Nambu pistol

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The Nambu pistols are a family of Japanese semi-automatic handguns designed by Kijirō Nambu at the Koishikawa Arsenal. They were made in three main varieties: Type A, Type B (also called Baby Nambu), and Type 14. They were meant to replace Japan’s older Type 26 revolver and were used by the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy from the early 1900s through World War II. The Type 14 is the best known and most widely produced of the three.

Type A
- First designed in the early 1900s and produced from 1906 to the 1920s.
- Weighs about 900 g with a length of about 230 mm. Barrel is around 117 mm.
- Fires the 8×22mm Nambu cartridge with an 8-round magazine.
- Heavier and larger than the later models; production total about 10,000 pistols across all Type A variants.
- Some Type A pistols could use a stock holster attachment, and they resembled the feel and look of early pistol designs.

Type B (Baby Nambu)
- A smaller pistol designed in the 1920s, produced roughly 1909 to 1929.
- Weighs about 650 g, length around 171 mm, with an 83 mm barrel.
- Fires the 7×20mm Nambu cartridge with a 7-round magazine.
- Not officially adopted by the Japanese Army; produced mainly for the Navy and some other forces, with about 6,000 built.
- More compact and cheaper than the Type A and Type 14.

Type 14
- Named for the 14th year of the Taishō era (1926) and intended to lower production costs.
- Standard issue for Imperial Japanese Army officers from 1927 onward.
- Fires the 8×22mm Nambu cartridge with an 8-round magazine.
- Weighs around 900 g, with a length of about 230 mm (similar size to Type A).
- Produced in much larger numbers—about 400,000 or more—though exact figures vary.
- Later wartime production saw quality declines due to high demand; some features were adjusted, such as a larger trigger guard and, later, changes to the cocking knob.
- Lacked a grip safety, and the safety and magazine release could complicate reloading.

Design and use
- All Nambu pistols used a recoil-operated, locked-breech action and shared the same 8×22mm Nambu cartridge (except the Type B’s 7×20mm).
- The Type A and Type 14 used eight-round magazines; the Type B used seven.
- They were often seen as symbols of prestige, carried in elaborate holsters, and many officers paid for their own pistols.
- The Nambu’s 8×22mm round was relatively weak compared with contemporary service pistols, giving it less stopping power than brands using larger cartridges.

History and after the war
- The Nambu pistols were used in the Russo-Japanese War era through World War II, especially in the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific War.
- After Japan’s surrender, many Nambus ended up in Allied hands, sometimes becoming war trophies.
- Postwar, the United States supplied M1911A1 pistols to the Japan Self-Defense Forces and police, replacing the Nambu.
- Some early Type 14s remained in limited service with the Coast Guard into the 1960s, but production had effectively ended.
- Elements of the Nambu design influenced later firearms, including the Ruger Standard pistol designed in 1949.

Today
- Nambu pistols are rare and sought after by collectors due to their historical significance. Prices vary, reflecting condition, rarity, and variant.