Murata Type 22

Koishikawa (Tokyo) Army Arsenal · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1889

Also known as: Type 22 Murata, Meiji Type 22, Murata Juu, M1889 Murata

Overview

The Murata Type 22 was the first Japanese-designed repeating service rifle and the first Japanese military rifle to use smokeless powder. Adopted in 1889 (Meiji 22) and designed by Major General Tsuneyoshi Murata, who drew on the Portuguese Model 1886 Kropatschek action, it fed from an eight-round tubular magazine under the barrel and chambered the proprietary 8x53mmR Murata cartridge. It was the standard infantry rifle of the Imperial Japanese Army during the First Sino-Japanese War before being superseded by the Type 30 Arisaka.

Specifications

Weight (empty)	3900 g (137.6 oz)
Overall Length	1207 mm (47.52")
Barrel Length	737 mm (29.02")
Action Type	Bolt Action
Firing Mechanism	Hammer Fired
Trigger Type	Single Stage
Magazine Capacity	8 rounds
Magazine Type	Tube
Muzzle Velocity	564 m/s (1850 fps)
Muzzle Energy	2454 J (1810 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

8x53mmR Murata · primary — also known as 8mm Murata, 8x53R Murata

Features

Firing modes: Repeating
Feed systems: Tubular Magazine
Safety mechanisms: Magazine Cutoff, Case Rupture Vent Holes
Features: Tubular Magazine, Two Piece Bolt, Magazine Cutoff Lever, First Japanese Smokeless Rifle

Variants

Murata Type 27 Carbine — Carbine

Service history

Operators

Imperial Japanese Army · adopted 1889 · as Type 22 Murata

Conflicts

First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895)
Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901)
Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)

Production

Estimated total produced: 150,000 · Production years: 1889-1899

Serial numbers ran from 1 to roughly 150,000; the carbine variant shared the same serialization

Origin

Country of origin: Japan

Designer: Tsuneyoshi Murata

Discontinued: 1899

Notes

Developed from Murata's earlier single-shot Type 13/Type 18 black-powder rifles. The tube magazine carried the same chain-detonation safety concern as other early tube-fed designs, contributing to the rapid adoption of clip-fed box magazines in the Type 30 Arisaka. A shorter cavalry carbine (Type 27, adopted 1894) had an overall length of roughly 952 mm.

Background

The Murata Type 22 was Japan's first homegrown repeating rifle and its first to fire smokeless ammunition, marking the moment the Imperial Japanese Army stopped buying foreign rifles and began arming itself with weapons of its own design.