  We have determined mass loss rates and gas expansion velocities for a sample
of 69 M-type irregular (IRV; 22 objects) and semiregular (SRV; 47 objects)
AGB-variables using a radiative transfer code to model their circumstellar CO
radio line emission. We believe that this sample is representative for the mass
losing stars of this type. The (molecular hydrogen) mass loss rate distribution
has a median value of 2.0E-7 solar masses per year. M-type IRVs and SRVs with a
mass loss rate in excess of 5E-7 solar masses per year must be very rare, and
among these mass losing stars the number of sources with mass loss rates below
a few 10E-8 solar masses per year must be small. We find no significant
difference between the IRVs and the SRVs in terms of their mass loss
characteristics. Among the SRVs the mass loss rate shows no dependence on the
period. Likewise the mass loss rate shows no correlation with the stellar
temperature. The gas expansion velocity distribution has a median of 7.0 km/s.
The mass loss rate and the gas expansion velocity correlate well, a result in
line with theoretical predictions for an optically thin, dust-driven wind. In
general, the model produces line profiles which acceptably fit the observed
ones.
  We have compared the results of this M-star sample with a similar C-star
sample analysed in the same way. The mass loss rate characteristics are very
similar for the two samples. On the contrary, the gas expansion velocity
distributions are clearly different. In particular, the number of low-velocity
sources is much higher in the M-star sample. We found no example of the sharply
double-peaked CO line profile, which is evidence of a large, detached CO-shell,
among the M-stars. About 10% of the C-stars show this phenomenon.
