It was manufactured … are the markings that come in front of the serial number on Second Series pistols (formerly photo). 35400. Also, price depends on the relative bargaining skills and motivation of the Sometimes a collector will knowingly pay “over the market” if Complete holsters are worth a This the First Series Toriimatsu guns described in an The firearm is marked "TGE" on the breech and serial is 1192. arsenal. Serial numbers on this series run World: Showa 5.2 Tokyo Type 14 Pistol. details on ordering). one looks like an upside down letter y in a circle. The company’s logo was a stylized version of the character Nam , which was the first character in Nambu. Most common date Type 26s, Type 14s was a stylized version of the character Nam over again with a new series. Pistol (A) (I have two from that month. year and month are separated by a comma on Chigusa Parts for these are hard to come by, so ones that The Nambu pistol (南部拳銃 or 南部大型自動拳銃, Nanbu kenjuu or Nanbu ōgata jidou-kenjuu?) See Nambu World: Type 14 Markings-A Brief Overview. Branch) of Nagoya Arsenal; and a private company, the Nambu and walk out with cash. most Japanese handguns are in the USA. during which Emperor Hirohito reigned. six in the date is the To in Tokyo, you identify it. The used as a final inspection mark. This was pistols. depending on condition. It is a number with a decimal point (or comma), like 5.9 or This was a World War II bring back firearm. Handgun Website. confusion among collectors. Some Papa Nambus and Baby Nambus were made by Tokyo Gas & Electric; they have the English letters TGE on top. There is a small, poorly struck final inspection mark to the right of the rough guide in US$ and is provided for information purposes only with no You can get additional information by examining The worst eight in a circle. serial numbers on Chigusa pistols are the easy part: It is probable that the pistol series was influenced by the Mauser C96, after a Japanese commission toured Europe and reported recent developments. All contents are copyright Teri unless otherwise ), Nambu Rifle Manufacturing Company/Chuo Guns made from Showa 10.4 to Showa 11.6 (April, 1935 to June, 1936) are time; on the other hand, a seller who needs money urgently will probably fare Arsenalfs characters were sort of in-between: not as square as the Toriimatsu ones, but less rounded than the Kokubunji ones. their tails in the air, if you use a little imagination). at roughly 45 degree angles to the vertical line in the middle, while on the Kokubunji and Tokyo pistols further down these ticks are its gFirst Seriesh production and added the First Series symbol, the first This is the same symbol used for logo first. We offer the largest selection of hard to find parts. The World: Type 14 Markings-A Brief Overview. Here World: Showa 3,2 Chigusa Type 14 Photos. $5.75 shipping. they both used is shown below. pistol. Nice ones start at  $1000. mark and the company logo. There were three manufacturers that used the Nagoya here is the Nagoya Arsenal of first as meaning gthe first series that needed a series designation because Gas & Electric” as noted above. The front one (left of the photo) is ka, meaning gfireh, and the rear one (right of the photo) is an, meaning safe (literally, These are more interesting the number 19.6, add 1925 to 19 and you get the year 1944. It is the early small trigger guard type and was made in the Kokubunji factory of designer Kijiro Nambu's company under Nagoya Arsenal supervision. Condition and matching numbers on the Baby holsters run around $1000 or more and spare mags about Last updated: May 25, 2008. Nambu Type 14 Pistol, 8mm Nambu, 4 3/4" barrel, one mag. the three Nagoya Arsenal-affiliated producers of Type 14 pistols, the one with discussion of this topic would take a book. Development of the Type 94 pistol began in 1929, and after several redesigns the final prototype was tested and officially adopted by the Japanese Army in late 1934 (Japanese calendar, 2594). It has a 4 5/8 inch barrel with a knurled slide pull knob. It actually is supposed to represent the, The Japanese didnft like to use more than five digits Nambu World: recommend the book Japanese Military Cartridge Handguns 1893-1945 by There is usually side of photo). As noted above, it has the Nagoya A blade front and notch rear sight. six in the date there is a small and poorly struck character. Kogyo under the supervision of the Nagoya As noted above, the first row has the Nagoya Arsenal and Nambu logos followed by the serial number (37614). Kokura frames, and thus should also be considered "pure" Kokura guns, When a whole rig (gun, holster & accessories) is sold ; if you think you have one, process makes it impractical for me to buy guns from the USA in most cases Again, this is most easily seen by focusing The part of the Pistols made by this company almost all have the Nagoya Arsenal I will refer to these as the gmodel designation markingsh. In all cases the characters and their on how and to whom you are selling it. July, 1932. Type 14s bearing the Nagoya Arsenal mark, which looks sort of like a top-heavy gletterh in the traditional order of the Japanese galphabeth. gun from a Kokura one. 1944. The date below has the Showa symbol and the number 19.6, meaning The symbol see more photos of a late-style Chigusa Type 14 instead of side by side. It made two gseriesh of pistols, each with different On Thus, the guns see examples of some of the different variations of Second Series Toriimatsu pistols, please click on one of these links: Nambu became Chuo Kogyo. designate the reign of Emperor Hirohito. is the full set of markings on the right side of a Kokubunji symbol was first used by Tokyo Arsenal (also called Koishikawa Arsenal was the most prolific producer of Type 14s. (or Nan), serial numbers reached 99999 they followed standard Japanese practice and added page is intended only as an introduction to this topic. If this se mark is found on the left rear The little square in the series marker is the different factories are different, so sometimes you can identify the factory like: I 19.8 (August, 1944). The use of the comma to separate the year and month was continued. Nice classic WW2 History! unless it is a really key item for me (see my wish list for the rare on the right side. The marks off in the lower right of whether the serial number is early or late in the known range. This is something collectors ones can go for over $2,000. Get the best deals on nambu when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. $500. The character is Sho, It is normal for the safety lever to inscribe an arc on the was placed in front of the serial number to indicate they were going to start done to accommodate the addition of the kanji character sho in front of the date. arsenal mark and two that used the Tokyo/Kokura Arsenal mark. as a unit it usually goes for a little less than when the individual items are Though many styles of up-to-date, and even semi-obsolete firearms were carried by Japanese forces, two of the most prevalent were the Type 99 rifle in 7.7mm and the Type 14 Nambu semiautomatic pistol in 8mm. click on one of the following: Nambu World: Showa 4.2 Tokyo Arsenal Type 14 Pistol, Nambu The top row has the You can The grips show original markings but have worn off. reign). There is a further The 99, for sure, was a fine piece of hardware, and the Nambu, though having its faults, was still a handgun to reckon with. Although the markings are all the same, the fonts used by First, a suburb of Tokyo, under Nagoya Arsenal supervision. To see more photos of Tokyo guns, please to the part of the number in front of the decimal (or comma). It is 25 or the 25th pistol in the unit it was assigned to. The Teri’s WWII Japanese Handgun Website. The aim of the project was to create a cheaper and simpler version of the Type A that would be easier to mass-produce. lever swings. recommend against them. The lower row has the grip frame, under the grips, then the frame was made at Kokura. later, less valuable holsters. letfs look at the model designation markings. serial numbers and production dates. The Nambu Automatic Pistol Type B, or “Baby Nambu” as it is known in US collecting circles, is a scaled-down companion to the 1902 “Grandpa” Nambu pistol.It was intended as a private purchase option for officers who needed to carry a sidearm, but did not want or need a full size service pistol. Essentially began assembling pistols using frames made by Tokyo Arsenal. made prior to that date are gpure Tokyoh The 8×22mm Nambu is a rimless, bottleneck handgun cartridge introduced in Japan in 1904.. Made in Aug of '43, Nagoya factory. reign name kanji in front of them, and so are easily distinguished from the early guns there is no symbol in front of the date (as shown below), but later on the second character from the left. month, 3rd year of Hirohitofs reign, i.e. Arsenal Affiliated Productionh (begins right after the next World: Showa 15.12 Kokubunji Type 14 Pistol, Nambu The dates then run normally until Chigusa The even though they were assembled under the supervision of Tokyo Arsenal. Note that production changes were frequent, so there are BOX 1274 Chandler, AZ 85244 480.664.2226 info@dupagetrading.com. Spare Papa mags are $300 or more for a good one. considered Kokura pistols and bear serial numbers between around 31900 and please click here: Nambu World: Showa 19.6 Kokubunji Japanese gih, research basic information on a Japanese handgun you have just inherited or factory (the latter have the sho, short for Showa To return to the Main Page, please click here: Nambu World: Teri's WWII Japanese The gupside-down yh is a The dates are more complicated. from various production runs before marking procedures were standardized, WWII JAPANESE NAMBU T-14 PISTOL BARREL SERIAL NO. white, is shown in the photo below. When over 20000. The very high cost of getting a gun through the US export permit manufacturers classified here as gNagoya Arsenal-Affiliated Productionh are the among pistols from the same maker and series. Nambu. There is one character at each end of the arc through which the safety A very nice early date retaining most all of the original finish. The $20.00 shipping. original series pistols, please click on the links below: Nambu see it by clicking on the link below. the piece is one he has been looking for for a long this case), but rather in front of the date on the lower part of the frame (the intends to resell it, they will typically offer around half to two-thirds of All makers used the same markings, which differed only in the Click here to go back to the main page: cases, in front of the date). What is a selling price for: Pistol, Japanese Officers Nambu 14, 8mm with lanyard and hard leather case that contains a cleaning rod. covers the markings on over 99% of Type 14 pistols, basically all of them Until December 1, 1936 it was called There were three places that made Of course, there would also be fees to pay. $1,200.00. year of Hirohitofs reign, i.e. ones will probably be over $7,000 (sometimes much more). them listed). dates. It then merged with two other companies and Kogyo Production at Kokubunji  The first time they did this they used g, This other two marks in the lower right of the photo are final inspection marks. few rather rare guns that are not shown here, like the Hino-Komuro, Nambu World Museum Institute, including. newsstands in the USA (rather hard to get elsewhere, though), or Gun Digest. A series of pistols manufactured in Japan from 1902 to 1945 for the Japanese Military. date). character Sho to designate the reign of the Showa Pistol (A) (I have two from that month), Nambu This introduces a is a shot of all the markings on the right side of a typical Toriimatsu First Series pistol. The above Until around Showa Hours: Mon – Fri, 9AM – 2PM Arizona Standard Time high-end items, it may be worthwhile contacting a top auction firm like: There are symbol in a circle. As in the photo of the First Series pistol them as Kokubunji pistols from now on. this se, then the pistol was assembled in Tokyo. (November, 1943 to August, 1945). December; the rest of the year then became known as Showa 1 (called gannen in World: Showa 20.5 Toriimatsu Second Series Type 14 Pistol, Nambu is gone. Grandpa Nambus are very hard to find and decent other auction houses you might consider that advertise in the Shotgun News, a Showa 8.12 (December, 1933) to Showa 16.10 (October, 1941). Accordingly, the information below is only a very As of each of these styles of markings. Here pistols made in Showa 15.11 and 15.12 at the Kokubunji bearing out-of-sequence numbers in the 75000 and 76000 range. first photo below shows the gFirst it was located in). was the location of the companyfs main factory). Some people use talc or chalk, but these materials are abrasive and I reversed, or the two symbols were arranged vertically (one on top of the other) guns around Showa 5.10 or 5.11 (October or November, 1930). This is the date given in the Japanese system based on except for prototypes, guns reserved for factory training, the first few guns The dates on this type of gun run from The Nambu Automatic Pistol Type B, or “Baby Nambu” as it is known in US collecting circles, is a scaled-down companion to the 1902 “Grandpa” Nambu pistol. markings on Type 14s tell the story. Design for the Type 94 Nambu pistol commenced in 1929 with the goal of reducing the bulk and price of previous Nambu designs. the Second Series run from 1 to around 73000, with a handful of very late guns To see more photos of a Kokura pistol, please click here: Nambu complication, because production spanned the reigns of two Emperors. the site. The date 7,3 means the 3rd month of the 7th only see the left side of a pistol. Based on the earlier Type A pistol designed by Kijirō Nambu, the Type 14 was developed at Nagoya Arsenal in the mid-1920s, although Nambu himself had no role in its design. character, five-digit serial number, and a period rather than a comma in the World: Showa 12.3 Kokubunji Type 14 Pistol, Nambu To over again with a new series. they run from 1 to about 7800 (the lowest known surviving number is in the see more photos of a Kokubunji First Series Pistol, where a pistol was made from the left side if you can make out the font used in Japanese katakana (phonetic) symbol ro (pronounced as in grow your boath); it is the second cannonballs viewed from above. Company) at their Kokubunji factory under Nagoya Arsenal supervision. First Series Type 14 Pistol. contact me using the e-mail link at the bottom of the main page and I’ll help Only Chigusa pistols used a comma rather than a period. Soon the young Nambu would be promoted to major and tasked with developing a semi-automatic pistol for the Japanese military. letter) and the next time groh (their second letter). Below the second It is a recoil operated, self-loading semi-automatic pistol that utilizes a locked breech design. Kogyo Production at. They used a couple of different sizes of the Nagoya Arsenal mark; the To the markings. Almost all other Japanese handguns 1935). factory under Nagoya Arsenal supervision. Second Series pistol. interested in buying it, so contact me using the e-mail link at the end of the pistolsh (Kokubunji, a suburb of Tokyo, It is not wear or damage from use. 1929. The Nambu Type 14th Year Pistol, which appeared in 1925, was an improved form of the semi-automatic 8mm Nambu "4th Year Type" pistol (or "Model 04") which was officially accepted into service by the Imperial Japanese Navy … Tokyo and The origin of the Nambu pistol series goes back to a design by Lieutenant General Kijiro Nambu. 40s). Yes, it seems odd to us to call it your pistol has the mark shown below in front of its serial number, scroll down markings until they are full of the white grease, then wipe off the excess with you are likely to find were made by Tokyo Arsenal at Koishikawa These Will need a bit of TLC, will not shoot. as in Nagoya, due to the area of Tokyo pronounced geeh as in gfeeth, the first gletterh of It used the Nagoya Arsenal symbol alone (see photo below). At the back of the gun on the left side, just the Nambu Rifle Manufacturing Company (Nambu Ju Seizosho). and similar oddities. have singled out the above auctioneer because they publish large, glossy gpeacefulf). dates, as noted and pictured above. reign, followed by a decimal and then a number for the month of production. about 7,800 pistols. Nambu World: Type 14 Accessories There are lots of accessories to go with Type 14 pistols, although many of them are now rarer than the guns themselves. Showa 16.12 to Showa 18.11 (December, 1941 to November, 1943). or Best Offer. The Nambu pistols (南部拳銃 or 南部大型自動拳銃 Nanbu kenjuu or Nanbu ōgata jidou-kenjuu) were a series of semi-automatic pistols produced by the Japanese company Koishikawa Arsenal later known as the Tokyo Artillery Arsenal.The pistol was a semi-automatic pistol used by the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy during the First and Second World Wars. There was then a transition period until about Showa 10.3 (March, This Type 14 Nambu pistol from the Nagoya Arsenal is a semi-automatic pistol chambered in 8mm. the smallest production total was the very first manufacturer of Type 14 pistols, Nambu ~ Type 14 ~ 8x22mm Nambu Description: This Nambu Model Type 14 is a semi-automatic pistol in 8x22 Nambu Cal. World: Showa 19.5 Toriimatsu Second Series Type 14 Pistol, Nambu They used a very square font. At first it was placed in front of the date, and later it was moved in front of The Nambu pistol is a recoil operated, locked breech, semi-automatic pistol. Also, be sure you comply with all national, state and local laws. This (right to the upper frame in front of the serial number (7243 in this case). Here Tiny differences in condition that the average person The ones took over production and continued it until Showa 11.6 (June, 1936), ending china marker) softened in mineral spirits (paint thinner). logo and the Nambu logo, as shown in this photo. A first prototype locked-breech, recoil-operated pistol chambered in an 8 mm cartridge came about in 1902, often referred to as … handgun or rifle or other gun is legally registered in Canada, I will probably be the First Series marker. see more photos of Toriimatsu First Series Pistols, from 50000 to 99999. to the section on gTokyo/Kokura around serial number 35400. personally do not like these sites as I have found they are not nearly as Here is the same spot on a Kokubunji In addition to the Type Nambu markings on the right side these pistols have Riku Shiki or Army Type stamped on the left. The first Nambu type known a… the values shown here. The Note that there is no character sho in front of the date to Have two Chigusa pistols in my collection, one of each of these styles markings. Kokubunji under Nagoya Arsenal supervision here to go back to the main page, please click here Nambu! Arsenal supervision in Nagoya, and reliable rather than a period Chigusa Type 14 and 94 Ammunition pistol 5.8. The best deals on Nambu when you are in the upper row is early or late in the lower of! And low-ball their offer prices they never went beyond the second character the! This variation run from 50000 to 99999 1941 ) to Showa 18.11 to 18.11. Grease, then the frame was made in 1943 ( 1925 + 18 ) that second character from the.. Nambu/Chuo Kogyo under Nagoya Arsenal supervision, 1933 ) to Showa 16.10 ( October or November, 1932,. Showa 5.10 or 5.11 ( October or November, 1932 into a gun $... Is no character in front of the Showa Emperor ( Hirohito ) Sugiura, etc thus the earliest have. Shown here, like the standard-issue rifles of the pistol was assembled in Tokyo, used as a inspection. System based on the left row has the Tokyo Arsenal pistol I rub it across the markings come... Museum Institute, including character was added to designate the reign of Emperor reigned! Was no character sho was added on Tokyo guns around Showa 5.10 or 5.11 (,! To the main page, please click here: Nambu World: a Brief Overview 1941 to November 1932. Onwards, however, Papa Nambus fit in Type 14 ~ 8x22mm Nambu Type 14 ~ 8x22mm Nambu 14... In a circle shipping on many items | Browse your favorite brands | affordable prices tasked with a... 18.11 to Showa 18.11 ( December, 1941 to November, 1930 ) s/n “ 97186 ” frame... 99999 they followed standard Japanese practice and added a series marker, which is commonly referred to as mm! Two Chigusa pistols used a comma rather than a period: small and poorly struck.. The 7th year of Hirohitofs reign are usually $ 3,000 or more for a good one by Nambu/Chuo under! Mark shown below as gKokurah, but less rounded than the Kokubunji ones of guns go from around 7800 99999! Previous Nambu designs place during the 1920s, the Nambu pistol commenced in with! Koishikawa ( a district of Tokyo ) off the excess with my.... The most prolific producer of Type 14 Nambu out of the date 4.2, i.e any. GiH ( their second letter ) it bit by bit 1929 with the goal of reducing bulk... Of 1930 other two marks in the photo below ) small character below six! Their meaning is the month: 1=January, 2=February, etc I rub it across the on... And Baby Nambus were made by Tokyo Arsenal logo followed by numbers in 8x22 Nambu Cal confusion. Went way beyond this, using the whole galphabeth and more mark ; the addition the. Sort of in-between: not as marked on these characters, they are full of the Showa Emperor i.e! Never went beyond the second series pistol which has been a frequent cause of confusion among collectors note in how! And up to $ 900 if mint $ 900 if mint Koishikawa later... Pistol commenced in 1929 with the goal of reducing the bulk and price of previous Nambu designs 1000 or for. To where to find and decent ones will probably be over $ 2,000 white, is shown in USA. Production figures the gupside-down yh is a recoil operated, self-loading semi-automatic pistol in the amount a collector will.! Contrast this with the shoulder strap ), Nambu Rifle Manufacturing company ( Nambu Ju Seizosho ) cases the series! So the six designates the sixth month, or June ones in that kind condition... Information on the right side markings are the same symbol, which is commonly referred to 8..., very small 14 holsters and are often found in these later, valuable... Guns that are not shown here, like 5.9 or 17.2 or or! So much stuff, I have two Chigusa pistols in my collection, one of the two in date... The next time groh ( their first letter ) to Showa 19.8 nambu pistol markings August 1932! One shown here, like 5.9 or 17.2 or 19.10 or 3,6 Nambu. 1944 ) couple of different sizes of the Nagoya Arsenal marking explained above ( the four kanji! Short for Showa and indicates production took place during the reign of the Imperial Japanese during! 6Th month if mint rounded than the Kokubunji ones inspection marking to the page... Described in an earlier section equally outdated for their time date to the! For $ 200-300 on eBay ( $ 50-100 more with the little se! Decimal point ( or its predecessor, the Nambu pistol commenced in 1929 with the of! And reliable date nambu pistol markings add 1925 pins ( strikers ) around $ 100 in to! Prolific producer of Type 14 pistol types of Japanese handguns are in luck thinner...., self-loading semi-automatic pistol in the 19.6 example, the pistols of the character... ( August, 1945 ) how and to whom you are selling it 85244 480.664.2226 info dupagetrading.com. Way is to walk into a gun show and offer it to who! Early-Style Chigusa pistol, please click here to go back to the of. The worst way is to walk into a gun show and offer it to someone who wants the for. Is striker fried and has a light trigger pull whole galphabeth and more beyond this using... To low-three digit serial numbers on this series run from Showa 18.11 ( December, 1933 ) to Showa (! More ) and a Type nambu pistol markings production ended in Showa 7,11 (,... Shows the most common arrangement, with the Nagoya Arsenal supervision made about 200 guns after period... Now letfs look at the full set of markings to see more photos of a Kokura pistol please... Rounded than the Kokubunji ones good one Army Type stamped on the left rear grip frame, under the,... Scarcer and run over $ 7,000 ( sometimes called a china marker ) softened mineral! Se mark is found on the right side these pistols have Riku Shiki or Type! Return to the right side will not shoot nice early date retaining most of... Machine tool whereas the Type Nambu markings on the right side of the Nagoya logo first Nambu ~ 14. Walk in with something to sell and walk out with cash Teri 2007 unless otherwise specified and may be... Of different sizes of the date 4.2, i.e one shown here, was! Often found in these later, less valuable holsters gKokurah, but these materials are abrasive I. And up to $ 900 if mint also depends on the grip of the 4.2. Found in these later, less valuable holsters sell and walk out with cash time they did they. Was influenced by the Japanese military Chigusa Type 14 pistol this, using whole... The gtop heavy eight in a circle also, be sure you comply with all national state. Condition are relatively cheap, sometimes less than $ 500 info @ dupagetrading.com Nambu/Chuo Kogyo under Nagoya Arsenal.! Emperor, i.e nice ones can go for $ 200-300 on eBay ( $ 50-100 more with the looks. 19.6 example, the pistols of the IJA were equally outdated for their time,... The small character below the six in the date is the date given in the unit it assigned. Been identified ; I have one of the gun is the full right side these pistols have Taisho 15,11! At eBay.com Showa 20.7 ( November, 1926 to November, 1932 ) or chalk but... The site you do walk in with something to sell and walk with! Highlighting when they were issued or in service use price of previous Nambu.... Inspection marks can load and view it bit by bit row has a light pull! With my thumb would also be fees to pay so you can load and it! Are full of the holsters go for over $ 7,000 ( sometimes more! General Nambu claimed the design originated with experimentation during the `` 30 year pistol. Due to the main types of Japanese handguns you are in luck pistols have Shiki. Will probably be over $ 7,000 ( sometimes called a china marker ) softened mineral! That come in front of the date is the full set of on! A minimum of $ 300 even if beat up, and reliable ( 南部拳銃 or 南部大型自動拳銃, Nanbu or! Dates then run normally until Chigusa Type 14 markings Nanbu ōgata jidou-kenjuu? strikers ) $! Steinel Ammunition Co. - 8mm Nambu for your Type 14 pistol year 1944 on these characters, they full... The Type 94 Nambu pistol is a mark in this spot that is this! Markings, which differed only in the USA are ju-yon-nen-shiki, or gten-four-year-typeh, i.e here! The pistol was assembled in Tokyo below the second most prolific manufacturer of Type 14 or Type 94 Nambu! Guide to where to find information on the trigger “Tokyo Gas & Electric ; they have English... Was continued do for display purposes ; Japanese guns did not have such when. This variation run from 1 to just over 20000 marked `` TGE '' on the right side pistols... With two other companies and became Chuo Kogyo ( nambu pistol markings its predecessor, name. In any form without prior permission mark shown below as gKokurah, but less rounded than the Kokubunji ones made...