GCh-96

Type 96 General-Purpose Machine Gun (GCh-96)
The four main variants of the GCh-96.
Type	Medium machine gun
Place of origin	Menghe
Service history
In service	1997–present
Used by	Menghean Army
Production history
Manufacturer	Taekchŏn Arms Factory, Haeju
Produced	1996-present
Variants	GCh-96G, GCh-96N, GCh-96D, GCh-96Ch
Specifications
Weight	9.6 kg (GCh-96G) 10.8 kg (GCh-96N) 11.0 kg (GCh-96D)
Length	1,224mm (GCh-96G, N, D) 896mm (GCh-96Ch)
Barrel length	596mm
Cartridge	7.5×54mm
Action	Gas-operated, open bolt
Rate of fire	700 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity	840 m/s
Effective firing range	0 - 1500 m sight adjustments
Feed system	belt-fed from right 100 or 200-round box or 50-round drum
Sights	Iron sights 4x optical sight

The GCh-96 (Formal designation: 96식 일반목적 기관총 / 九六式一般目的機關銃, Guryuk-sik ilbanmogjŏk gigwanchong, "Type 96 general-purpose machine gun;" short designation 96식, guryuk-sik, "Type 96") is a type of machine gun designed in Menghe during the 1990s. As a medium machine gun, it combines features of an LMG and MMG, and can be fired from a bipod, tripod, pintle mount, or co-axial position, with specialized variants for most roles. It was developed as a replacement for the GCh-77, offering a lower rate of fire but greater reliability.

Across all variants, the GCh-96 is belt-fed and gas-operated, with a long-stroke piston mounted below the barrel driving an open bolt action. It fires a 7.5×54mm cartridge, which offers greater range and armor-piercing ability than the 5.7mm Quinn cartridge used in other Menghean light machine guns. All variants except the co-axial GCh-96Ch can be fitted with night vision devices or telescopic sights.

Development

In the late 1970s, the Democratic People's Republic of Menghe adopted the GCh-77 medium machine gun into service with the Menghean People's Army. Based on the Ostlandian MG 34 and MG 42, the GCh-77 had a relatively high rate of fire, able to maintain 1200 rounds per minute in sustained automatic bursts. As part of the initial design requirement, it was meant to serve as the MPA's general-purpose machine gun, capable of being fired from a bipod as a squad automatic weapon.

Despite its impressive performance on paper, the GCh-77 proved to be something of a disappointment. Its high rate of fire made it difficult to aim steadily, especially when firing from a bipod, and required the gun team to carry a larger quantity of ammunition in order to fire for a given period of time. Poor accuracy could be mitigated by firing from a larger tripod, but this configuration increased the weapon's already high weight to 27.2 kilograms. The GCh-77 was also prone to jammings and other failures - likely a result of poor-quality manufacture, as the Ostlandian MG 42 and its other descendants were relatively reliable. Due to all of these problems, the GCh-77 never became a standard squad-level weapon, but was instead given to dedicated machine-gun teams at the Battalion level.

In 1992, the Menghean Army responded to these concerns by issuing a design requirement for a new general-purpose machine gun. The new weapon was to be lighter, more reliable, and easier to maintain, and would eventually be issued at the squad level. The Yangmun Weapons Design Bureau responded with a fairly conservative design, which would later be accepted as the GCh-96.

Yangmun's prototype drew on the Rajian FN MAG and Letnian PNM, which Menghean arms designers had identified as two proven and reliable GMPG concepts. After photos and footage of the weapon were first seen in the West, many defense analysts speculated that the GCh-96 was a direct clone of the FN MAG, and indeed the two weapons are externally similar. Yet the GCh-96 feeds ammunition from the right and ejects spent cartridges out the left, while the FN MAG feeds from the right and ejects spent cartridges out the bottom. Overall, it is a unique design from the ground up, though it does incorporate selected general features of existing weapons.

The Menghean Army evaluated Yangmun's prototype in the mid-1990s and accepted it for service in 1996. After its year of adoption, it was given the formal designation of Type 96 General-Purpose Machine Gun, or GCh-96 in most foreign-language literature.

Design

Operating mechanism

In layout and operation, the GCh-96's internal action is broadly similar to that on the FSR's PN and PNM machine guns, but incorporates some features from the FN MAG. As on the MAG, the bolt carrier catches cartridges from the feed tray while moving forward and rams them into the breech, rather than extracting them while moving backward. Yet the GCh-96 also uses a rotating bolt, like the PN, and has a smaller and lighter AN-style bolt carrier. The latter change brought about some reduction in weight, a major priority in the GCh-96's design.

Like most other GPMGs in its class, the GCh-96 fires from an open bolt, reducing the danger that a round will accidentally cook off in the barrel. When the trigger is pulled, a sear pin lowers, releasing the bolt carrier moves forward from its ready position at the rear. As it advances, it pulls a cartridge off of the loading belt and pushes it into the breech, where the bolt rotates to lock it in place. There, the floating firing pin continues forward and strikes the primer at the rear of the cartridge.

Unlike the GCh-77, the GCh-96 is gas-operated: a tube underneath the barrel diverts some of the expanding gases to a long-stroke piston, driving the bolt carrier back again. As the rotating bolt moves back from the breech, it pushes open a panel on the left side of the receiver and ejects the spent cartridge. The Yangmun design team moved away from the downward ejection on the FN MAG in order to allow the gunner to mount an ammunition box underneath the receiver, and chose the left side as the charging handle is located on the right. Left-side ejection was also used on the GCh-77, and posed little additional challenge in training. It also reduced the possibility that hot brass casings would accumulate underneath the gun, directly forward of the gunner's knuckles.

At the end of the gas tube is a variable-setting port similar to the type used on the FN MAG. In standard use, this is set to the smallest setting, limiting the rate of fire to 700 rounds per minute. The other two settings allow more gas to drive the piston, increasing baseline rate of fire to 800-900 and 900-1000 rounds per minute, respectively. Training manuals for the GCh-96 specify that soldiers are to fire the weapon exclusively on the first setting where possible in order to reduce wear on the internal parts and limit ammunition consumption; the other settings can be used if excessive fouling has slowed down the rate of fire and there is no time to clean the weapon.

Field-stripping of the GCh-96 is closer to the FN MAG than the PN machine gun. The operator removes the buttstock from the back of the receiver using a release lever on the underside, then extracts the bolt carrier through the open rear. The piston and recoil spring are both continuous, single-piece units, without the pivot found on the PN.

Ammunition feed

The GCh-96 is a belt-fed weapon which fires 7.5x54mm ammunition from a disintegrating belt that enters through the right side of the receiver. The belt links use an indigenous Menghean design pioneered on the GCh-77, and the weapon will jam if fed from GA-standard M27 belts. Spent belt sections are ejected through the left side of the receiver. The feed mechanism inside the cover is borrowed directly from the GCh-77, and by extension from the MG 42: as the bolt carrier moves forward and back, it pulls a curved rail on the roof of the cover, which advances the belt and moves the next round into position.

As on the PN machine gun, the feed port, belt segment ejection port, and cartridge ejection port are all covered by spring-loaded metal panels, which prevent dirt and foreign objects from entering the receiver. During firing, the belt advancing mechanism and bolt carrier push open the belt ejection port and cartridge ejection port, respectively, at the correct moments in the firing cycle.

In the bipod-based LMG configuration, the weapon is fed from a 100-round box attached underneath the receiver, much like the PN and PNM series. This box is made from aluminum to save weight, and weighs 3.8 kilograms when fully loaded. Other loading options include a 200-round pentagonal box mounted directly under the receiver, sometimes seen on some platoon-level weapons in Mechanized formations, and a 200-round rectangular box which can be mounted to the side of the weapon or carried by an assistant gunner, more common on vehicle-based mounts.

In 2013, the Menghean Army introduced a 50-round drum magazine which can be mounted underneath the receiver, similar in design to the 50-round magazine sometimes used with the GCh-77. This is lighter and more compact than the 100-round box, allowing the gunner to engage a target after making contact while the assistant gunner readies a longer belt. Standard Menghean tactical doctrine still appears to favor the 100-round box, but exercises since 2017 have shown more use of the 50-round contact magazine.

With minor modifications, the GCh-96 can be configured to fire from a non-disintegrating metal belt similar to the Ostlandian type used on the MG 42. This configuration is more common in tanks and on pintle mounts, where it is easier to recover and reuse spent belt sections. On these mounts, the gun can accept a second bag on the right side of the receiver to catch used sections of belt. Especially in enclosed mounts used on tanks, there may also be a larger bag mounted behind this one to catch spent cartridges; this addition is also used during some training exercises to conserve brass.

Barrel

The barrel on the standard GCh-96 is 596 millimeters long from the rear of the chamber to the back of the openings in the flash hider. It is rifled with four grooves that follow a 1 in 12 twist. The end of the barrel is threaded to allow the installation of various attachments; normal Army service GCh-96s have a flash hider, but muzzle brakes, suppressors, and blank-cartridge training devices can also be fitted.

The barrel change mechanism is taken directly from the FN MAG. The operator first depresses a lever on the right side, then pulls the barrel forward using the carrying handle. He then slides a new barrel on from above and turns it clockwise, waiting for seven clicks to know that it is secured. The GCh-96Ch used in tanks does not allow barrel changes while installed in the vehicle.

Furniture

The trigger assembly on the GCh-96 is relatively simple, and consists of a sear pin which angles up into the receiver. Once the bolt carrier is cocked in the rear position, this sear holds it in place. The sear depresses when the trigger is pulled, allowing the bolt carrier to move forward.

Variants "N" and "D" both use polymer furniture rather than wood, a measure intended to further save weight. The buttstock contains an internal compartment with cleaning and maintenance accessories, which can be accessed by removing the rear panel. The "N" variant, intended for dismounted infantry use, adds a polymer handguard on the underside of the barrel, allowing the gunner to more safely carry the weapon.

The "D" variant takes an additional step, adding a heat shield to the rearmost section of the barrel to further reduce the risk of accidental burns. This heat shield is made of polymer but attached to the barrel via a metal mount, and comes off with the barrel during a barrel change. This variant also incorporates a modified handguard with Hwasŏng frame slots on the bottom and along either side. These allow the operator to mount a laser sight or foregrip. Such modifications are rare in regular units but are favored by the special forces.

Variants "N" and "D" also feature an integral bipod mounted on the gas tube. This can be folded underneath the handguard, where it locks in place.

Sights

The rear iron sight on the GCh-96 is nearly identical to that on the PN. The front sight is similar, but its side panels are more angular, forming a half-square rather than a semicircle. The iron sights can be adjusted in 100-meter increments from ranges of 0 to 1,500 meters.

On the "G" and "N," there is a dovetail rail on the left side of the receiver behind the cartridge ejection port. This follows the same dimensions and clearances as that on the JS-67 assault rifle and GCh-77 machine gun, and allows the operator to mount night vision devices, telescopic sights, and reflector sights. On the GCh-96D, this is replaced by a Hwasŏng rail on top of the cover. The cover mount is somewhat more prone to losing zero during reloading or disassembly, but for a machine gun built for automatic fire the effect is minor.

Variants

GCh-96Ch

This variant, given the suffix Cha (차 / 車) denoting a vehicle mount, is designed for use as a co-axial weapon on tanks, IFVs, and other armored vehicles. It lacks a buttstock, handguard, or carrying handle, and is fired by a solenoid trigger rather than a manual grip. It also features a spring-loaded charging handle which a crew member pulls back by means of a hanging cable and then releases to move forward under spring pressure. The barrel itself is also thicker and heavier, making it less prone to overheating.

Generally, the GCh-96Ch is fed from non-disintegrating metal belts, which are collected in a bin underneath the belt ejection port. A separate bin collects spent cartridges. With minor adjustment, it can also be made to fire disintegrating belts.

GCh-96G

One of the two original service variants, the GCh-96Ch adds a trigger group, buttstock, and under-receiver clip for a 100-round ammunition box, but lacks a handguard or barrel cover. It is meant to be fired from a tripod or pintle mount.

GCh-96N

The original counterpart to the GCh-96G, variant "N" was designed for use as a light machine gun. It adds a handguard and a bipod on the underside of the barrel and gas tube assembly to allow easier firing without additional support. It still retains a pivoting mount where the receiver meets the gas tube, allowing the gunner to mount the weapon on any pintle mount designed for the GCh-96G. This is the most common variant currently in service.

GCh-96D

Introduced in 2012, the GCh-96D is an incremental upgrade of the GCh-96N for dismounted infantry use. The only major changes are the addition of a Hwasŏng rail on top of the receiver cover to allow the mounting of new scope options, the replacement of the old handguard with a Hwasŏng frame, and the addition of a heat shield on top of the barrel to reduce the burn risk to the operator after a period of sustained fire.

Service

The GCh-96 entered service with the Menghean Army in 1997, shortly after being approved for mass production. It was initially issued as a 1:1 replacement for existing GCh-77 machine guns at the battalion level. Units thus equipped had three two-man MG teams, compared to two three-man MG teams, and fired from the bipod rather than the tripod.

In 2003, the Menghean Army began issuing GCh-96s as squad automatic weapons, reorganizing the 10-man motorized rifle squad to include a GCh-96 gunner and assistant gunner rather than a single gunner on the GCh-67. This organization persisted until 2012, when the Menghean Army reverted to a 10-man squad layout with two separate LMGs in place of a single GPMG. GCh-96s were moved up to the company level. This change was apparently made in response to the GCh-96's weight and bulk, and out of a doctrinal recognition that two LMGs could alternate firing during reloading and maneuver and thus provide more consistent automatic fire.

All variants of the GCh-96 saw extensive service in the Ummayan Civil War and the Innominadan Crisis. Menghean crews reported that the weapon had very good reliability and ease of maintenance, especially compared to the notoriously failure-prone GCh-77, and was easy to control during automatic fire. International evaluations have found that it falls somewhere between the PNM and FN MAG in terms of weight and overall performance.

Despite the success of the GCh-96 in the infantry role, it remains less common on Menghean armored vehicles. The JCh-6 tank and BSCh-9 IFV were both designed to use the GCh-77Ch as their co-axial weapon, albeit in an improved variant machined to better tolerance levels. Apparently, this decision stemmed from the GCh-77's smaller frontal profile and its ability to conduct a barrel change while under armor. The GCh-96 did enter widespread service as a pintle-mounted weapon, serving on helicopters, light vehicles, and small boats.

Menghe has also exported the GCh-96 to other members of the Namhae Front, including Ummayah and Qusayn. Polvokia considered adopting the GCh-96 in 2004, but ultimately decided to continue using machine-guns in the PN family, which used the 7.62×54mm rimmed round.

Users

• Menghe: Standard general-purpose machine gun of the Menghean Army's active units.
• Qusayn
• Template:Country data Ummayah