Type Hei
Kokura Arsenal · Rifle · Prototype · 1932
Also known as: Type C rifle
Overview
The Type Hei was a Japanese experimental gas-operated, toggle-locked self-loading rifle chambered in 6.5x50mm Arisaka. Designed by Dr. Masaya Kawamura and built in small numbers by Nippon Special Steel at Kokura Arsenal from 1932, it was one of three self-loading rifle designs submitted for Imperial Japanese Army trials. Its action derived from the Pedersen toggle system but added a gas piston. Trials in 1935 rejected all of the candidate rifles, and the Type Hei never entered mass production.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3900 g (137.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1070 mm (42.13") |
| Barrel Length | 580 mm (22.83") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
Calibers
- 6.5x50mm Arisaka · primary — also known as 6.5x50mm SR, 6.5mm Japanese, 6.5x50mm Meiji 30, 6.5x50mmSR Arisaka
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Features: Toggle Locked Action, Gas Piston Operation, Detachable Box Magazine
Variants
- Experimental Ultra Light Machine Gun - Automatic
Service history
Operators
- Imperial Japanese Army
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 50 · Production years: 1932-1935
Prototype/trials quantity only; rejected after 1935 Imperial Japanese Army self-loading rifle trials
Origin
Country of origin: Japan
Designer: Masaya Kawamura
Discontinued: 1935
Notes
Early prototypes used a detachable 5-round magazine; later examples were fitted with an extended 10-round magazine. Approximately 50 examples were built between 1932 and 1935.
Background
The Type Hei ("Type C") was one of a trio of Japanese trial self-loading rifles named after the traditional celestial stems Ko, Otsu and Hei; despite a promising Pedersen-derived toggle action fitted with a gas piston, the whole program was scrapped in 1935 as too costly, and a few captured examples surfaced in American hands in the Pacific.