Can anyone identify this gun?

[xmanpike]

My grandfather picked this up on a beach in the south pacific near the end of WWII. It is japanese I assume as it has some Japanese symbols on it. Other than that, there is a serial number. It appears to be an autoloader and maybe 6 or 7 mm barrel diameter.

If anyone knows what this is please let me know and if it is worth anything.

Thanks

MC

 

[Tennessee Ned]

I believe it's a Nambu. 8mm.

 

[gun addict]

early nambu type 14 with non-winter trigger guard, shoots a 8x22 , worth quite if it comes with original holster and magazines

 

[xmanpike]

It has no holster or magazine unfortunately. It is in very poor shape as it washed up from in the ocean. Any idea if this can be salvaged or if it is possible to buy a magazine for it anywhere?

 

[gb6491]

Here's a good Nambu resource site: http://members.shaw.ca/tju/jhg.htm
Regards,
Greg

 

[Trebor]

It has no holster or magazine unfortunately. It is in very poor shape as it washed up from in the ocean. Any idea if this can be salvaged or if it is possible to buy a magazine for it anywhere?

Refinishing this gun would not only ruin the collector value but would also destroy the story behind it. Personally, if your Grandfather is still around, I'd get him to type up the story behind the gun and sign it. Then you'd have a written record that would go with the gun.

Personally I wouldn't shoot this gun in the condition it is in and, as I mentioned, cleaning it up and refinishing it would destory the story of this particular example and whatever collector value it has.

Parts and mags are hard to find for the Nambu pistols so it would be difficult, but not impossible, to restore it as a shooter. Ammo is also hard to find and pricey when you do find it.

I'd keep it as-is and try to find a way to preserve it so the rust doesn't spread, but without stripping it down and refinishing. Treat it as a historical artifact and a tangible connection to your Grandfather, not as a practical shooter.

 

[LancerMW]

looks like a nambu,

 

[highorder]

Refinishing this gun would not only ruin the collector value but would also destroy the story behind it. Personally, if your Grandfather is still around, I'd get him to type up the story behind the gun and sign it. Then you'd have a written record that would go with the gun.

Personally I wouldn't shoot this gun in the condition it is in and, as I mentioned, cleaning it up and refinishing it would destory the story of this particular example and whatever collector value it has.

Parts and mags are hard to find for the Nambu pistols so it would be difficult, but not impossible, to restore it as a shooter. Ammo is also hard to find and pricey when you do find it.

I'd keep it as-is and try to find a way to preserve it so the rust doesn't spread, but without stripping it down and refinishing. Treat it as a historical artifact and a tangible connection to your Grandfather, not as a practical shooter.

Iron clad advice.

 

[hogshead]

Is that the pistol they called the suicide pistol ?

 

[2mardiv]

A fine battlefield pickup. Best just to keep it "as-is" and have a nice family conversation piece. This example dates before WWII. The Japanese went to a larger trigger guard because of their experience in Manchuria where is was very cold and they had to wear gloves.

 

[19-3Ben]

Refinishing this gun would not only ruin the collector value but would also destroy the story behind it. Personally, if your Grandfather is still around, I'd get him to type up the story behind the gun and sign it. Then you'd have a written record that would go with the gun.

DING DING DING!!! We have a winner.
And just to add to that advice, GET IT NOTARIZED!!!! That way it's a more official history rather than just a sheet of paper some guy 'says' his grandfather wrote.
If you go to just about any bank, they ought to have a notary who can do it for you for free, or very minimal charge (most I've ever seen is a $5 charge)

 

[Airburst]

Very solid advice in this thread. Like mentioned already, get your Grandfather to write up a short note about how he aquired it and get it notarized. It will be worth more that way than any attempt to refinish it. Good luck with your piece of history.

 

[SDC]

"Is that the pistol they called the suicide pistol ?"

Technically no, though this pistol was designed by the same guy, Nambu. The one you're thinking of was the Type 94 Nambu, which was sometimes called "the surrender pistol". This was because the trigger linkage in both the above Type 14 and the Type 94 was laid out in the same way as on the Luger, with part of the trigger-bar running alonside part of the frame. But, where that bar was protected by part of the frame on both the Luger and the Type 14, it was simply left bare in the Type 94, meaning that the pistol could be fired simply by pressing in one the exposed trigger-bar. When the US ran up against these during fighting in the Pacific, they couldn't imagine that such an unsafe design was actually fielded by any competent army, so a myth grew up that this was a deliberate feature to allow duplicitous Japanese commanders to either shoot themselves while surrendering, or to shoot the soldier to whom they were surrendering, both by pressing in on that trigger-bar while handing it over.

 

[rogertc1]

Take a picture of him with it too. The WW2 vets are leaving us.

 

[2mardiv]

The so-called "suicide pistol" is another type Nambu. Model 94. Exposed sear makes it easy to fire without using trigger.

 

[Jonah71]

I'm beginning to really like this site. People around here actually know what they're talking about. (usually). There are so many people, who. like me have owned and fired a lot of guns over the years, but never really took the time or made any effort to learn. I've fired many thousands of rounds in the past 50 yrs, but that in itself doesn't guarantee an overall knowledge of guns. It only proves I was taught and practice the basics of firearms safety. (with some luck involved in my younger days). I learn something new every time I log on.

 

[rondog]

Go to Hobby Lobby and get a shadow box with a hinged front on it, and make a nice display case for it. Something like this.....