Nambu Pistol
Nambu Pistol Model 14 (1925)
Type	Semi-automatic pistol
Place of origin	Japan
Service history
In service	-1945
Used by	Japan
Wars	Second World War
Production history
Designer	Kijiro Nambu
Designed	1902
Produced	1906 - 1945
Number built	10,300 (Type A, all variants) 279,000 (Type 14)
Variants	Type 4, Type 14
Specifications
Weight	900 g (1.98 lb) unloaded
Length	230 mm (9.06 in)
Barrel length	117 mm (4.61 inches)
Width	720 g
Cartridge	8 mm x 22 mm
Caliber	8 mm
Action	recoil-spring
Feed system	8 round box magazine

The Nambu pistol was a semi-automatic pistol used by the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy during the First and Second World Wars. The pistol had two variations, the Type A (also called the Type 4), and the Type 14 (十四年式). Nambu Model 14 (1925) 8mm Pistol downloaded from [1] File links The following pages link to this file: Nambu pistol Categories: U.S. Army images ... Springfield Armory M1911A1 . ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Kijiro Nambu Kijiro Nambu (1869-1949) A prolific Japanese small arms designer. ... BIC pen cap, about 1 gram. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The word calibre (British English) or caliber (American English) designates the interior diameter of a tube or the exterior diameter of a wire or rod. ... In firearms terminology, an action is the system of operation that the firearm employs to seal the breech (in a breech-loading firearm), and to load consecutive rounds. ... A 30-round STANAG magazine. ... Springfield Armory M1911A1 . ... Japans honor guard often marches to greet the arrival of foreign dignitaries. ... The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) (大日本帝國海軍 Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kaigun or 日本海軍 Nippon Kaigun) was the navy of Japan before 1945. ... Combatants Allied Powers: Russian Empire France British Empire Italy United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary German Empire Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Robert Nivelle Herbert Henry Asquith Sir Douglas Haig Sir John Jellicoe Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Armando Diaz Woodrow... Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000,000 Total dead: 50,000,000 Military dead: 8,000,000 Civilian dead: 4,000,000 Total dead 12,000,000 World War II (abbreviated WWII), or the Second World War, was a worldwide conflict... Type 14 8 mm Nambu Pistol Introduced Year : 1925 Caliber : 8 mm Barrel Length : 117 mm Length : 230 mm Weight : 900 g Magazine : 8 rounds Production Qty : 280,000 Kijiro Nambu was the designer of the Nambu pistols. ...

History

The origins of the pistol go back to the design by Kijiro Nambu in 1902. He was a prolific arms designer who is sometimes called the "John Browning of Japan". Although the pistol bears a superficial resemblance to the German Luger, it was not based on the Luger's design. However, there is some sort of myth that it may have been based on the German Luger pistol. The Luger uses a recoil-toggle action while the Nambu employs a recoil-spring action. Kijiro Nambu Kijiro Nambu (1869-1949) A prolific Japanese small arms designer. ... John Moses Browning (January 21, 1855 – November 26, 1926), born in Ogden, Utah, was an American firearms designer who developed myriad varieties of weapons, cartridges, and gun mechanics, many of which are used in the U.S. military and elsewhere to this day. ... The Parabellum-Pistole (Pistol Parabellum), popularly known as the Luger pistol is a semi-automatic self-loading pistol patented by Georg Luger in 1898 and manufactured by Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken (DWM) starting in 1900. ...

The Nambu was never officially adopted by the Japanese military as officers were expected to purchase their own pistols. The pistol was made available to officers at the Officers Union, where most officers purchased equipment. It was the most common side arm of the Japanese armed forces, but many officers could, and did purchase more reliable western sidearms.

Most of the pistols were produced by the Tokyo Arsenal with a smaller number manufactured by the Tokyo Gas and Electric company. Large scale production began in 1906 and continued until it was replaced by the Type 14 in 1925. Production of Type 14s lasted until the end of World War II in 1945. Total production numbers are estimated at just under 200,000 for all variants. Most detailed production records were destroyed in the war.

The pistol was removed from service when Japan was disarmed after World War II. Many were taken home by Allied soldiers after World War II despite the fact that it was against regulations. Many have found their way into collectors markets in America and western Europe. Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... World map showing the location of Europe. ...

Details

The pistol is a recoil operated, locked breech, Semi-automatic pistol. The manual safety is located on the left side of the frame. The pistol is striker fired with a single action trigger. The sights are V notch and blade. Springfield Armory M1911A1 . ...

A crude but serviceable weapon, it was considered the best Japanese sidearm of the World War II era. However given the generally poor quality of Japanese side arms of this period, that is a small honor. It was inferior to the American Colt M1911, the British Webley revolver and the German Walther P38 and was crude even compared to the Russian Tokarev TT-33. The M1911 is a single-action, semiautomatic handgun chambered for the . ... The Webley Revolver (also known/referred to as the Webley Break-Top Revolver or Webley Self-Extracting Revolver) was, in various marks, the standard issue service pistol for the armed forces of the United Kingdom, the British Empire, and the Commonwealth from 1887 until 1963. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Walther P38 The Walther P38 is a 9 mm pistol that was issued to NCOs and officers of the Wehrmacht near the end of World War II. It replaced the costly Luger P08. ... The TT-30 (7,62 mm Samozarjadnyi Pistolet Tokareva obrazets 1933 goda, Russian: 7,62-мм самозарядный пистолет Токарева образца 1933 года) is a semi-automatic pistol developed by Fedor Tokarev for the Soviet military to replace the old Nagant M1895 revolvers in use since tsarist times. ...

It was seriously flawed, both in construction, and the ammunition it used. The pistol utilized weak 8 mm ammunition which was considerably less powerful than comparable Western rounds like the .45 ACP, the 7.62 Tokarev, the .455 Webley, and the 9 mm Luger. The safety catch was completely useless, and the magazine springs were weak often resulting in jams. Boxes of ammunition clog a warehouse in Baghdad Ammunition is a generic military term meaning (the assembly of) a projectile and its propellant. ... The . ... Side-by-side comparison to other cartridges. ... . ... Ball and hollowpoint 9mm Luger rounds The 9 mm Luger pistol cartridge (9 x 19 mm Parabellum, 9 x 19 mm NATO) was designed by firearms designer Georg Luger. ...

However, if there was one redeeming feature of the pistol, it is that it was an accurate gun, and the low recoil of the 8 mm ammunition helped improve that accuracy.

Variants

The original Nambu was the Type A, designed by General Kijiro Nambu in 1902. The type A has two basic variants. The Type A Model 1902 (nicknamed Grandpa Nambu) and the Type A Model 1902 Modified (Papa and Baby Nambu). The Type 14 Nambu replaced the Type A in the mid 1920s.

Type A Grandpa Nambu

The Type A Model 1902 Grandpa Nambu was the original variant. The Grandpa Nambu fires the 8 mm round. It is distinguished by a fixed lanyard, a small trigger guard, and grips that did not cover the grip safety pin. Magazine bases were made out of horn on early models and wood on later models. The Grandpas were built to accept a wooded shoulder stock which doubled as a holster. About 2,400 Grandpas were manufactured. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1200x765, 184 KB) Photographer: Mak Thorpe, taken 2006 at Battery Randolf US Army Museum, Honolulu. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1200x765, 184 KB) Photographer: Mak Thorpe, taken 2006 at Battery Randolf US Army Museum, Honolulu. ... A lanyard (sword knot) fixed to an infantry sword handle A lanyard, also spelled laniard, is a rope or cord often worn around the neck or wrist to carry something. ... A US Army 45 Colt. ... In firearm terms, a grip safety is a button, lever or other device situated on the grip of a weapon which must be actuated by the operators hand in order for the weapon to fire. ...

The Type A Model 1902 Modified, or Papa Nambu is generally similar to the Grandpa Nambu but had a swiveling lanyard and aluminum magazine base. The sights, grip, safety and magazine finger pad were also different. The Papas were the most common variant of the Type A with about 10,300 manufactured.

The Baby Nambu was a scaled down version of the Grandpa Nambu that fired a 7 mm round. About 6,500 Babys were manufactured. The Baby Nambu is the variant most sought after by modern collectors. The approximately 550 Babys produced by Tokyo Gas and Electric are the rarest and most desirable of all.

They Type 14 Nambu was designed in 1925 (the 14th year of the reign of Emperor Taisho, hence the designation). The Type 14 was an improved version of the Type A Nambu, and is generally similar in dimensions and performance. About 279,000 Type 14s were produced. Later production models are distinguished by an enlarged, oblong shaped trigger guard.

External Links

• Video of a Type 14 Nambu pistol being fired
• Modern Firearms page
• Today Value of the Nambu pistols

See also