Type 94 Nambu
Nambu Rifle Manufacturing Company · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1935
Also known as: Type 94 Shiki Kenju, Nambu Type 94
Overview
The Type 94 Nambu is a semi-automatic pistol developed by Kijiro Nambu and adopted by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1935. Designed as a compact sidearm for tank crews, paratroopers, and aircrews, it chambered the 8x22mm Nambu cartridge and used a six-round detachable box magazine. The pistol is infamous for an exposed sear bar on the left side of the receiver that could fire the weapon if pressed before the magazine was fully seated.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 765 g (27.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 187 mm (7.36") |
| Barrel Length | 96 mm (3.78") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 305 m/s (1001 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 307 J (226 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 8x22mm Nambu · primary — also known as 8mm Nambu, 8mm Japanese, 8x22mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Exposed Sear Bar, Fixed Sights
Variants
- Type 94 Early Production — Early Production
- Type 94 Late War — Late War Simplified
Service history
Operators
- Imperial Japanese Army · adopted 1935 · as Type 94 Pistol
- Imperial Japanese Navy · adopted 1935
Conflicts
- Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945)
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 71,000 · Production years: 1935-1945
Approximately 71,000 produced before Japan's surrender ended manufacturing
Origin
Country of origin: Japan
Designer: Kijiro Nambu
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
Late-war examples show declining manufacturing quality due to material shortages and wartime production pressures. The pistol's exposed sear bar earned it a reputation as a 'suicide gun' among Allied troops, though incidents of accidental discharge were less common than the nickname suggests.
Background
The Type 94's exposed sear bar earned it the nickname 'suicide gun' among Allied soldiers, who claimed it could be fired by pressing the side of the receiver. Designer Kijiro Nambu developed it in retirement after founding the Nambu Rifle Manufacturing Company, intending the compact pistol for vehicle crews who found the larger Type 14 unwieldy in cramped spaces.