Norinco CQ
| Norinco CQ 5.56 | |
|---|---|
The NORINCO Type CQ 5.56×45mm NATO assault rifle, right side | |
| Type | Assault rifle |
| Place of origin | China |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1980s–present |
| Used by | See Operators |
| Wars | Soviet–Afghan War War in Darfur Ethnic violence in South Sudan Libyan Civil War Syrian Civil War South Sudanese Civil War Sudanese civil war (2023–present) Gaza war 2025 Cambodia–Thailand conflict |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Norinco |
| Manufacturer | Norinco |
| Produced | 1983–present |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 2.9 kg (Empty) |
| Length | 1000 mm (39,3 in) |
| Barrel length | 508 mm (20 in.) |
| Cartridge | 5.56×45mm NATO (only non-NATO standard 55-grain M193 "Ball" cartridge), .223 Remington (Semi-automatic sporter model) |
| Caliber | 5.56mm |
| Action | Gas operated, rotating bolt |
| Rate of fire | 900 RPM (Select-fire version only) |
| Muzzle velocity | 990 m/s (3,200 ft/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 460 m (1,510 ft) |
| Feed system | 20/30-round detachable box magazine (STANAG 4179) |
| Sights | Iron sights |
The Type CQ is an unlicensed Chinese variant of the M16 rifle manufactured by Sichuan Changqing Machine Works, a subsidiary of Norinco. According to the Norinco website, the rifle is officially known as CQ 5.56. CQ stands for ChangQing, the name of its manufacturer.