Baby Nambu
Nambu Rifle Manufacturing Company · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1903
Also known as: Nambu Type B, 7mm Nambu, Baby Nambu Pistol, Officer's Nambu
Overview
The Baby Nambu (Nambu Type B) was a roughly three-quarter-scale officer's pistol developed by Kijiro Nambu and produced from 1903 to 1929. Chambered in the proprietary 7x20mm Nambu cartridge, it shared the locked-breech short-recoil action of the larger Type A 'Grandpa' Nambu but in a more concealable, lighter package intended as a private-purchase sidearm for Japanese officers.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 650 g (22.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 171 mm (6.73") |
| Barrel Length | 83 mm (3.27") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 7 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 241 m/s (791 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 108 J (80 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7x20mm Nambu · primary — also known as 7mm Nambu, 7mm Baby Nambu
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Grip Safety Lever
- Features: Scaled Down Design, Officer Purchase Pistol, Tangent Rear Sight, Locked Breech
Service history
Operators
- Imperial Japanese Army Officers (private purchase)
Conflicts
- Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)
- World War I (1914-1918)
- Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945)
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 6,500 · Production years: 1903-1929
Approximately 6,500 units total. Made primarily at Tokyo Artillery Arsenal, with later assembly by Tokyo Gas & Electric. Production effectively ended around 1923 with remaining parts assembled through 1929.
Origin
Country of origin: Japan
Designer: Kijiro Nambu
Discontinued: 1929
Notes
The Baby Nambu was extremely expensive - listed at 180 yen against a Second Lieutenant's monthly salary of approximately 70 yen - which restricted production to roughly 6,500 units. Today it is one of the most sought-after Japanese collector pistols due to its scarcity and finely machined construction.
Background
The Baby Nambu was Japan's status-symbol sidearm: at 180 yen it cost more than two-and-a-half months of an officer's salary, making it more of a fashion statement than a service weapon. Its 7mm cartridge had less energy than .25 ACP, so even officers who could afford one rarely trusted it for actual combat.