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The Nambu Type 1, sometimes called the Experimental Type 1 Submachine Gun (試製一型機関短銃, Shisei Ichi-gata Kikan Tanjū), was a Japanese submachine gun that was produced by the Nambu Arms Manufacturing Company.

History[]

The Type 1 was designed by Maj. Gen. Shikanosuke Tokunaga in late 1934, but the patents were held by Kijirō Nambu, who took up the production of the design at his Tokyo factory. It was trialed and rejected by the Imperial Japanese Army, but was issued in very limited numbers to the Japanese Navy Marines in Shanghai during the Second Sino-Japanese War, despite never being formally adopted. The Type 1 was also offered for international export, and was briefly investigated by the British Army in 1938 as a personal defense weapon for tank crews, but was ultimately rejected for this role. After 1938, international sales of the weapon were retracted, and it was not exported to any other countries.

The Type 1 was succeeded by the Type 2, which retained the method of operation but offered a more conventional magazine feed.

Design[]

The Type 1 was a basic blowback-operated submachine gun that fired from a closed bolt. The return spring was wrapped around the length of the barrel in an effort to reduce the overall length of the weapon and was to clasped the front of the bolt. Upon firing the entire front section of the gun came back with the bolt, and was pushed forward by the return spring. The barrel remained stationary. Housed in the rear of the gun was a pneumatic bolt buffer device to reduce the tension of the action. Unusually for the time, the Type 1 fed magazines through the pistol grip; it was one of the first production submachine guns to do so.

The magazine held 50 rounds and was curved in a quadrant shape, resulting in complaints that the weapon was ergonomically awkward. Located at the bottom of the magazine was a hinged latch that could be fitted to a vehicle mount. The underside of the Type 1's barrel could be fitted with a detachable metal handgrip, so as to protect the user's hand from touching the barrel while in use.

Gallery[]

References[]

  • The World's Machine Pistols and Submachine Guns Vol.II, Nelson & Musgrave, 1980
  • Nambu Model 1
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