Type 1 Paratroop Rifle
Nagoya Army Arsenal · Rifle · Limited Production · 1941
Also known as: TERA, Type 1 TE-RA, Type 99 Parachutist's Rifle, Type 1 Takedown Rifle
Overview
The Type 1 Paratroop Rifle, known as the 'TERA', was an experimental Japanese takedown bolt-action rifle developed for Imperial airborne forces during World War II. Based on the 7.7x58mm Arisaka Type 99 short rifle, it separated into two halves at an interrupted-thread joint between the barrel and the receiver so it could be stowed in a jump bag and reassembled after landing. The screw-type joint proved insufficiently rigid and worked loose under firing, degrading accuracy, so only a small number were built before the improved Type 2 rifle, which used a horizontal locking wedge, replaced it.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3900 g (137.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1118 mm (44.02") |
| Barrel Length | 657 mm (25.87") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 730 m/s (2395 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3010 J (2220 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 3400 m (3718 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 254 mm (10.00") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.7x58mm Arisaka · primary — also known as 7.7mm Japanese, 7.7x58mm Type 99, .303 Japanese
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Internal Box Magazine Stripper Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Knurled Safety Knob, Bolt Dust Cover
- Features: Takedown Interrupted Thread Joint, Detachable Barrel And Forend, Folding Wire Monopod, Anti Aircraft Rear Sight, Stripper Clip Loaded, Chrome Lined Bore
Service history
Operators
- Imperial Japanese Army · adopted 1941 · as Type 1 (TERA)
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
- Pacific War (1941-1945)
Production
Production years: 1941-1942
Only a very small number were produced before the design was abandoned in favour of the Type 2 paratroop rifle; exact figures are undocumented.
Origin
Country of origin: Japan
Discontinued: 1942
Notes
Sometimes catalogued as the 'Type 99 Parachutist's Rifle'; sources date its introduction to 1940-1941. It was quickly superseded by the Type 2 paratroop rifle, which solved the loose-joint problem with a sliding horizontal wedge. Surviving Type 1 examples are extremely rare.
Background
Japanese paratroopers needed a rifle that could survive a parachute jump broken into pieces, so the TERA split into two halves that a soldier screwed back together after landing. The threaded joint kept working loose and throwing off the sights, sending arsenal engineers back to the drawing board for the wedge-locked Type 2.