The Hino-Komuro (Japanese: 日野式自動拳銃 Hino-shiki jido kenju) was a Japanese pistol that was designed by Kumazō Hino and Yūjirō Komuro.
History[]
The Hino-Komuro pistol was originally designed around 1904 by the Japanese military officer Captain Hino Kumazo, although the patent rights were not secured until 1907, and were filed in the name of Yujiro Komuro. The first models appeared in 1905 and it continued to be produced until 1912, with the craft and assembly of the gun being performed at Komuro's small factory. No records exist pertaining to the production numbers, although it is thought to have been around 1,200.
Design[]
The Hino-Komuro was an unusual blow-forward design in which the breech was static and the barrel propelled forward to create an opening in the breech. Cocking was achieved by pulling the barrel forward, whereupon it would be held in the forward position by a small catch. This would create an opening in the breech for a bullet to enter.
Pulling the trigger would loosen the catch and allow the barrel to move back until it came in contact with the bullet. The nose of the bullet would enter the end of the barrel and the barrel would be prevented from coming back any further by a secondary catch. This catch was released by squeezing the grip safety, which would allow the barrel to retract fully and scoop the bullet completely, upon which it would be forced backward into the static firing pin, causing the bullet to fire. After discharge, the barrel is blown forward again, opening the breech and ejecting the spent cartridge.
References[]
- http://www.earmi.it/armi/atlas/281.htm
- “The Rare Japanese Hino-Komuro Pistol” by Harry Derby. Gun Collector’s Digest, 1981(?), pp. 61–71
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