	[[]]
	Helmets	[[]]
	Vehicle Headwear	[[]]
Optics, Detection and Surveillance	Man-Portable Radar	[[]]
	Mine Detectors	[[]]
	Night Vision Goggles	[[]]
	Periscopes	[[]]
	Rangefinders	[[]]
	Surveillance	[[]]

Artillery
Anti-Aircraft Guns	[[]]
Anti-Tank Guns	[[]]
Anti-Tank Guided Missiles	[[]]
Anti-Tank Guided Missile Systems	[[]]
Anti-Tank Guided Missile Systems	[[]]
Howitzers	[[]]
Mortars	[[]]
Railroad Artillery	[[]]
Recoilless Guns	[[]]
Rocket Artillery	[[]]
Siege Artillery	[[]]

Land Vehicle Weapons
Vehicle Machine Guns	T74V1 • T86
57mm Tank Guns	[[]]
73mm Tank Guns	[[]]
76.2mm Tank Guns	[[]]
85mm Tank Guns	[[]]
100mm Tank Guns	[[]]
115mm Tank Guns	[[]]
120mm Tank Guns	[[]]
122mm Tank Guns	[[]]
125mm Tank Guns	[[]]
130mm Tank Guns	[[]]
152.4mm Tank Guns	[[]]
Heavy Guns	[[]]
Vehicle Autocannon	[[]]

Aircraft Weapons & Munitions
7.62mm Machine Guns	[[]]
12.7mm Machine Guns	[[]]
23mm Cannons	[[]]
30mm Cannons	[[]]
37mm Cannons	[[]]
Rocket Pods	[[]]
Rockets	[[]]
Air-to-Air Missiles	[[]]
Air-to-Ship Missiles	[[]]
Air-to-Surface Missiles	[[]]
Anti-Radiation Missiles	[[]]
Cruise Missiles	[[]]
Bombs	[[]]

Sources
Books	Online	Documents
	• pewpewpew.work