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1904
Nambu |
Baby
Nambu |
Taisho 14
Nambu |
Caliber |
8mm |
7mm |
8mm |
Operation |
Recoil,
Semi-Auto |
Recoil,
Semi-Auto |
Recoil,
Semi-Auto |
Length,
Overall |
9 in |
6.5 in |
9 in |
Barrel
Length |
4.7 in |
3.25 in |
4.7 in |
Feed
Device |
8 round,
in-line, detachable box magazine |
7 round,
in-line, detachable box magazine |
8 round,
in-line, detachable box magazine |
Sights,
Front |
Barley corn |
Barley corn |
Barley corn |
Sights,
Rear |
Tangent,
w/notch |
"v"
notch |
Undercut
notch |
Weight |
1.93 lb |
1.43 lb |
2 lb |
Muzzle
Velocity |
1065 fps |
1050 fps |
1065 fps |
Ammo |
bullet 103gr,
charge 3.5gr |
bullet 55gr |
bullet 103gr,
charge 3.5gr |
Muzzle Energy |
259 ft-lb |
135 ft-lb |
259 ft-lb |
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The 1904 Nambu was probably
mis-named by Westerners because of a wrong
interpretation of the Japanese system of
chronology, the pistol's "04"
designation probably referring to the
fourth year of the Taisho reign -- 1915.
The pistol exists in several types. The
first version has a tiny cramped trigger
guard and a magazine bottom of wood. All
the first type pistols have a butt grooved
for a telescoping wood/metal shoulder
stock. The second version has a magazine,
the bottom of which is aluminum, and a
larger trigger guard. Designed by Kijiro
Nambu, this pistol was never accepted as an
issue weapon, although many were purchased
by Japanese officers. The smaller Baby
Nambu was issued to staff officers.
The Taisho 14 was
an improved 1904 Nambu. That is, it
was improved by simplifying the
design to facilitate production,
but did nothing to the striker
spring which remained a potential
source of misfires. It had double
recoil springs, plus a magazine
retaining spring on later models,
which made removing the magazine
difficult under combat conditions.
The right-hand photo shows the
enlarged trigger guard later added
to permit gloved fingers. Its
safety catch needed both hands to
operate. Many officers, Japanese
and doubtless some Chinese, were
killed in action as a result of
this poor design.
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Whatever one may say of its
design, "poor" weapons like these
in the hands of determined soldiers
defeated "good" weapons in the
hands of the armies of the west, both at
the start of WWII and when the CCF first
entered the Korean War.
The Korean War was
essentially an infantry war, and infantry
wars are fought by small arms and men, not
small arms alone.
Causes of the Korean Tragedy ... Failure of Leadership, Intelligence and Preparation
The Foundations of Freedom are the Courage of Ordinary People and Quality of our Arms
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