Song Model 1956

The Song Model 1956, also known as the Type 56, is a weapons family developed by the Song Arsenal in the mid 1950s to serve as the basis of a family of infantry small arms. Initially comprising of a, , and , only the machine carbine and light machine gun would be accepted into service.

The Song Model 1956 carbine was the standard of the Unified Armies, with the exception of the, from its adoption in the mid 1950s until it's gradual replacement by the Type 20. It received several updates along its service life, most notably the addition of a side folding stock and optics mounting provisions.

Development
Development of the Model 1956 family started in the early 1950s as a replacement for the older equipment already in service with the Unified Armies at the time. Development of the weapons family was closely linked to the development of the new .256 Rjinders cartridge, with the driving notion to be the new standard in small arms, a cartridge and system able to provide accurate, automatic fire, out to 1,000 yards. Envisioned as a family of weapons that would replace most infantry small arms, it was to include a, a , sharpshooters rifle and a light machine gun. Early production prototypes saw service during the Kesh Wars after which several changes to the program and family were made. Firstly the repeating rifle was dropped, as it was seen to be superfluous as it provided nothing that the machine carbine did not and was in its form factor - appearing as little more than the traditional wood stocked rifles already in service only magazine fed and capable of semiautomatic fire (though it is worth noting that this style of rifle would see extensive use across the world). Secondly, the was  with the light machine gun as a sort of, though by the time of the 1956 formal adoption the only evidence of this was the longer barrel and longer graduated sights. By 1956 only the carbine and machine gun were accepted into service, with the repeating rifle variant dropped, and the sharpshooter role retained by the Tiperyn designed Model 1951 firing the heavier. The Model 1956 received two major updates, the first in the 1960s with slightly updated furniture and an optics mount on the side, and the second in the 1990s which moved the optics mount to the top of the receiver forwards of the rear sight. Unlike many firearms of the same era, the Model 1956 was able to be modernised with relative ease owing to it's light weight and somewhat forward thinking design. It is expected to serve.

Design
The Model 1956 Carbine is a shoulder fired, air cooled, magazine fed, short-recoil operated carbine that fires from a closed bolt. It features as standard a folding phenolic resin stock, ammunition clip guide, launcher, and folding bipod. It is equipped with a progressive trigger allowing single semi-automatic shots with a short pull, or fully automatic fire with a full through trigger pull. The safety is a three position located at the front of the trigger guard, being safe, fire, and grenade, which locks the bolt closed for rifle grenade firing without additional wear on components.

Model 1956 Machine Gun
The Model 1956 Machine Gun is an air cooled, magazine fed, short-recoil operated light machine gun of the same family as the Model 1956 carbine. Effectively it is a slightly enlarged carbine, with a reinforced receiver and trunnion, heavier barrel and a gas boosting muzzle device in palace of the rifle grenade launcher of the carbine. In Kayan service, it is mostly used as an automatic rifle in scout groups, or for units in which the heavier and larger Model 1957 would be too awkward, such as mechanised troops and paratroopers. It has also found use as an improvised sharpshooter rifle with optics mount, although the Tiperyn designed Model 1951 is preferred in that role. The Model 1956 Machine Gun is currently being replaced by the Model 2020 Machine Gun.

Users

 * Kaya: Standard service rifle of the Kayan Banner Armies, Air Forces, and Standard Army. Currently being replaced in service with the type 20. Model 1956 Light Machine Gun also in service, being phased out for the Mechatronix Model 2020 Machine Gun.
 * Amedi: Serves as both the standard service rifle and light machine gun in the People's Islamic Republican Guard and various state militias.
 * others