Type 5 Rifle
Imperial Japanese Navy Arsenals · Rifle · Discontinued · 1945
Also known as: Type 4 Rifle, Japanese Garand, Yokosuka Type 4
Overview
The Type 5 Rifle was an experimental Japanese semi-automatic rifle developed at the end of World War II, closely modeled on the American M1 Garand. Chambered in 7.7x58mm Arisaka, it used a gas-operated rotating-bolt action but replaced the Garand's eight-round en bloc clip with a fixed ten-round internal box magazine fed by two five-round stripper clips. Developed at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal as an improvement on the earlier Type 4, only around 125 complete rifles were assembled and none reached front-line service before Japan's surrender.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4097 g (144.5 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1073 mm (42.24") |
| Barrel Length | 590 mm (23.23") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 10 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 840 m/s (2756 fps) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.7x58mm Arisaka · primary — also known as 7.7 Japanese, 7.7mm Type 99, 7.7x58mm rimless
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Internal Box Magazine, Stripper Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Gas Operated Rotating Bolt, Internal Box Magazine, Stripper Clip Loading, Iron Sights, M1 Garand Derived Action
Service history
Operators
- Imperial Japanese Navy
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 125 · Production years: 1945
Parts for roughly 200 rifles were produced in 1945, but only about 125 complete rifles were assembled; none entered service before the war ended.
Origin
Country of origin: Japan
Designer: Yokosuka Naval Arsenal
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
Frequently called the 'Japanese Garand'. The designation is contested: Japanese researchers favor 'Type 4', while 'Type 5' likely originates from a 1946 American technical intelligence report. The Type 5 was an improved model intended to resolve issues found in the initial Type 4 prototypes.
Background
Late in the Pacific War, Japanese engineers at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal reverse-engineered captured American M1 Garands in an effort to field a homegrown semi-automatic infantry rifle. The 7.7mm 'Japanese Garand' came too late: the handful of rifles assembled never saw combat, and surviving examples are among the rarest of all Japanese military firearms.