The Japanese Type 14 Semi-automatic pistol is one of the most iconic Japanese weapons of the Second World War. Commonly referred to simply as the “Nambu” in the US collector market, the Type 14 was the culmination of efforts by designer Kijiro Nambu to simplify and reduce the costs of his previous Nambu pistols, the Type A and modified Type A, colloquially known as the Grandpa and Papa Nambu respectively. Nambu had hoped for an army or navy contract for his earlier pistols, the Type A and modified Type A, but they proved to be too expensive and complex to be suitable for mass adoption, and only small numbers were accepted into Japanese service. Nambu set out to simplify his designs and create a pistol that would be cheaper to produce and easier to manufacture.
The Type 14 featured many changes from its predecessors. The side recoil spring and guide rod were replaced by dual internal recoil springs, and the cocking knob was simplified. The grip safety found on Grandpa and Papa Nambu pistols was also deleted on the Type 14. The grip contour was straightened, allowing for less complex manufacture. The Grandpa and Papa Nambu pistols featured a swiveling lanyard loop at the rear of the pistol grip. This was replaced in favor of a fixed "U" shape loop on the new pistol. The Type 14s sights were dramatically simplified over the original Nambu design. The Grandpa and Papa Nambu pistols featured an adjustable rear tangent sight graduated out to an optimistic 500 meters. The sights of the Type 14 retain the traditional barleycorn front sight post, but the rear sights are now a much simpler trapezoidal notch.
Nambu’s simplification efforts were successful, and the Type 14 was adopted as the replacement for the aging Type 26 revolver by the Japanese army in 1925 (Taisho 14) and in August of 1927 by the Imperial Japanese Navy (Showa 2). The Type 14 was manufactured by five different manufacturers, but all under the supervision of Kokura/Tokyo Arsenal, or Nagoya Arsenal. Describing how to identify the specific maker of a Type 14 is a little beyond the scope of this article, as one could write an entire paper
on Japanese weapon manufacturer markings. Instead, I will refer you to Teri, "The Nambu Lady", over at Nambu World here: http://www.nambuworld.com/t14markings.htm.
Type 14 pistols are marked on the left
side with "Fire" (火) in the forward position and "Safe" (安) in the rear position. Selection is done by rotating a large lever toward the desired mode. Behind this is the model designation. The characters from left to right read "10 4 year type" (十四年式) or Type 14 as we know it. On the right side of the pistol, you will find the manufacturer stamp, serial number, production date, and various series and inspection stamps. Most parts are marked with a three-digit assembly number or the last few digits of the serial number.
The Type 14 is fed by an 8-round magazine and was chambered for the 8x22mm bottleneck cartridge firing a 102gr bullet at 1,032 FPS (315 M/S). The cartridge is quite anemic by today’s standards, and comparable to .380 ACP in energy. It is important to remember, however; that many military pistols of the era were chambered in smaller calibers, including the .380 and the 8x22mm cartridge is on par with its contemporaries of its day. The 8x22 is also used in earlier Type A Nambu pistols and the later Type 94 semi-automatic pistol as well as the Type 100 sub-machinegun. Ammunition was packaged in 15-round rectangular cardboard boxes with pull tabs to tear off the lid, similar to rifle ammunition. Ammunition boxes are labeled with the manufacturer stamp and “Type 14 handgun ammunition 15 rounds”. The bottom of ammunition boxes is generally marked with production data and dates, but not always.
The complete Type 14 rig consists of the pistol, a clamshell-style holster made of leather or rubberized canvas, a shoulder sling, two serial numbered magazines, a cleaning rod, a spare firing pin, and a lanyard. The spare magazine and cleaning rod are stored inside the holster, and the firing pin is stored in a small slot on the front of the ammo pouch under the clamshell. The ammo pouch holds two boxes of ammunition. Type 14's are notorious for breaking firing pin tips, and the early pistols required a redesign and factory recall to rectify the situation; however, the problem would plague Type 14 pistols for the duration of the war, and even today many collectors opt to purchase a reproduction firing pin to save the original from any potential damage.
Early models of Type 14 pistols have a small, circular trigger guard, and during extreme cold conditions, it was found to be difficult to shoot the pistol while wearing winter gloves. To rectify this issue, the trigger guard was widened and elongated to allow the user's trigger finger better access. Like most other Japanese weapons, changes were made during the later years of the Second World War to save materials and accelerate production time. Cocking knobs changed to round knurling, the number of serrations on the grips was reduced, and by the end of the war, many pistols left the factory with no grooves. Smooth grips that lack any grip serrations are often referred to as 'slab side' grips.
Left: Small trigger guard. Right: Enlarged trigger guard.
Pistols in the Japanese military essentially served the same function as in other militaries. It was a badge of rank and status among officers and NCO’s (as well as the sword). Among enlisted men, the pistol served as a personal defensive weapon for soldiers who wouldn't normally carry a rifle, like machine gunners or tank crewmen. Enlisted soldiers were issued a sidearm, whereas Japanese officers were required to purchase their pistols.
The Type 14 would see service in all theaters of Japanese conflict, from the frozen plains of Manchuria to the sweltering jungles of New Guinea. These pistols were prized souvenirs among allied servicemen and continue to be desired by collectors today. For further information on the Type 14 and other Japanese pistols of the Second World War, check out Milsurp World on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/02dCGz6NUcM
