Hell in a Holster: The Japanese Nambu Pistol

[Mike H.]

Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Hell in a Holster: The Japanese Nambu Pistol” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/hell-in-a-holster/.

 

[Sld1959]

My father inlaw said he had a Nambu and a Wakazashi in his gear on his way back from the Pacific theater but both disappeared on the ship home.

 

[trader]

small favors - glad they didn't field something better so our boys would not be out gunned.

 

[Belt Fed]

Don't think i ever seen a Nambu. i know of them. the japs had bayonets for everything. i have a type 99 and original scope and bayonet for it.

 

[Smiledon#57]

Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Hell in a Holster: The Japanese Nambu Pistol” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/hell-in-a-holster/.

Life when you are at the top, with no Plan B.

 

[Grayfox]

My best friend was an avid C&R collector. He had a couple of these and I have handled them. Ugly, awkward feeling and just appeared to be poorly made. I was handling one once, have no idea just what I touched, pushed or whatever and the thing suddenly field stripped itself in my hand. Yeah, I fully understand why the Japanese soldiers would prefer a blade.

 

[kachemakcharlie]

I have 2 Nambus, a Type 14 and 94 that my father brought home. Both are in good shape with much less rust than the one pictured in the article. I foolishly shot up all the original ammunition that he brought home from the war when I was a kid, but a few years ago found reloading dies, bullets and brass to create my own rounds. Although they are anemic rounds, both pistols shoot reasonably well. The Type 14, being a 1939 version actually shoots quite well. While I agree that the Type 94 with its exposed sear can be dangerous, my father said the Japanese soldiers would often use it as either a "suicide" pistol, handing it to their captor butt-first and holding it by the slide - press the exposed sear and kill themselves or hand the pistol over muzzle-first and press the sear in a last ditch effort to kill the captor. So, maybe rather than being a design defect, it was a design feature consistent with the code of the Japanese soldier.

 

[TomC]

My father inlaw said he had a Nambu and a Wakazashi in his gear on his way back from the Pacific theater but both disappeared on the ship home.

My Dad sent his brother in Louisiana a Nambuand two swords from Guadalcanal. Some way they made it to him. After the war my Dad returned and asked his brother if got them. His brother said "Yes and here's the $23 I sold them for. I thought you might need the money"