China NORINCO
QSZ-92
A polymer-framed service pistol developed to replace the Type 54 (Tokarev copy) as the standard sidearm of the People's Liberation Army, produced in both 9×19mm export and 5.8×21mm domestic-cartridge variants. It is issued alongside police and paramilitary forces across China.
In service since 1998 · 5 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
50
m range
350
m/s
15
rds
💲 ≈ $400 — Approximate export unit price estimate
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Chinese state channel
State export agencies (NORINCO/CATIC); limited availability to Western-aligned states.
Channel: State export agency
Fielded & proven
Established · 5 operators
In service since 1998. Status: active · ~500,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Effective range
Distance at which the weapon reliably hits point targets. Higher extends engagement envelope.
- 50 m Stronger than 50% of pistols
- Muzzle velocity
Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration.
- 350 m/s Stronger than 26% of pistols
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 5.8×21 mm DAP92
- Caliber
Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.
- 5.8 mm
- Ammunition
Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.
- 15 Stronger than 43% of pistols
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 0.19 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 1 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 1
- Barrel length
Barrel length — longer improves muzzle velocity and accuracy, shorter improves handling.
- 111 mm
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $400 Stronger than 83% of pistols
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 500,000 Stronger than 36% of pistols
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 5 Stronger than 12% of pistols
Specifications compiled from public NORINCO and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Beretta 92FS 
FN Herstal Browning Hi-Power 
Ceska zbrojovka (CZ) CZ 75 Frequently asked questions
How many crew does the NORINCO QSZ-92 require? +
The NORINCO QSZ-92 requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the NORINCO QSZ-92? +
The NORINCO QSZ-92's primary weapon is the 5.8×21 mm DAP92.
What is the NORINCO QSZ-92 used for? +
The NORINCO QSZ-92 is a pistol & sidearm typically used for infantry combat.
How many countries operate the NORINCO QSZ-92? +
The NORINCO QSZ-92 is operated by 5 countries.
How much does the NORINCO QSZ-92 cost? +
The NORINCO QSZ-92 has an approximate unit cost of 400 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
