Chinese Assault Rifle (Fallout 3)

The Chinese Assault Rifle is a Small Guns weapon in Fallout 3.

Characteristics
The Chinese Assault Rifle is a second-tier, general purpose automatic firearm. Chambered with the same 5.56mm ammo as the R91 Assault Rifle, it is the most powerful of the generic assault rifles in base damage, DPS, and durability. It has the same ammo capacity, AP cost, and spread statistic as other assault rifles (though it appears less accurate in practice). It may also suffer the same weakness in close quarters combat as other rifles (see below). Regardless, it remains a formidable automatic weapon for any Small Guns character in the early to late-game.

Due to the abundance of ammunition, a Chinese Assault Rifle makes a fine main combat weapon through the majority of the game, two to three magazines can destroy a Sentry Bot from close range.

Variants

 * Xuanlong Assault Rifle is available by completing the unmarked Jiggs' Loot quest.
 * Jericho's Chinese Assault Rifle is only obtainable via console command.
 * A variant named Chinese Dragoon Assault Rifle can be found in the data files for Operation: Anchorage; it can only be obtained via console commands.
 * An additional variant with 1000 damage can also be found in Operation: Anchorage, used in the  and cannot be obtained under normal circumstances.

Related Quests

 * Economics of Violence

Acquiring the Chinese Assault Rifle
The Chinese Assault Rifle seems to be less common than the R91, but plenty can be found in many locations throughout The Capital Wasteland and from certain NPC's. At higher PC levels, Super Mutant Masters carry this weapon thus making it more accessible.

Background
It was designed and manufactured by Chinese industrial conglomerate Norinco for the People's Liberation Army during the Resource Wars, for the purpose of equipping the Chinese infiltrators and American fifth-columnists. To this end, it was chambered for the abundant NATO 5.56mm round.

Thousands of these weapons were smuggled into the US for use by Chinese operatives and sympathizers on the East Coast, and many remain functional even two hundred years after the Great War. These rifles are also proven to be ready for manufacturing in post-war conditions.

Surviving examples are used by various groups and individuals in the Capital Wasteland, including super mutants (particularly super mutant masters), Talon Company mercenaries (on lower levels), Chinese commandos (before and after the war), certain scavengers and some members of the Brotherhood of Steel. It's also carried by Lucas Simms, sheriff of Megaton. Jericho is also armed with this weapon.

Operation: Anchorage
In the first add-on certain weapons have been re-skinned to make them look like actual pre-War weapons. The Chinese Assault Rifle is among the small group that was chosen for use in the add-on.

The new looks include brown-colored hand and fore grips, and the outer plating is a darker black with fewer scratches than the post-War version. The stats and name are exactly the same, but the durability (as with every in-simulation item) is near-infinite, making the weapon (almost) impervious to damage and frequent use. The only downside is that the condition must be lowered dramatically if you wish to repair this weapon up to 100%.

Despite the barriers the developers have placed to prevent looting, it is possible to acquire as many of these as you can carry and take them out of the simulation into the rest of the game, by using a combination of glitches. To do this you'll first need to prepare the simulation pod so you can take your pre-War items out of the simulation. A guide including a video with instructions can be found on the Operation: Anchorage bugs page.

Bugs

 * In close quarters conditions, the rifle can clip targets or level geometry. This causes all shots to miss or be absorbed by geometry, even when the muzzle protrudes beyond the obstruction. Also in V.A.T.S. mode, point-blank bursts sometimes inflict little or no damage.

Behind the scenes
The rifle's appearance is based on the AK family of weapons, but uses feature from multiple models: It's status as being the "Chinese Assault Rifle" is likely derived from the Type 56, a series of AK-47 copies manufactured in China.
 * The gas system, forward sight and muzzle break are from the Galil, an Israeli-made rifle.
 * The rear sight and hammer release delay are off of the AKM, which is the "Modernized" AK-47 variant.
 * The squared-off receiver and non-reciprocating charging handle are only found on the 1946 prototype of the original AK rifle.
 * The handguard is from the RPD, a Soviet light machine gun.
 * The Type 84S, a civilian variant of the Type 56 is also chambered for the 5.56x45mm NATO round.

Appearances
Chinese Assault Rifles appear only in Fallout 3.