| Type I rifle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Bolt-action rifle |
| Place of origin | Japan/Italy |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1938–1945 |
| Used by | SeeUsers |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Fabbrica d'Armi Terni |
| Designed | 1938[1] |
| Manufacturer | Beretta Fabbrica Nazionale d'Armi Sezione Fabbrica d'Armi Regio Esercito |
| Produced | 1938–1939 |
| No. built | 120,000[2] |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 3.95 kg (8 lb 11 oz) |
| Length | 1,285 mm (50.6 in) |
| Barrel length | 797 mm (31.4 in) |
| Cartridge | 6.5×50mmSR Arisaka |
| Action | Bolt action |
| Muzzle velocity | 765 m/s (2,510 ft/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 2,400 m (1.5 mi) |
| Feed system | 5-roundinternal box magazine, loaded with 5-round stripper clips |
| Sights | Open sights |
TheType I rifle (イ式小銃,I-shiki shōjū) was produced during the early years ofWorld War II for theEmpire of Japan byFascist Italy (Type I is not a numeric symbol, it denominatesItalian).[3][4]
Following Japan's invasion of China in July 1937, domestic rifle production could not keep pace with wartime demands. This necessitated the purchase of foreign rifles such as theKarabiner 98k andVz. 24.[5] Unlike those, the Type I was designed from the ground up for Japanese forces. It was based on theType 38 rifle and utilized aCarcano action, but retained theArisaka/Mauser type 5-roundbox magazine.[6] It was chambered for the6.5 x 50 mm cartridge.[1] Approximately 120,000 Type I rifles were produced in 1938 and 1939, with 30,000 each manufactured byBeretta and Fabbrica Nazionale d'Armi, and 60,000 manufactured by the state arsenal inGardone Val Trompia.[2] The final shipment reached Japan on December 28, 1939.
While frequently used by theImperial Japanese Navy, some rifles were given to Japan's puppet regimes in China and used bygarrison units of theImperial Japanese Army until the conclusion of hostilities.[7][8]
On the collector market in the United States, the Type I rifle is uncommon and not particularly popular among collectors. Since the heritage of the Type I rifle is both Japanese and Italian, it tends to be shunned by collectors of Japanese focus. The Type I never had the Japanese ImperialChrysanthemum markings, or other markings that typically interest collectors of Japanese militaria.[3] Many Type I rifles brought back to the United States as war trophies were reportedly captured atKwajalein Atoll, the Philippines, or from Japan at the conclusion of hostilities.[9][10]
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Japan: Used byImperial Japanese Navy, in addition to rear line units of theImperial Japanese Army
Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China: At least 2,000 sent toCollaborationist Chinese Army
Mengjiang: 1,000 sent toMengjiang National Army[11]