NORINCO 7.62 mm pistol Type 77
The NORINCO 7.62 mm Type 77 is a light pistol intended for equipping senior officers, military attachés and police. It fires the rimless 7.62 mm Type 64 cartridge, the round used with the Type 64 silenced pistol (see previous entry). There have been several `single-handed cocking' pistol designs. This version, one of the few to have any commercial success, originated in 1913-15 and was marketed by Bergmann and later by Lignose in Germany in the early 1920s. Description The design of the NORINCO Type 77 is rather unusual, reviving a long-defunct German system of operation. The pistol is a simple blowback weapon which can be carried with a loaded magazine and empty chamber. When required for use, the trigger finger is hooked around the front edge of the trigger guard and the guard pulled to the rear. This moves the slide back against its return spring and, if the finger is then released, the slide will run back and chamber a cartridge. By simply transferring the finger to the trigger the weapon is ready to fire almost instantly. The trigger guard is not permanently linked to the slide and so does not move during normal firing. This method of operation also has the advantage that, in the event of a misfire, the cartridge can be ejected single handed. The chamber is fluted to reduce the slide recoil velocity by reducing the gas pressure acting on the base of the cartridge case. This pistol should not be confused with the NORINCO 9 mm Type 77B. Specifications Cartridge: 7.62 × 17 mm (Type 64) Operation: blowback Feed: 7-round box magazine Weight: 500 g Length: 148 mm Muzzle velocity: 318 m/s Manufacturer China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) 12A Guang'anmen Nanjie, Beijing. Status Available.
Picture and information courtesy of: Janes Infantry Weapons
