QLZ-04 Chinese 35mm Automatic Grenade Launcher

The QLZ-04 is an automatic grenade launcher of Chinese origin. It was developed in the early 2000s as an alternative to the older QLZ-87 for use as a crew-served or vehicle-mounted weapon. The same ammunition as the QLZ-87 is used but the belt-fed design is better suited at providing support fire. The QLZ-04 is a gas-operated weapon and its 'free bolt mechanism' might refer to the use of the blowback principle. The belt feeds from the left and the belt box can be attached to the weapon. The QLZ-04 is tripod or pintle-mounted and is fitted with spade grips. Normally an optical sight is used and crude backup iron sights are available in the carrying handle. The QLZ-04 fires 35mm Type 87 grenades from a 30 round belt. The cyclic rate of fire is 350 to 400 rpm and the maximum range is 1.75 km. All types of 35mm rounds can be fired. A drawback is that switching ammunition types requires reloading and no dual-purpose ammunition is available.