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 [1] [2] [ user-generated source ] 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 [ citation needed ] 2025 Cambodia–Thailand conflict [3]
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. ^{[4] [5]} According to the Norinco website, the rifle is officially known as CQ 5.56. ^[6] CQ stands for ChangQing, the name of its manufacturer. ^[5]

History

China began manufacturing weapons that were captured during the Vietnam War from the Americans and their allies after North Vietnam, Khmer Rouge and Pathet Lao forces handed it over to them and as well as other communist allies such as Warsaw Pact and North Korea for evaluation. ^{[7] [8]}

The CQ was first introduced in the early 1980s. This weapon is chambered for 5.56×45mm cartridges and it was intended for export sales. ^[9] Two variants of the CQ rifle were made: the CQ 5.56, also known as the CQ-311 or CQ M-311, the select-fire variant for Military/LE sales; and the CQ M311-1, the semiautomatic version for the civilian market. Later, a carbine variant was introduced, called the CQ 5.56mm Type A. The semi-auto sport rifle has been successful in the civilian market.^{[ citation needed ]}

Design

Main article: AR-15–style rifle

The CQ is a gas-operated, rotating-bolt full-automatic firearm that feeds from factory-made 20- or 30-round magazines (STANAG magazine clones), firing the M193 "Ball" 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge (manufactured in China by Norinco as the Type CJ cartridge). The Type CQ rifle has a three-position fire selector: safe, single shot, and full-automatic fire. ^{[ citation needed ]}

Accessories

According to the manufacturer's website, the Type CQ assault rifle can be equipped with an under-barrel grenade launcher. ^{[ citation needed ]}

Differences

Though it has the same look as the M16 rifle, there are some modifications to various parts.

The Type CQ rifle, in both its military/LE and civilian variants, has a 1:12 rifling pitch which allows it to properly stabilize the M193 "Ball" variant of the 5.56 mm ammunition or the Type CJ Chinese clone, as well as any .223 Remington commercial cartridge variant that can be stabilized by the 1:12 pitch rifling barrel (normally Varmint or other simple sporter cartridges, up to a maximum bullet weight of 55 gr (3.6 g)). ^{[ citation needed ]}

Type CQ is chambered in "5.56×45mm NATO", but it will not optimally stabilize the NATO standard 5.56mm ammunition (the SS109, M855 in US service), which requires a 1:9–1:7 pitch rifling barrel due to a bullet weight of 62 gr (4.0 g).

Variants

Norinco Type CQ M311-1 .223-Remington semi-automatic rifle – Italian civilian market model, with 5-rounds DPMS clear plastic magazine

CQ 5.56

Also known as the CQ-311 or the CQ M-311, the CQ is the select-fire assault rifle version intended for military and police use.

The weapon sports a 508 mm (20.0 in) barrel with a 1:12 rifling twist.

CQ 311-1

Also known as the or the CQ M311-1, ^[1] this rifle is the civilian version of the military model.

The CQ M311-1 is manufactured with a semi-automatic only trigger group, and the selector switch only has two positions, for safety and fire.^{[ citation needed ]} The 1:12 barrel rifling allows the rifle to properly shoot and stabilize light .223 Remington commercial cartridges (55 gr (3.6 g) and under) and the military surplus 5.56×45mm M193 "Ball" ammunition widely available on the market. ^{[ citation needed ]}

CQ A

Norinco CQ-A semi-automatic rifle with 20" barrel sold in the Canadian civilian market. Shown with an EOTech style sight and Magpul furniture.

This variant introduced in the year 2006 in several defense expos worldwide is a copy of the American M4A1 carbine. ^[10]

CQ-D

The CQ-D is an export-specific automatic rifle of the CQ family, featuring upgraded Picatinny rails and foregrip and offered by the China Jing An Import & Export Corp, with reference to the Heckler & Koch HK416. ^[11]

CS/LM11

The CS/LM11  [ zh ] squad automatic weapon was unveiled in 2010 at foreign weapons expo conventions, made by Huaqing Machinery Company. ^[12] It can fire both SS109 and M193-based 5.56 NATO ammunition. ^[12] It is an offshoot of the CQ, with improvements made to barrel from 6,000 to 12,000 rounds fired. ^[12]

Foreign production

Armada rifle

The Armada rifle is a clone of the Norinco CQ manufactured by Shooter's Arms Manufacturing or S.A.M., also known as Shooter's Arms Guns & Ammo Corporation, headquartered in Metro Cebu, the Philippines.^{[ citation needed ]}

S.A.M. launched the Armada rifle in 2009, making it available to local government units and/or active law enforcement and military agencies in the Philippines and abroad. The Armada is a select-fire rifle manufactured in forged aluminum, uses a 22 in (560 mm) barrel with a 1:9 right-hand twist (able to stabilize both M193 "Ball" and SS109/M855 variants of the 5.56mm cartridge), Norinco CQ-style plastic parts (grip, stock, handguard), flip-up rear sight adjustable for windage, front post sight adjustable for elevation, and feeds by STANAG magazines.^{[ citation needed ]} The total weight of the weapon unloaded is claimed to reach 3.3 kg (7.3 lb), with an overall length of 38.5 in (980 mm). ^[13]

A carbine version of the Armada rifle, similar to the Norinco CQ 5.56mm Type A, has also been launched under the name of Trailblazer. ^[14]

DIO Model S-5.56

In the year 2003, the Defense Industries Organization of Iran began marketing the S-5.56 rifle (also known as the Sayyad), an unlicensed clone of the Type CQ. ^[15] It is also known as SRAG-15. It was first unveiled in the West^{[ specify ]} in 2001. ^[16]

The S-5.56 was originally designed for export sales, but has been shown in use by Quds Force, the special forces of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard. ^[17]

The rifle itself is offered in two variants. The S-5.56 A1 with a 19.9 in (510 mm) barrel and 1:12 pitch rifling (1 turn in 305 mm), optimised for the use of the M193 Ball cartridge. ^{[17] [18]} The S-5.56 A3 with a 20 in (510 mm) barrel and a 1:7 pitch rifling (1 turn in 177, 8 mm), optimized for the use of the SS109 cartridge. ^[17]

Civilian sales

A Dominion Arms DA 556, made by Norinco for the Canadian civilian market, with an EOTech sight, and Magpul furniture.

The CQ M311-1 was first available in the North American market in 1987, when only 500 units were sold before the import was halted; ^[1] reasons for this halt are stated to be several by many sources: the restrictions applied in the United States since 1989 (an import ban signed by George H. W. Bush on 41 types of military-style firearms in the aftermath of the Stockton massacre), a copyright infringement lawsuit from Colt against Norinco or an agreement between the two companies.^{[ citation needed ]}

The CQ M311-1 semiautomatic rifle was available in Canada until it was reclassified as a Prohibited Firearm on May 1, 2020, ^[19] while any further import into the United States still remains impossible due to legal restrictions.^{[ citation needed ]}

A semi-automatic version of the CQ-A carbine was available on the civilian market for sports shooters in Canada (until their prohibition), ^{[10] [19]} Italy, ^[20] Ukraine, ^[21] and South Africa. ^[10]

Operators

Map with Norinco CQ users in blue

• Cambodia: Type CQ 311 used by Royal Cambodian Army, ^[10] along with M16 rifle. CQ 5.56mm Type A used by 911 Para-Commando Special Forces.^{[ citation needed ]}
• China: Said to be used by the People's Armed Police Snow Leopard Commando Unit ^[10] , Chongqing Police's SWAT unit (Lightning Assault Team) ^[5] and Pengzhou Police ^[22] .
• Iran: Used by Revolutionary Guards special forces. CQ 5.56mm and CQ Type A (limited quantity) variants. Iran locally produces its own variant, S-5.56. ^[23]
• Libya: Used by National Liberation Army. ^[24]
•   North Korea: CQ and CQ-A used by Korean People's Army Ground Force ^[25]
• Paraguay: Norinco CQ-5.56mm Type A adopted by the Paraguayan Army Forces. ^[26]
• Philippines: 6000 units of the CQ-A5 rifle were donated by the Chinese government to the AFP were transferred to the PNP in two batches in June and October 2017 respectively. ^[27]
• Russia: 1000 CQ-A rifles were shipped to Russia in 2022 from China. ^[28]
• Senegal ^[29]
• South Sudan: Used by Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement, South Sudan Liberation Movement and Lou Nuer and Murle militias ^[30]
• Sudan: CQ M311-1 Used by the South Sudan Democratic Movement/Army ^{[ citation needed ]}
• Syria: Used by the Syrian Arab Army, captured from rebels in the Syrian Civil War. ^{[31] [32]}
• Thailand: Sold to the Royal Thai Navy and Air and Coastal Defense Command. ^[10]
• Yemen ^[33]

References

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2. "苏联人在阿富汗缴获的装备 啥好东西都有" [The equipment seized by the Soviets in Afghanistan has everything] Archived May 7, 2016, at the Wayback Machine (in Chinese) Retrieved April 20, 2016.
3. "Small Arms of the 2025 Thai-Cambodia Border Clash". The Armourers Bench. August 8, 2025. Retrieved August 9, 2025.
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5. "中国兵工厂曾靠生产冰箱糊口 后造世界名枪畅销全球". mil.sina.cn. February 14, 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
6. "NORINCO sport". www.norincoequipment.cn. Archived from the original on September 12, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
7. Mizokami, Kyle (January 5, 2019). "China Cloned the M16: Meet the Norinco CQ Rifle". The National Interest. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
8. "So Many Countries Have Copied And Improved The M16". 21st Century Asian Arms Race. August 11, 2018. Archived from the original on August 15, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
9. "CQ / M311 assault rifle (China)". Modern Firearms. Archived August 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved August 10, 2007.
10. "The Chinese CQA". Small Arms Defense Journal. May 8, 2014. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
11. "Automatic Rifle CQ-D 5.56mm _Rifle_Weapon_Products_Jing an". Archived from the original on November 13, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
12. "第四届中国（北京）国际警用装备及反恐技术装备展览会新品呈献 - 本刊专递 - QBQ-轻兵器". Archived from the original on August 29, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
13. S.A.M. "Armada" assault rifle on the manufacturer's website Archived July 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved November 7, 2009.
14. S.A.M. "Trailblazer" assault carbine on the manufacturer's website Archived July 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved November 7, 2009.
15. "Archived copy". www.diomil.ir. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
16. "The Gun Zone – A 5.56 × 45mm 'Timeline' 1986–1989". thegunzone.com. Archived from the original on February 10, 2011. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
17. "Iranian 5.56mm Rifles: From S5.56 to Masaaf". Silah Report. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
18. Jones & Ness (2010), p. 166.
19. "Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted". Justice Laws Website. May 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
20. Norinco M4 sporter carbine as imported by Nuova Jager S.r.l. Archived July 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved October 8, 2010.
21. "7-62 - Карабин нарезной Norinco CQ-A кал. 223 Rem - купить нарезное оружие в Киеве, магазин нарезного оружия, полу автомат". Archived from the original on November 18, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
22. 彭州公安鸣枪凭吊地震中牺牲民警(图)_网易新闻中心 Archived 2009-04-08 at the Wayback Machine 2009年10月9日核实
23. A closer look at Iran’s CQ rifles Archived February 19, 2016, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved Feb 19, 2016.
24. Small Arms of the 2011 Libyan Conflict Archived May 8, 2014, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved September 3, 2013.
25. "North Korean Small Arms (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)". Small Arms Review. Vol. 16, no. 2. June 2012. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
26. "Paraguay army using Chinese M4 clone (CQ 5.56)". September 3, 2008.
27. "PH gets 3,000 more assault rifles from China". Rappler. October 5, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
28. "'Hunting rifles' — really? China ships assault weapons and body armor to Russia". POLITICO. March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
29. Jackson J Wood (April 17, 2012). "Independence Day". jacksonjwood.com. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
30. Small Arms Survey (2014). "Weapons tracing in Sudan and South Sudan" (PDF). Small Arms Survey 2014: Women and guns (PDF). Cambridge University Press. p. 226. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 14, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
31. Made in China: The Chinese Rifles and Guns of the Syrian Civil War
32. Weapons and Equipment Tied to Shiite Militias Archived March 24, 2016, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved February 19, 2016.
33. Mick F. [@AnalystMick] (November 5, 2019). "Chinese Norinco CQ for sale in #Yemen" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

Bibliography

• Jones, Richard D.; Ness, Leland S., eds. (2010). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2010-2011. Jane's Publishing. ISBN   978-0710629081.