Nambu pistol

History

The origins of the Nambu pistol go back to the design by Kijiro Nambu in 1902. Nambu was a prolific arms designer who is sometimes called the "John Browning of Japan".

Although the Nambu bears a superficial resemblance to the German Luger, the Nambu
was not based on the Luger's design. The Luger uses a recoil-toggle action while the Nambu employs a recoil-spring action.

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. The Nambu was the most common side arm of the Japanese armed forces, but many officers could, and did purchase more reliable western sidearms.

Most Nambus were produced by the Tokyo Arsenal with a smaller number manufactured by the Tokyo Gas and Electric company. Large scale production of the Nambus 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 Nambu 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.

Details

The Nambu 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.

A crude but serviceable weapon, the Nambu was considered the best Japanese sidearm of the World War II era. However given the generally poor quality of Japanese small arms of the period, that is a small honor. The Nambu was not the equivalent of 1911 Colt or the Walther P-38 and was crude even compared to the Russian Tokarev.
The Nambu was further hampered by its weak 8 mm ammunition which was considerably less powerful than comparable western rounds like the .45 ACP and the 9 mm Luger.

The most frightening problem with the Nambu involved the poorly-designed sear. This resulted in the weapon being discharged accidentally if too much pressure was applied to the receiver or slide, a potentially deadly mistake in combat. Apparently, the Nambu was so poorly made, some pistols would fall apart as the weapon was being fired, potentially injuring the wielder.

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.

The Type A Model 1902 Grandpa Nambu was the original variant. The Grandpa Nambu fires the 8mm 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.

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.

Specifications