The Tsingtao Type 16 submachine gun (also sometimes spelled as Tsing tao or Qingdao submachine gun) was developed in around 1927 (16th year of Chinese republic) at the Tsingtao Iron Works facory (青岛铁工厂). This submachine gun was also manufactured at the Dagu Naval shipyard (天津大沽造船厂生).

a Tsingtao Type 16 submachine gun less magazine

Apparently, significant numbers of these guns were produced until about 1938, when the Japanese occupation put an end to its manufacture. These submachine guns were extensively used during the inter-faction conflicts in China in 1930s, and later against the Japanese invaders. It is believed that its service continued for some time once the Communist party took over China in 1947, probably until its replacement with a 7.62mm Type 51 submachine gun, which was a licensed copy of the Soviet PPSh-41.

The Tsingtao Type 16 submachine gun is closely patterned after the famous Bergmann Schmeisser MP,18 submachine gun. These guns, mostly made under the German license in Switzerland by SIG as SIG MP-20, were supplied to China, and gave sufficient impression to warrant its local copying.

However, Chinese engineers made one noticeable change – they placed the magazine housing below the gun, as opposed to its left-side location on an MP.18 or MP.20. Otherwise a Type 18 is a fairly close copy of the SIG MP-20, with its simple blowback action. It fired in full automatic only and from an open bolt. Manual safety was made in the form of an L-shaped cut to lock the bolt handle in its rear position. Box magazines also followed the Schmeisser-Bergmann pattern, with double stack, single feed design and capacity of 30 or 50 rounds. Tsingtao submachine gun was equipped with a wooden stock and an adjustable rear sight, marked for distances from 100 to 500 meters.

Tsingtao Type 16 submachine gun specifications

Caliber: 7.63x25mm Mauser
Length: 832 mm
Barrel length: 200 mm
Weight, empty: 4.1 kg
Magazine capacity: 30 or 50 rounds
Rate of fire: 500 rounds per minute