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Sumitomo Type 74


74式車載7.62mm機関銃


Overview

Type 74

Rear view of a Type 74 coaxial machine gun on display.
Source: Unknown author - © copyright lies with original owner

Origin
Japan
Type
Vehicle machine gun
Entered service
1974
Status
In service
Development
1960's
Developer
Japan
Production
Early 1970's - present?
Producer
Japan - Sumitomo
Number produced
Several thousand
Designations
74式車載7.62mm機関銃
Notable users
Japan - JGSDF

Description

Introduction

The Type 74 is a vehicle machine gun of Japanese origin. It was developed as a successor to the Browning M1919A4. The Type 74 was developed for use on the Type 74 main battle tanks and has been fitted to various subsequent Japanese combat vehicles.

Design

The Type 74 coaxial machine gun is a highly modified Type 62. Key differences are the plain and very thick barrel, spade grips and solenoid trigger. The pistol grip, bipod and wooden buttstock are not fitted. Even without the furniture the Type 74 is twice as heavy as the Type 62.

Firepower

The Type 74 is a belt fed machine gun chambered for 7.62x51mm NATO. It has a low and high rate of fire setting. The cyclic rate of fire is 700 or 1.000 rpm. The heavy barrel allows for a high volume of fire. Practical range is 1 km and area targets can be engaged out to 1.5 km.

Platforms

The Type 74 was introduced as coaxial machine gun on the Type 74 main battle tank. The Type 74 can be found on many armored vehicles of Japanese origin since then. It was also retrofitted to some vehicles already in service, such as the Type 73 tracked armored personnel carrier.

Details

Facts Type 74
General
Origin
Japan
Type
Vehicle machine gun
Caliber
Caliber
7.62x51mm NATO
Feed system
Belt fed
Barrel length
625 mm (barrel only)
702 mm (with flash hider)
Rifling
Right hand twist
Operation
Action
Gas operated, long stroke gas piston
Locking
Rotating bolt
Fire selector
0 - F
Rate of fire
700 rpm (low setting)
1.000 rpm (high setting)
Dimensions
Stock type
None
Length
1.085 mm
Weight
20.4 kg empty
Sights
Mechanical
Back up iron sights with short sight base since front sight located directly front of feed tray

Media

Platforms

Type 74

Forward view of Type 74 main battle tank.
Source: www.rikuzi-chousadan.com - © Copyright lies with original owner

The following vehicles are armed with Type 74:

Type 74
The Type 74 main battle tank was the first vehicle to be fitted with the Type 74 vehicle machine gun.
Type 87 RV
The Type 87 wheeled reconnaissance vehicle uses a Type 74 as coaxial weapon alongside the 25mm KBA autocannon.
Type 89
The Type 89 mechanized infantry combat vehicle uses a Type 74 as coaxial machine gun alongside the 35mm KDE autocannon.
Type 90
The Type 74 also serves as the coaxial machine gun on the Type 90 main battle tank, which was used alongside the earlier Type 74.
Type 10
The Type 10 main battle tank is the most modern tank in Japanese service. A Type 74 is used as a coaxial weapon.
Type 16
The Type 16 Maneuver Combat Vehicle is a wheeled fighting vehicle with Type 74 alongside the 105mm rifled gun.

Related articles

Sumitomo Type 62

The Type 74 vehicle machine gun was derived from the earlier Type 62 machine gun for infantry use.

Read more about Sumitomo Type 62