35 mm grenade

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The QLZ-87 AGS is fitted with 35×32mm high-velocity grenades.

The 35 mm grenade is a type of grenade launcher ammunition of Chinese origin. The type consists of many high-velocity and low-velocity grenades with a caliber of 35 mm (1.38 in).

History[]

35 mm grenades are proprietary designs originated from China. In 1980s, China began to experiment with different types of grenade launchers. Chinese designers felt Soviet 30 mm grenades had inadequate firepower, while NATO 40 mm grenades lacked portability, resulting in the adoption of 35 mm grenades for their grenade launchers, such as QLZ-87 and QLZ-04.[1]

Grenade types[]

35 mm High velocity[]

35x32 mm Type 87[]

A Type 87 grenade launcher in the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution
QLZ-04 with 30 rounds 35x32 mm ammo container

The 35 mm Type 87 is a series of high velocity grenades designed for Type 87 grenade launcher and other automatic grenade launchers. The grenades are stabilized with spin rifling. Type 87 has a typeical grenade design with the propellant stored in the base, the warhead in the middle part and the fuse in the nose section. The grenade is semi-rimmed with relatively short cases.[1][2]

The shells can be stored in ammo box or attached to a belt. In additional to Type 87, the ammo can also be used by Type 04 automatic grenade launcher.[1][3] QLB-06, also known as QLZ-87B, is an improved version of the Type 87 grenade launcher shares the ammunition.[4]

Various warhead types are available for 35x32 mm Type 87:[5]

  • DFS-87 (Chinese: DFS-87杀伤弹): Anti-personnel fragmentation grenade with HE-Frag warhead.
  • DFJ-87 (Chinese: DFJ-87破甲杀伤弹): Dual purpose, Armor-piercing grenade with HEAT warhead.
  • DFR-87 (Chinese: DFR-87燃烧弹): Incendiary grenade.
  • DFN-87 (Chinese: DFN-87杀伤燃烧弹): Anti-personnel fragmentation incendiary grenade.
  • DFD-87 (Chinese: DFD-87烟雾弹): Smoke/marker grenade, with colored smoke.

Type 87 cartridge Specification:

  • Weight: 217—250g
  • Muzzle velocity: 190m/s
  • Maximum range: 1750m
  • Blast radius: 11m
  • Penetration: 80 mm of RHA.

35x32 mm Type 11[]

QLU-11 utilizes a new version of the 35x32 mm (through old types are compatible).[6] New ammunition is specifically designed for long range accuracy. Type 11 long range cartridge derived from the DFJ-87 armor-piercing grenade, but the weight is reduced from 217g to 200g due to lighter casing. Propellant takes larger percentage of the cartridge space, thus improving the velocity from 195m/s to 320 m/s. This modification greatly increases the recoil, which QLU-11 features advanced primer ignition (API) blowback to mitigate.[7]

35 mm Low velocity[]

35x115 mm Type 91[]

35x115 mm Type 91 grenade is a series of low velocity grenades designed for Type 91 grenade launcher, which comes with shoulder-launched, rifle-attached, and vehicle-mounted variants. The cartridge has conventional design for breech loading similar to NATO 40 mm low velocity grenades.[8]

Various warhead types are available for 35x115 mm Type 91, including but not limited to:[9]

  • DFB-91 (Chinese: DFB-91震爆弹): Stun grenade.
  • DFT-91 (Chinese: DFT-91痛球弹): Sting grenade.
  • DFR-91 (Chinese: DFR-91染色弹): Paintball grenade.
  • DFC-91 (Chinese: DFC-91催泪弹): Tear gas.
  • DFG-91 (Chinese: DFG-91闪光弹): Flashbang.

35x32 mm Type 10[]

Type 10 is a series of low velocity grenades designed for QLG-10 and QLG-10A rifle-attached grenade launcher. Standard Type 10 projectile is caseless,[10] and weights 169 gram with muzzle velocity of 78 meters per second.[11] QLG-10 is also compatible with older 35mm grenade ammunition.[12]

Various warhead types are available for 35x32 mm Type 10, including but not limited to:

  • DFS-10 (Chinese: DFS-10碰炸杀伤榴弹): High-explosive fragmentation grenade. Effective against infantry personal inside 400 m (1,300 ft) range.
  • DFS-10A (Chinese: DFS-10A跳炸杀伤榴弹): Bouncing air-burst fragmentation grenade with 400 m (1,300 ft) range. It's equipped with pre-set airburst munition and jump-up detonation fuse, similar to US M397A1 40mm cartridge.
  • DFJ-10 (Chinese: DFJ-10破甲杀伤榴弹): High-explosive dual purpose grenade that is effective against infantry personal inside 400 m (1,300 ft) range, as well as against light vehicles in 100 m (330 ft) range.
  • DFX-10 (Chinese: DFX-10弹道指示榴弹): Trajectory marker grenade with 400 m (1,300 ft) range, and can be used for trajectory adjustment for other grenade type.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "35x32mm Type 87 - Weaponsystems.net". weaponsystems.net.
  2. ^ "QLZ-87 / W87 - Modern Firearms". modernfirearms.net. 28 October 2010.
  3. ^ "QLZ-87 / W87 - Modern Firearms". modernfirearms.net. 28 October 2010.
  4. ^ "QLB-06 / QLZ-87B". Modern Firearms.
  5. ^ "QLZ-87". Guns' World.
  6. ^ "Weapons: Semi-Automatic Grenade Launchers". StrategyPage. November 8, 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  7. ^ "QLU11这款我军独创的武器 当真是"狙击榴"吗？". Sina News. 16 June 2020.
  8. ^ "QLG-10A". Military Today.
  9. ^ "QLL/QLG91". Guns's World.
  10. ^ "QLG-10 35 mm underbarrel grenade launcher". Military Today.
  11. ^ "QLG-10". Modern Firearms.
  12. ^ "军事丨国产10式枪挂榴弹，堪称单兵小炮". Sina News. 13 January 2020.
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