Type 24 (Chiang Kai-Shek Rifle)

History

After the ROC purchased the stockpile of the German Mauser Kar 98 bolt-action rifle, itself a shortened version of the 1898 full-length 98 bolt-action rifle, the ROC began to localize this weapon in a similar form as "Zhongguang", commonly known as "Zhongzheng Rifle" (named after the military leader), and officially named "24-type" (based on the 24th year of the Chinese calendar). The Type 24 was one of two standardized service rifles in service with the Republic of China during World War II - the other being the "Hanyang 88".

The Type 24 saw combat during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), the Chinese Civil War (1927-1936, 1946-1950) and the Korean War (1950-1953) and was used by allied and enemy forces.

At the heart of the

24 was the typical bolt-action rifle of the time, with a continuous wooden stock, open muzzle and bayonet buckle. The action is located at the rear of the fuselage and is operated by manual operation of the bolt lever handle. The wooden frame contains the grip and shoulder rest, as well as the front end of the strap with finger grooves to support the hand for a firmer grip. The trigger ring is strapped under the body as usual. The barrel protrudes a short distance from the body, the front sighting device is attached to the muzzle, and the rear sighting device is directly in front of the action (like the German Kar 98).

The gun has a total weight of 9 pounds and an overall length of nearly 44 inches. The barrel is 24 inches long.

The Type 24 holds the 8x57mm IS cartridge (also known as the 7.92x57mm Mauser), a proven personnel block with good penetration at range. The bolt-action system feeds the rifle through 5-round "clamps", each containing five ready-to-fire shells - the magazines are "stripped" from the magazines during bolt management. As such, rifles are limited to mounted cartridges, and since the magazine is fixed and removable internally, the gun cannot be "topped up" with a single cartridge. The effective range is about 550 yards and the muzzle velocity is 2,660 feet per second. An experienced coaching shooter can hit 15 rounds per minute.

A telescopic sight can be added to make a sniper model (sniper rifle), and the two swivel shoulder straps allow the use of the shoulder straps for marching.

The frontline contemporary of the Type 24 is the Arisaka Type 38 in Japan. Compared to the Chinese product, this bolt-action rifle lacks the stopping power and range of its smaller 6.5mm cartridge, but it stands out for its length. However, it was readily available in large quantities and proved to be the standard long gun for Japanese ground forces at the time.

In this way, the Chinese military generally enjoys some of the inherent advantages of weapons when fighting a long-term enemy. Production of the Type 24 spanned from 1935 to 1950, and although it has not been officially announced, total production may have reached 600,000. Production is handled by multiple ad hoc workshops in the country as well as several recognized arsenals in Kunxian, Hanyang, Jinglin and Guangzhou.

Chinese industry gradually grew to keep up with China's wartime needs.

The Type 24 was in service during World War II (1939-1945), but saw limited service in the following decades, especially as American-made weapons flooded the region during World War II. During the Korean War (1950-1953), a reserve stockpile of Type 24s continued to serve and still fought on the front lines (in the hands of the Communist Chinese) until they were relegated to security and ceremonial roles. Eventually, two brands of rifles appeared, simply called "Type 1" and "Type 2".

The Model 1 uses the original full-length Kar 98 barrel and front end, while the Model 2 features a shorter barrel and front end with downward-facing bolt action for a more compact approach.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes