Murata Type 13
Koishikawa (Tokyo) Army Arsenal · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1880
Also known as: Type 13 Murata, Meiji Type 13, Murata Model 1880
Overview
The Murata Type 13 is a single-shot, bolt-action black-powder service rifle and the first firearm designed in Japan to be adopted by the Imperial Japanese Army. Designed by Major Tsuneyoshi Murata and adopted in 1880 (Meiji 13), it chambered the proprietary 11x60mmR Murata cartridge and drew on contemporary European designs such as the French Gras and Dutch Beaumont rifles. It equipped the Japanese infantry through the 1880s and saw second-line service as late as the First Sino-Japanese War.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4100 g (144.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1295 mm (50.98") |
| Barrel Length | 819 mm (32.24") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 437 m/s (1434 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2578 J (1901 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2000 m (2187 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 5 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 11x60mmR Murata · primary — also known as 11mm Murata, 11x60R Murata, 11x60mm Murata
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot Breech
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Single Shot, Black Powder Cartridge, First Japanese Designed Service Rifle, Socket Bayonet Lug
Variants
- Murata Type 18 — Improved
Service history
Operators
- Imperial Japanese Army · adopted 1880 · as Type 13 Murata
Conflicts
- First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895)
Production
Estimated total produced: 65,000 · Production years: 1880-1885
Roughly 60,000-70,000 Type 13 rifles were built at the Tokyo Artillery Arsenal rifle factory, with serial numbers continuing into Type 18 production
Origin
Country of origin: Japan
Designer: Tsuneyoshi Murata
Discontinued: 1885
Notes
The 'Type 13' designation refers to the 13th year of the reign of the Meiji Emperor. It was soon refined into the improved Type 18 (1885) and later superseded by the tube-fed repeating Type 22 Murata of 1889.
Background
The Type 13 was the first rifle designed in Japan rather than imported, marking the start of the Imperial Japanese Army's effort to arm itself with domestically engineered small arms instead of relying on foreign suppliers.