The Type 38 Arisaka (三八式歩兵銃 Sanjūhachi-nen-shiki hoheijū, lit. "38th year infantry rifle") was a Japanese bolt-action rifle designed by Captain Kijirō Nambu in 1905 and produced by various arsenals in Japan, Korea and Manchuria from 1905 to 1944. The third iteration of the Arisaka rifle and undisputedly the most common, the Type 38 acted as a further improvement over the original Type 30 rifle and acted as the Japanese service rifle for a number of decades.
History[]
After the Japanese had adopted the Type 30 as their service rifle, it became apparent that the Type 30 had a number of issues with its design; as such, Cpt. Kijirō Nambu was assigned to make some improvements to the Type 30 design. These improvements would culminate in what would be later known as the Type 35 rifle, so named as it was designed in the 35th year of Emperor Meiji's reign, in 1902. However, the weapon was still not considered adequate, and such the Type 30 was redesigned again; this would culminate in the Type 38 rifle, so named as it was designed in the 38th year of Emperor Meiji's reign, 1905.[1]
The weapon was produced from 1906 to 1944[2] by a number of arsenals,[3] including the Nagoya[4] and Kokura Arsenals[5], and remained the main Japanese service rifle through World War I and World War II.
By the time World War II hit, however, it became apparent to the Japanese that the 6.5mm cartridge used by the Arisaka was no longer adequate; resources were later invested into creating what would later become the Type 99.[6] Over the course of its production run, some 3,400,000 were produced[6] and was produced by five arsenals: Tokyo, Kokura, Nagoya, Jinsen (now Incheon) and the Hoten Arsenal (later the Mukden Arsenal, now Shenyang).[7]
Design Details[]
The Type 38 is a bolt-action rifle with a five-round internal box magazine fed by stripper clips. The Type 38 was able to mount scopes, with the most common being a Type 5 optic.[8]
Notable improvements of the Type 38 over the Type 30 include a simplified bolt, simplified manufacture and the addition of a dust cover based on experiences with the weapon in the Russo-Japanese War.[9] The rifle could also fit the Type 30 bayonet as used on the Type 30 Arisaka.
Variants[]
Cavalry rifle and carbine variants are known to exist, along with other experimental variants.
- Type 38 sniper
Experimental version of the Type 38 with a Type 5 optic fitted; may have served as the precursor to the Type 97.[8]
Ammunition[]
The Type 38 used 6.5×50mmSR Arisaka ammunition.
References[]
- ↑ https://amhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/collection/object.asp?ID=655
- ↑ Prenderghast, Gerald, Repeating and Multi-Fire Weapons: A History from the Zhuge Crossbow Through the AK-47, 2018
- ↑ https://oldmilitarymarkings.com/japanese_markings.html
- ↑ https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/67/3347/nagoya-type-38-carbine-6-5-mm-japanese
- ↑ https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/47/557/arisaka-type-38-carbine
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 https://ww2db.com/weapon.php?q=25
- ↑ Allan, Francis C., Macy, Harold W., The Type 38 Arisaka, 2007
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/69/1440/preworld-war-ii-japanese-experimental-type-38-sniper-rifle
- ↑ Honeycutt Jr., Fred, L., Anthony, F. Patt, Military Rifles of Japan: Fifth Edition, 2006