I mean, wide applicability is surely a great problem. We got only type 89 SPGs (currently all out of service) that use 120mm guns. But yeah money might certainly be a problem too.
Uh, I think you misunderstood something. What I was talking about is adapting the current 105mm autoloader to fit the 125mm ammo, since it is just a simple chain rammer type anyway; there's no difference for the ammo, whether if it's one piece or two-piece if you're just going to ram in straight in. Case in point: Russian T-80 autoloader. When loading, the ammo tray lines up in 1 go unlike the 2 stages ones on T-72/90, then the chain rammer just rams the ammo straight in. The only difference with our imaginary Chinese 125mm bustle autoloader would be the location the autoloader is mounted; on the bustle instead of on the carousel. In our case, the ammo is already lined up in the autoloader. When the gunner/commander selects the ammo, the autoloader works just like in 105mm one; it finds the ammo type, drops down the ramp inside the turret, then just rams it straight into the gun.
Here's the video
for the T-80 autoloader. Pause at 0:05; that's what I'm talking about. Just line up and push.
As for the Italian 120mm gun thing, it's just to say that since someone definitely can design a 120mm gun that has low recoil and still accept full power 120mm NATO ammo, then PLA designers should also be able to design a 125mm gun that does the same low recoil thing and still accept full power 125mm ammo. They're pretty comparable in performance after all.
Okay, now that's cleared up, let's move on since they don't like the weight and got no money to do the R&D anyway
