T65

The T65 was developed by the Combined Logistics Command of the Republic of China Armed Forces, with the project beginning in 1968 as an effort to replace the American-supplied M14 rifles then in Taiwanese service. It was the first 5.56×45mm NATO rifle adopted by Taiwan. The prototype shown in 1975 drew on the Armalite AR-18 short-stroke gas system while remaining close to the AR-15 family in overall layout, differing in its iron sights, stock shape and handguards. The designation refers to Year 65 of the Republic of China calendar, corresponding to 1976, when the design was finalised. Early production rifles were reported to perform poorly; subsequent revisions produced the T65K2.

The T65 is a gas-operated, select-fire rifle using a two-part aluminium receiver of AR-15 type and a rotating bolt near identical to that of the AR-15. In place of the AR-15's direct gas impingement system it uses a short-stroke gas piston, located above the barrel and enclosed within the handguards, with its own recovery spring. On firing, gas drives the piston rearward against the front of the bolt carrier, which then travels back under inertia. The fire selector has three positions: safe, semi-automatic and fully automatic. The original T65 replaced the M16-pattern carrying handle with a rear sight block; the carrying handle returned on the T65K2. The rifle feeds from STANAG magazines compatible with AR-15 pattern rifles and accepts a bayonet copied from the M7.

The T65 series was the standard front-line rifle of the Republic of China Army and the Republic of China Marine Corps until the T91 replaced it in the early 2000s. It remains in use with Taiwan's Army Reserves, Army Basic Training Centers, Air Force and the National Police Agency. Experience with the type led to the T86 carbine and subsequently the T91 carbine. Variants include the T65K1, T65K2, T65K2 Carbine and T65K3. Export users have included Costa Rica, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Liberia, Libya, Nicaragua, Panama and Paraguay. The Panama Defense Forces acquired 10,000 rifles before adopting AK-pattern weapons; El Salvador issued the type to both military and police, while Haitian and Honduran police also fielded it.