T-65

     Notes: The new standard Taiwanese assault rifle, the Type 65 is in large-scale issue only within Airborne, Special Forces, MP, and Marines. The Type 65 was also the standard Panamanian assault rifle until its replacement by the AKM; they used the K1 version. The Type 65 is produced on a production line set up for license production of the M-16A1.

     The T-65 is basically an M-16 body with new dial-adjustable rear sights (with the rear sights mounted on a bracket where the rear sights would be on an M-16A1), wider, round handguards and no carrying handle. The bolt and gas system are modified versions of the AR-18 system.  Early production T-65s had a receiver made of stamped steel, but this was quickly switched to aluminum alloy.  The trigger guard is the same as an experimental M-16 arctic trigger guard.  The K2 version differs from the K1 primarily in the burst-control mechanism and the shorter length of the barrel.  The T-65K3 is basically the same as the T-65K2, except that it has a longer and heavier barrel than the T-65K2 (but shorter than the T-65K1’s barrel).

     A further modification of the T-65 (with no official designation I have been able to discover; I have tentatively called it the T-65K4 below, but it has in the past been erroneously called the T-68) uses a modification of the M-16A1’s bolt and gas system, and has a significantly higher rate of fire.  This model can use, in addition to standard M-16-type magazines, clear plastic 30-round magazines designed for the weapon. 

     The T-86 is essentially the equivalent of the M-4 carbine for the T-65 series.  The T-86 uses a barrel only slightly longer than the M-4’s (14.8 inches), and has a similar collapsible stock. The T-86 does have a carrying handle, but this carrying handle contains a 1.5x optical sight tube.  There is a bracket underneath the barrel near the muzzle which can mount either a bayonet, laser aiming module, or various tactical lights.  The T-86 is otherwise basically a re-done T-65K1 or K2, using the same hybrid M-16/AR-18 system.  Reportedly, a version of the T-86 with a much shorter barrel has also been produced and issued in very small numbers to Taiwanese special operations troops, but I have no other information on that version.