by Mishaco
I have been interested in the Israeli Galil for well over a decade. Between my enjoyment of all things AK, and my appreciation for the IDF, it was really only a matter of time. When the Century Golani Sporter came out in 2006, I thought it would scratch the itch. It did too, right up until the first time i shot it and the charging handle came flying off, and it slam fired due to not having a firing pin spring. Then all the issues with the receivers came out, and eventually I just sold it. From there I've tried several different Galil types, even having a preban or two. Well more on semi-auto Galils later.
This thread is to solute Israel Galili and his rifle family.
Development History:
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(An Israeli light barreled FAL, this one a preban SBL receiver gun)
The genesis of the Galil dates back to the Six Days War of 1967. In that war, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) was primarily equipped with the FN FAL; specifically the light barreled Romat infantry rifle and the heavy barreled Makleon light machinegun. These were supplimented with various other weapons from around the world, including the Uzi submachinegun and even some old bolt action K98 Mausers. While Israel won that war, it was discovered that the FAL was not ideally suited for desert warfare and the needs of the IDF. It was too susceptable to dust and sand, which resulted in jamming and other malfunctions. Additionally, it was felt to be too long and heavy, making it difficult to use in combination with armored vehicles. The FAL became so problematic for some soldiers that they opted to use Uzis, even though the SMG had a limited range and stopping power. At least it was reliable even in the deep desert though. On the otherhand, the AK47 used by Israel's Arab enemies performed extremely well. In fact when the IDF captured AKs, it reissued them to some of its elite units.
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(An Israeli heavy barreled FAL LMG, this one built by Springfield using a surplus IDF parts kit)
After the war, the IDF requested a new assault rifle to be chambered for the then very modern .223 Rem (later 5.56mm NATO) small diameter cartridge. The new rifle was to replace all FALs in service, along with some Uzi SMGs. At the time, only the Colt M16A1, Armalite AR18, Stoner M63, and H&K HK33 were available in .223, so the IDF's options were limited. The FN CAL, SIG SG540, and Beretta AR70 were in development but had not been unvailed or perfected yet.
In the late 1960s, IMI's Chief Designer Israel Galili (Berchenko ) started work on his own .223 caliber assault rifle. Galili was not at all afraid to borrow a good idea when he saw it, so his rifle ended up with features from such firearms as the M16, FN FAL, and of course the AK47. In fact, the earliest prototypes were captured Russian AK47s (Type II and III), which Galili modified with the addition of a FAL folding stock and pistol grip, left side thumb selector, and a folding bipod. These were more proof-of-concept models than anything else.
Next Galili played around with various receiver types, including both milled forged steel, and riveted sheet steel. In the end, he decided that milled was the way to go, both for durability and to handle the higher pressures generated by the .223 cartridge. It was around this time in development that he seemed to become very inspired by Valmet of Finland's RK.62 assault rifle, which itself was based on the Russian AK47 Type III. From the RK.62, Galili borrowed its general receiver dimentions, exposed and dovetailed gas tube, and sighting system. Many sources claim that early prototypes were built up on Finnish receivers, however there is no actual hard evidence to backup such a claim.
From there, development continued at a good pace. Galili chose to use an M16 style rear sight, which was mounted to the dustcover as on the Valmet. Likewise, his rifle's flash hider was a virtual copy of the birdcage style found on the M16A1. The FN FAL Paratrooper type tubular stock was retained, but its construction was switchd from aluminium alloy to steel and the release button was dropped to simplify matters. Internally, the design was very remencent of the AK47, right down to the two lug rotating bolt, long-stroke gas piston system, and fire control group. Galili's rifle had an AK style charging handle attached directly to the carrier, however it pointed upward rather than horizontally so it could be pulled with the off hand when required. Finally, the weapon fed from AK type magazines made of stamped steel.
In 1971, with support from IMI's CEO Yaacov Lior, Galili's design was submitted for trials to select the IDF's next standard issue rifle. It went up against the American M16A1, West German HK33, Russian AK47, and another domestic design by Uziel Gal (creator of the Uzi SMG). The various tests were primarily targeted at discovering how the firearms performed with sand, dust, and dirt. There was a 18,000 round endurence portion as well. While none of the designs submitted performed perfectly, it was decided that Galili's was the most promising. Therefore with the blessing of the IDF's Chief Of Staff General Haim Bar-Lev, the rifle was cleared for further refinement in September, and IMI geared up for mass-production. Israel Galili was honoured by the IDF by having its next rifle named after himself (though he did protest out of modesty).
Features of the Galil:
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(the Galil ARM, basic infantry version used by the IDF)
The Galil is based on the original pattern of the AK47, especially its internal operations. It uses a long-stroke gas piston, which is fixed to the bolt carrier, which itself houses a dual lugged rotating bolt. There is a long spring behind the carrier, which drives it forward after recoiling. The weapon has a ported gas tube over the barrel, with a non-adjustable gas block. It uses a fire control group inspired by the M1 Garand's, and is of the double hook AK style. The selector has three positions; safe, semi-automatic (repeat fire), and automatic (a Micro variant is also offered with 3 round burst).
The Galil's receiver is milled from a steel forging and is a single piece. The only rivets on it are those that hold on the trigger guard and the one for the bullet guide. The barrel is chromelined and is screwed into the receiver. Early versions had a 1 in 12 twist rate for 55g bullets, and later ones have the modern 1 in 7 rate for 62g. The early flash hider was very similar to the one found on the M16A1 and could launch rifle grenades. In the early 1980s, it was updated to a ported style, which better reduced felt recoil while still acting as a flash hider. The weapon is topped by a heavy stamped steel dustcover, which also houses the rear sights. Early versions lacked a bayonet lug, however later a NATO compatable lug was introduced to support the M7 bayonet.
Some thought was put into making the Galil more ergonomic than the AK47. The selector is ambidextrous, with the traditional AK switch on the right side and a thumb switch added to the left above the pistol grip. The grip itself is larger and longer than the AK's, and it is definitely more comfortable. The magazine catch was extended and received a protective bracket. The charging handle is also ambidextrous, as it comes out and bends up at a 90 degree angle. This allows it to be grasped from the left over the dustcover if required. The Galil's stock is one of its best features. Based on the one found on the FN FAL Paratrooper rifle, it is made of tubular steel and locks up nice and tight. The upper tube is covered by a plastic sleave, to protect the shooter's cheak from bare metal. Early stocks had a pronounced curve to the buttplate, while later ones have a mostly straight one.
The Galil has a windage and elevation adjustable post front sight, which is protected by a full steel ring. It is mounted atop the gas block and is very durable. The rear aperture sight has two settings; 0-300 meters and 301-500+ meters. It is not adjustable for windage. It is durable, but since it is mounted to the dustcover, it can shift around some, especially on rifles that have seen extensive or hard use. All Galils come standard with flip-up tritium 3 dot night sights, which are preset for 150 meters. Some weapons come from the factory with a dovetail on the left side of the receiver, which is capable of accepting a detachable scope mount (either rings or weaver rail).
The Galil uses AK style "rock & lock" magazines and does not feature a bolt hold open. The standard capacity is 35 rounds, and both steel and polymer mags in this size are offered. There is also an extended capacity magazine, which holds 50 rounds. This type of mag is made only of steel and was designed for use in the ARM when used in the LMG/SAW role. Finally, there is a special short 12 round mag available, which is only capable of holding blank ammunition for use when launching rifle grenades.
the Galil in the IDF:
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(the Galil SAR, early version)
The Galil was officially adopted into Israeli military service in 1972; and by April of the following year, the production line at IMI was up and running. However, when the Yom-Kippur war broke out in October, very few Galils were available for combat. As a result, Israel once again went to war with the FN FAL, along with some M16s donated under the American emergency aid program.
Starting in 1974, the Galil began to be issued in large numbers to units throughout the IDF. By the time of the Lebanon Conflict in 1982, it was officially the primary issue rifle. However, the IDF by that time also had large stockpiles of M16A1s and CAR15s thanks to the American M.A.P. The Galil was mostly issued to vehicle and armor crews, as well as artillery units, many in the Air Force, and the Knesset Guard. On the otherhand, most of the standard infantry was equipped with the M16A1. While elite forces units were given the option of using the Galil, many opted to stick with their trusty old AK47s (most of which dated back to the Six Days War). That said, in the late 1970s, some did begin using the CAR15, preferring its small size and extreme lightweight. For various reasons, the Galil was simply not popular with elite units. By the late 1980s, such units were trading in both their seldom used Galils and wornout AK47s; selecting more CAR15s.
By the 1990s, the rest of the IDF followed suit, and the Galil was being replaced in the field by members of the M16 family. Eventually, the Command Staff changed the official standard issue rifle to the M16, with the M4 and other carbines as support weapons. By the turn of the millenium, very few Galils remained in active Israeli service. Mostly those that were left were issued to tank crews, and others who only occasionally needed a rifle.
There is an on-going debate as to why the IDF ultimately chose to use the M16 over the Galil. While it is correct that the USA essentially gave Israel thousands upon thousands of M16s at extremely low prices, while the Galil cost considerably more for IMI to manufacture; that is only part of the reason. The Galil is durable and reliable, and it is also quite heavy and has typical AK47 accuracy. This isn't to say it is inaccurate at all, just that the M16 is more so. That and the fact that the Galil's rear sights are mounted to the dustcover, so they can be a bit unstable at times. The M16 on the other hand is lightweight (especially the M16A1 variant), quite accurate, and very modular. While the M16 isn't as reliable as the Galil in the desert, this can be improved with daily cleaning, which IDF soldiers practice anyway. The truth is simply that Israeli soldiers just prefer the M16. They find it lighter and handier, and the Command Staff is happy to go along with their wishes as it is economically advantageous.
This is not to say the Galil has been a failure, far from it in fact. The IDF still purchased tens of thousands from IMI, and when it began to move away from the rifle in the 1980s, IMI changed its strategy. It marketed the Galil series to other customers overseas, offering several variants. The Galil AR, ARM, and SAR were all options, and could be had chambered for either 5.56mm or 7.62mm NATO. Later, a DMR version of the ARM in 7.62mm and the Micro Galil in both calibers were added to the IMI catalogue. In the end, over 25 nations adopted the Galil, and it has seen service throughout South America, Africa, and East Asia. No firm production numbers are available, but IMI (now IWI) has produced at least 700,000 Galils and probably more. Aside from the M16 and AK47, the Galil is one of the most successful military assault rifles of the late 20th Century. Today, its legacy continues with the Galil Ace, which was introduced in 2010. So the story is not over yet. Galili's design has stood the test of time and indured.
the South African Galil:
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(A South African Vektor R4 clone built on an ORF receiver using original Lyttleton parts)
Israel was not the only nation to use the Galil on a large scale. In 1963, the U.N. instituted an arms embargo against South Africa. It was voluntary at first, however in 1977 it became mandatory for all member nations. The South African National Defense Forces (SADF) had long relied on foreign made arms to equip its ranks. In 1964 it adopted the FN FAL, much as Israel had done a decade earlier. This lead to the R1, which was a domestic variant manufactured by Lyttleton Engineering Works.
The SADF had better luck with the FAL than the IDF, but by the time of the complete embargo in the late 1970s, the R1 was quickly becoming obsolete. So Armscor of South Africa went rifle shopping. It wanted a select fire weapon which was both lighter and more compact, and that fired the .223 round. Also it had to be something that Lyttleton could manufacture in-house. After a series of trials in 1980, the Galil was chosen to be SADF's next standard issue rifle, and a production license was purchased from IMI.
The new rifle was designated as the Vektor R4 and was generally a close copy of the Galil ARM. It did have a few alterations though. These were intended to make it better suited for the average South African soldier and for the country's climate. The R4 had a smaller front sight post, with a larger protective ring. It had a lipped gas tube, which was more secure, combined with a longer handguard made of tough polymer. The pistol grip was ever so slightly reshaped, and the receiver lacked the dovetail for a scope base. The stock was made of polymer to reduce weight and was 1" longer to better suit taller persons. The R4 had an ARM style bipod and flash hider, but it lacked the carry handle and bayonet lug. Early on, it was issued with steel 35 and 50 round magazines, but soon the shorter mag type was changed to a polymer material; again to save on weight. Most soldiers were issued with several short mags, and a single long one in the event of an emergency.
The R4 was officially accepted into the SADF as its general issue infantry rifle in 1982. It eventually completely replaced the R1 and has been well received by most soldiers. It is reliable and durable, and does not require constant maintenance. It is still in service today. A semi-automatic, civilian version has been offered as the Vektor LM4.
In the mid 1980s, a shortened version of the R4 based on the Galil SAR was introduced as the R5. Like the SAR, it has a 13" long barrel, shortened gas system and is otherwise the same. It has the same South African adaptations too, such as the longer polymer stock and enlarged front sight ring. The R5 is primarily used by the South African Navy, South African Air Force, South African Military Health Service, and South African Police Service. In the mid 1990s, a further shortened version was unvailed as the R6. It has a 11" long barrel and shorter gas system. Many say the R6 is a copy of the Galil MAR, but in reality it is more of a compacted R5. It is intended as a PDW, for use by vehicle crews and others needing a small assault rifle. It is in limited use with the SANDF today (SADF became SANDF in 1992). Both carbines are offered in a semi-automatic only format as the LM5 and LM6 respectively.
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(An LM5, a semi-auto version of the R5, with an extended flash hider)
To date, Lyttleton Engineering, now Denel Land Systems has built over 420,000 Galil type rifles for both the SADF and for export customers. While regular production of the R4 has ended, older rifles are still being supported and refurbished. Some are being "remanufactured" into a more modern version, with the addition of a railed handguard and more ergonomic pistol grip. So it appears that the R4 family will remain in service for at least a few more years.
Galil Variants:
Assault Rifle Machinegun (ARM)
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(A standard issue Galil ARM - this one a semi-only reweld by HillBilly Firearms)
The ARM was the standard Galil variant used by the IDF. It featured a 18" long barrel, lightweight folding bipod, and a square handguard. Early models had a carry handle, fixed bipod, no bayonet lug, and Teak wood handguard. Late models came with a bayonet lug, had a quick-detach bipod, no carry handle, and polymer handguard.
The ARM was used mostly by infantry and other frontline IDF units. It was intended as a multi-purpose weapon to be used as either an assault rifle or as a light machinegun. To this end, both 35 round and 50 round magazines were issued with it. Interestingly, the bipod could be used as a wire cutter, and acted as a mag shoot when folded into the handguard. Likewise, the handguard retainer/bipod bracket could be used to open bottles. Sources disagree if this was intentional or not, but damn if it doesn't make for an easy way to open a cold one. The carry handle was dropped on late models as it wasn't balanced, and mostly just got in the way.
A semi-automatic version of the ARM was imported in the early 1980s by Magnum Research as the IMI Model 372. It had a 18" barrel, bipod, wood handguard, and came both with and without a carry handle and bayonet lug. Later, Action Arms imported the Model 392, which had a 16" barrel, bipod, no bayonet lug, and came with either a wood or polymer handguard. Finally, a ban version was offered in the early 1990s as the Mod. 392s.
Century Arms did a small run of Golani Sporters in ARM configuration, complete with bipod and carry handle. All seem to have been sold to S.O.G. and were built on Caspian receivers.
Short Assault Rifle (SAR)
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(A standard SAR clone, with original wood handguard and extended flash hider)
The SAR was the carbine variant of the Galil. It had a compact 13" long barrel, 1.12" shortened gas system, and no prevision for a bipod or carry handle. Early SARs lacked a bayonet lug and had a Teak wood handguard, while later ones had a lug mounted at the rear of the gasblock and a handguard made of polymer.
The SAR was the standard issue rifle of the IDF Armor Corps for 40 years. It was mostly issued to vehicle crews and others needing a compact rifle. Most were kept as backup or defensive weapons. In this role, they were prized for their low maintenance and reliability. The SAR was used mainly with the shorter 35 round magazine.
No semi-auto version of the SAR was imported back in the 1980s. Likewise, Century never did a Golani with the SAR gas system. The only ones available in the USA are custom, small run builds from parts kits.
Assault Rifle (AR)
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(A Magnum Research Mod. 361, a semi-auto Galil AR)
The AR was the basic infantry Galil variant. It was nothing more than an ARM with an SAR type gasblock and handguard retainer. It lacked both the bipod and carry handle, and had a full length 18" barrel. As with the others, early versions did not have bayonet lugs and had wood handguards. Later, the handguard was changed to polymer, and a bayonet lug became optional.
The AR was never officially adopted by the IDF and very few were used by the Israelis. It was successful as an export weapon, especially to Columbia. Its semi-automatic only version was also very popular in the USA back in the 1980s. Most civilians preferred the AR configuration over the ARM, so much so that Magnum Research converted hundreds by removing the bipod assembly.
The Magnum Research Mod. 361 was the first semi-auto Galil to ever be offered to the American public, and it was of the AR configuration. It had a 18" barrel, bayonet lug (most of the time), and polymer handguard. The Action Arms version was designated the Mod. 386 and had a 16" barrel and no bayonet lug. A post ban variant was released in the early 1990s as the Mod. 386s and lacked a folding stock, threaded barrel, or flash hider (some early ones did have barrel threads, which were covered up by a perminantly attached muzzle nut). Finally, Mossberg imported some IMI receivers marked "Galil Sporter", and many of these have been used to complete surplus parts kits. Most have been built up into AR or ARM type rifles.
The standard Century Arms Golani Sporter was built in the AR configuration. The earliest rifles were actually marked "Galil Sporter" like the older Mossberg imports, but this was quickly changed when IWI objected. The name Golani was chosen to keep everyone happy. The first rifles lacked a bayonet lug, but did have a folding stock and threaded barrel with flash hider. Many shooters wanted the lug though, so most all later Golanis featured it. Early rifles were built on receivers from Ohio Rapid Fire (ORF), but many problems were reported. Most had to do with improper heat treating. So after a couple years, Century switched to receivers manufactured by Caspian Arms, which ended up having a much better reputation. On the otherhand, the ORF receivers were true milled from a forging, where as the Caspians were milled from an investment casting. The Golani is now out of production, and has been for a number of years.
Micro Assault Rifle (MAR)
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(A Micro Galil build by Hillbilly Firearms on a CNC Warrior receiver, and with a faux suppressor)
The MAR is the submachinegun sized variant of the Galil. It is the most radical departure from the original design and was first introduced in 1994. It has a standard barrel length of 8.4", however very early models had a 7.9" assembly and some late versions are offered with an 11.0" one instead. The firearm used SMG sights from the Mini Uzi, had lightening cuts in both the bolt carrier and receiver, and the stock henge was machined as part of the receiver itself to save on length. Early MARs had an all polymer stock, Galil pattern short handguard, and the standard Galil charging handle. Later models came with longer/more modern handguards, an aluminium alloy stock covered with polymer and rubber buttplate, and could be had with a left side charging handle as an optional feature.
It was designed with military airborn and police SWAT type users in mind, and has been in IDF service since 1997. The MAR is one of the most customizable Galils that IWI offers today.
There has never been a civilian legal semi-auto version of the MAR imported into the USA. The only ones available are custom small production runs, built from surplus parts. Recently, several complete kits have come onto the market, which came from demilled LEO trade in carbines. Micro receivers have been manufactured by both ORF (now Assault Weapons Of Ohio) and CNC Warrior.
Specifications:
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(Military/LEO Micro Galil Subcompact carbine)
Weight;
SAR: 3.75 kg (8.27 lb)
AR: 3.95 kg (8.7 lb)
ARM: 4.35 kg (9.6 lb)
MAR: 2.95 kg (6.5 lb)
Length;
SAR: 850 mm (33 in) stock extended / 614 mm (24.2 in) stock folded
AR/ARM: 987 mm (38.9 in) stock extended / 742 mm (29.2 in) stock folded
MAR: 690 mm (27.6 in) stock extended / 445 mm (17.8 in) stock folded
Barrel length;
SAR: 332 mm (13.1 in)
AR/ARM: 460 mm (18.1 in)
MAR: 195 mm (8.4 in)
Rate of fire - 630–750 rounds/min
Effective range of fire - 450 - 500 meters (AR/ARM) 300 meters (SAR) 150-200 meters (MAR
Muzzle velocity;
SAR: 900 m/s (2,953 ft/s)
AR/ARM: 950 m/s (3,116.8 ft/s)
MAR: ?
So there you have a brief history and mechanical overview of the Galil. I know it is a rifle most out there have heard of, but it has an interesting story behind it. For military users, its biggest drawback is its weight. This is something that is of minor concern to the American civilian shooter. It delivers the reliability and durability of the AK47, in a package chambered for the .223 round and with better sights and ergonomics. It is a pleasure to shoot and just a lot of fun.
This whole article started when i had a simple question, "which variant did the IDF use?" There isn't an easy to find and clear answer, so i started digging. In the end, i had a good bit of info and a greater appreciation for the firearm. Oh and it was the ARM mostly, with the SAR as a support role carbine. I was a bit amazed to discover the IDF did not really use the AR.
Anyway, hope you have enjoyed your read.
The official website for the Mishaco Youtube channel. Visit youtube.com/MishacoOBA for more.
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Modern Beretta Military Rifles
by Mishcao
When the name Beretta is heard, most immediately think of the company's successful pistol lines such as the 92FS. However, the oldest firearms maker in the world has also been producing rifles for the Italian military for centuries. This article will take a look at 3 such firearms from the last five decades.
Oh yeah and, all 3 are damn cool designs....
BM59 Battlerifle:
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(my Springfield assembled on P.Beretta receiver BM59 rifle with standard magazine and issue sling)
After the end of World War II, the Italian military adopted the American M1 Garand rifle, chambered for the 7.62x63mm (.30-06) cartridge. It replaced the old Carcano bolt action rifle and served Italy well during the early Cold War era. In 1949, the Italian government purchased the production rights for the Garand from the USA. It was sold the wartime Winchester production line, complete with tooling and blueprints. By 1953, Beretta had setup Garand production and had turned out its first rifles. Later, it would be joined by Breda and the two factories would manufacture M1s for the Italian military and for export throughout the decade.
The Garand was an advanced rifle when it was introduced in 1936. It was one of the best rifles during WWII, and continued to serve well during the Korean War. However, by the mid 1950s it was beginning to look dated and lacking in modern features. The USA ended up developing the M14, while many other NATO allies went with the FN FAL and later the HK G3. Italy however decided to simply update and modernize the Garand. It was a battle prooven design and this route would save the nation considerable time and money too. By 1957, efferts were underway and the program moved at a rapid pace.
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(standard Italian military BM59 MK I rifle, with select fire capability)
The new rifle was released in 1959, and was adopted that same year by the Italian Army and Navy as the BM59. Essentially, it was a Garand rechambered for the then new 7.62mm NATO cartridge, the receiver was altered to accept detachable box magazines, and the weapon was given select fire capabilities. It used a Garand type gas system, bolt, and iron sights. Various muzzle brakes were used on the BM59 over the years. The original version took a modified Garand bayonet, while later variants took the standard M16 M7 type. Early rifles had the same 22" long barrel as the Garand, and later ones were fitted with a 19" one, which both saved on length and weight. The standard BM59 magazine was made of heavy stamped steel and held 20 rounds. The receiver also allowed for the use of stripper clips to "top off" the magazine.
Other features that would eventually be integrated into the design included a grenade launcher sight with gas cut off, folding lightweight bipod, rubber recoil pad, flip-up shoulder rest, 90 degrees rotating rear sling swivel, and a fold-down winter trigger. In the end, Beretta was able to rather radically update and improve the M1 Garand, while not sacrificing reliability, durability, or accuracy.
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(the BM59 MK III Paratrooper's carbine)
The BM59 was offered in several variants and configurations. The basic model with semi-pistol grip stock was designated as the MK I. The MK II was the same firearm, but with a wooden stock which featured a full pistol grip (not unlike the M14E2's stock). The MK III Truppe Alpine was designed for mountain troops, and featured a wooden pistol grip and metal folding buttstock. There was also a Paratrooper version of the MK III, which had a short 17" barrel and quick detachable flash hider to further save on length. The MK IV was the LMG or SAW variant with a heavier barrel and bipod, and is sometimes known as the Nigerian model (though this name is rather misleading). There was also the BM59sl, which was the so-called "economy" model and was offered as an upgrade package to militaries with M1 Garands. Basically Beretta would convert the Garand to 7.62mm NATO and modify it to feed from detachable magazines. It would also usually add a compensator to the barrel, but most all BM59sl's were left as semi-automatic only firearms. It is also worth pointing out that many early BM59s were built with leftover Garand parts, including receivers.
The BM59 would remain the standard issue rifle for all branches of the Italian military for over three decades. It was also used by several other nations, including; Algeria, Bahrain, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, Morocco, and Somalia. Argentina would use it along side the FN FAL during the Falklands War too. It was manufactured under license in Indonesia by the Bandung Weapons Factory as the SP-1, and in Nigeria by the Defense Industries Corporation. The rifle saw combat throughout the Cold War period, especially in Africa and East Asia.
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(a preban import Italian BM62, lacking grenade launcher)
Several semi-automatic only, civilian legal versions were produced over the years. The first was the BM62 by Beretta, which was a sporterized version. It used the same receiver, barrel, and detachable magazines, but lacked a flash hider, bayonet lug, grenade sight, bipod, and had a sporter style buttplate. Also, it was most often shipped with short 5 or 10 round magazines, even though standard 20 rd BM59 mags would work in it. Later, Beretta released the BM69, which was a much closer copy of the original military rifle that restored most of its features such as the bipod and bayonet lug. In the 1980s, Springfield Armory Inc. began offering the BM59 (Sporter), which was assembled in the USA from surplus Italian parts. Early SA BM59s were assembled on P.Beretta marked receivers, while later ones were simply marked Springfield. These rifles will have all of the features of the military model, except of course the selector switch. Most were of the MK I configuration, but some MK III and IVs were produced as well. SA just built whatever they had parts for. Finally, many American companies have created BM59 clones, most of them based on rewelded and modified Garand receivers. These are found with wildly ranging quality levels (as would be expected).
Italian Service: 1959-1990 (as standard issue, and until 1998 in reserves)
Weight: 4.4 kg (9.70 lb)
Length: 1,095 mm (43.1 in)
Barrel length: 491 mm (19.3 in)
AR70/223 & AR70/90 Assault Rifles:
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(my Italian Beretta AR70/223s, upgraded with bayonet lug and grenade sights, with standard magazine and correct sling)
The AR70 family is not all that widely known or seen outside of Italy. It is however a very interesting firearm, with roots stretching back nearly as far as those of the American M16. In 1963, Beretta partnered with SiG of Switzerland to develop an assault rifle to fire the then very new .223 Rem cartridge. The two companies worked on what would become known as the SG530, which used both a roller delayed bolt group and long-stroke gas piston. Beretta felt the roller system was unneccessary, where as SiG was very committed to it. This dispute became so problematic, that the partnership was dissolved after five years.
SiG kept working on the SG530 and Beretta went its own way in 1968. What it eventually came up with was the AR70. First unvailed in 1972, the AR70 combined the long-stroke gas piston system, with a dual lugged rotating bolt. You might recognize this as the same system that the Russians came up with for the AK47 and you would be right. However, the AR70 is not at all an AK clone. It has two receiver halves, with two push pins; just as with the AR15. It also borrowed many design elements from the Armalite AR18 such as being made of stamped and welded steel, spring loaded dustcover behind the bolt, and a very similar sight arrangement. The front was a post type sight located on the gasblock, and the rear had an L type flip aperture with two range settings and windage knob. The AR70 had front and rear fold up grenade sights, a long 4 slotted flash hider, folding light bipod (very similar to the one found on the BM59), and took a standard M16 M7 type bayonet. It fed from heavy stamped steel magazines, which were based on the AK pattern. All in all, it was very modern for its day, lightweight, and had a very reliable operating system which was also very easy to field strip for cleaning/maintenance.
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(the original Italian AR70/223 assault rifle)
The original AR70 was released in 3 main variants. The AR70/223 had a 18" long barrel and polymer fixed buttstock. The SC70/223 was the same firearm, but fitted with a polymer coated metal folding stock. Finally, the SCS70/223 was a carbine version with a 14.5" barrel and folding stock. All variants had a chromelined bore with a 1 in 12 twist rate to fire the standard 55g bullet then in common use.
The AR70/223 was the standard issue firearm for the Italian Special Forces during the 1970s and 1980s. It was also purchased by the Security Forces branch of the Italian Air Force, and used by some in the Italian Navy. Beretta found some overseas customers for the AR70/223 such as the militaries of Jordan, Indonesia, Egypt, and Malaysia. In all, 14 countries purchased the AR70/223 in some quantity. Its modest success on the globel market can be attributed to the fact that when it was released, there were very few fully developed .223 caliber assault rifles available. It also helped that the AR70/223 was relatively inexpensive and was easy to train standard soldiers how to use and maintain. All that said, the bulk of the Italian military did not adopt the rifle, and instead continued to use the venerable BM59.
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(the product improved AR70/90 pictured with optional folding stock assembly)
Then in 1985, the Italian Army decided it was time to retire its battlerifle and select a modern assault rifle which fired the standard 5.56mm NATO cartridge. Trials were held in the late 1980s, and Beretta submitted an upgraded version of the AR70. The new model fed from standard M16/NATO magazines, had a reshaped and strengthened upper receiver, 3 position gas regulator, ambidextrous selector and mag release, fold down trigger guard for use with gloves, and a weaver rail with detachable carry handle as standard features. The selector had an additional option for 3 round burst, as well as fully automatic. Also, the bore's twist rate was changed to 1 in 7 to better work with modern 62g projectiles. This new model eventually won the military trials in 1990, and was adopted as the AR70/90. It became standard issue for the Italian Army, Navy, and Air Force. In 1992, the military ordered 52,400 rifles from Beretta, with an additional 40,000 in 1996. It took until the end of the decade to fully phase out the BM59 and replace it with the new rifle. As with the AR70/223, the new model had 3 main variants: the fixed stock AR70/90, folding stock SC70/90, and the 14.5" barreled carbine as the SCP70/90. The Italian military would eventually acquire 105,000 AR70/90 rifles and 15,000 SCP70/90 carbines. It received its most recent and final shipment in 2008, which consisted of 500 carbines.
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(the SCP70/90 "Special Forces" carbine)
The AR70/90 is still in widespread use today. There are even some old AR70/223s around, which are mostly used for training and for display in parades. Also, the Air Force Security Force retains many SC70/223 folders, which are issued to airbase guards and support crews. The series has prooven durable and reliable, in such places as Afghanistan and Iraq. On the otherhand, while the AR70/223 was modern for the 1970s, by the time the AR70/90 was adopted in the 1990s, the design was already looking conservative (if not exactly obsolete). It was made of steel, with polymer only found in the furniture at a time when other manufacturers were going to bulllpups and/or designs with entire polymer receivers. The AR70/90 was both heavier and longer than most of its competition too. All this meant that in the end, the Italian military was the only user to adopt it for general issue. So ironically, the AR70/223 could be said to have actually been more successful than the AR70/90.
Going back to the beginning for a moment, it is interesting to revisit what SiG ultimately did. The SG530 was abandoned in the early 1970s in favour of the SG540. SiG finally discovered that Beretta had been right all along regarding the roller system, and it too dropped it, and like Beretta it used an AK style two lug rotating bolt in the SG540. The SG540 was evolved into the SG550, which became the new standard issue rifle in the Swiss military under the designation STGW.90 in 1990. Which was the same year that Beretta's own design finally went into general issue as well. In otherwords, both the AR70/90 and STGW.90 can be said to have had a development process which lasted nearly 30 years.
Beginning in the early 1980s, Beretta started to offer the AR70/223s, a semi-automatic only, civilian legal version of the original design. It was very close to its military counter part, though most examples lacked a bayonet lug and grenade sights. It shipped with a short 8 round range mag, but standard military ones would fit without issue. Later, the AR70/90s was released which again was very close to the military version, but lacked the bayonet lug as well as the flash hider due to changing gun ownership laws during the 1990s.
Somewhere between 500 and 2,000 AR70/223 Sporters were imported into the USA between 1985 and 1989. Others have been assembled after the ban using Numrich parts kits and USA made 80% receiver blanks.
Italian Service: AR70/223, 1972-1992 (limited issue), AR70/90, 1990-present day (standard issue)
Weight: 3.99 kg (8.80 lb) (varies slightly)
Length: 998 mm (39.3 in)
908 mm (35.8 in) (SCS & SCP carbines with stock deployed)
Barrel length: 450 mm (18.0 in) (standard rifle)
360mm (14.5 in) (SCS & SCP carbines)
ARX160 Modular Assault Rifle:
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my Beretta ARX100 with standard magazine and QD sling)
The ARX160 is a spin off from the Soldato Futuro program of the early 21th Century. It is part of an initiative to modernize the Italian military. It is an advanced modular assault rifle, constructed mostly from high-impact polymer. It is primarily chambered for the 5.56mm NATO cartridge, however versions in 7.62x39mm have been produced for certain customers. There are plans for additional calibers such as .300 Blackout, 6.8mm SPC, and 5.45x39mm. The ARX160 has a quick change barrel, which is cold hammer forged and chromelined, with a 1 in 7 twist rate. The standard barrel is 16" long with a lightweight profile. Beretta also offers a compact 12" barrel, extended 20", and heavier 16" for use as a DMR. It has an A2 type flash hider, on 1/2x28 threading. The weapon uses a short-stroke gas piston system, with AR15 style rotating bolt. The system is designed in such a way that felt recoil is more spread out and therefore minimized. The gas valve is adjustable with 2 settings.
The ARX160 is fully ambidextrous, including the mag release, safety selector, bolt release, and sling swivels. The charging handle can be easily flipped to either side without tools, and without disassembling the weapon. Most uniquely though, the weapon can be configured to eject from either side by using a bullet tip to activate an internal switch. The weapon feeds from standard AR15/M16 type magazines, and ships with 30 rounders made of stamped steel.
It features a long top rail, two shorter side rails, and a short bottom section. behind this section is a separate mount for the GLX160 single shot 40mm grenade launcher. The stock is adjustable with 4 positions and folds to the right side. The pistol grip is A2 style, with a storage compartment for a cleaning kit inside. All ARX firearms come standard with polymer backup sights that are adjustable from 100 to 600 meters, and that are quickdetachable with the press of a bullet tip.
Beretta released the ARX160 commercially in 2008, and shortly there after shipped 800 examples to the Italian military for testing and for use by Special Forces. In 2010, a slightly updated and improved version of the rifle began to see widespread use, with an order for 12,000 units placed by the Italian government. Then in 2012, it was announced that the ARX160 was officially to replace the AR70/90 as the military's standard issue rifle. Today, the Italian Army, Navy, and Air Force have a combined total of 30,000 ARX160s in their inventories, with plans to acquire more. Thus the AR70/90 is being phased out of frontline service.
The ARX160 has been adopted by the Egyptian Navy and Special Forces. Special Forces units of Kazakhstan issue a version chambered for the 7.62x39mm cartridge, and the Albanian Army has purchased several thousand rifles. The Mexican Federal Police have ordered 6,000 units from Italy. In addition, India, France, Argentina, and the USA have all tested Beretta's new design. It is a new comer to the market, and it is extremely difficult to overcome the M16/M4's popularity, but the ARX160 is at least receiving a lot of attention and more than a few favourable reviews. Only time will tell how successful it will become.
Beretta offers a semi-automatic only, civilian version designated as the ARX100. It mirrors its select-fire military counterpart in most every way. It is manufactured in the Beretta-USA factory to avoid the 1989 ban on the importation of "non-sporting "assault rifles," and to insure it has enough American parts to satisfy 922(r) requirements. It ships with 1 high-cap magazine, military QD sling, and in a factory nylon soft case.
Italian Service: 2012-present (standard issue)
Weight: 3.1 kg (6.8 lb) (with standard barrel)
3.0 kg (6.6 lb) (with short SF barrel)
Length: 755 mm (29.72 in) (stock exteneded w. 302 mm barrel)
680 mm (26.77 in) (stock collapsed w. 302 mm barrel)
580 mm (22.83 in) (stock folded w. 302 mm barrel)
920 mm (36.22 in) (stock exteneded w. 406 mm barrel)
820 mm (32.28 in) (stock collapsed w. 406 mm barrel)
755 mm (29.72 in) (stock folded w. 406 mm barrel)
Barrel length: 302 mm (11.89 in)
406 mm (15.98 in)
My thoughts on each of the rifles:
BM59; It is an interesting and well manufactured Garand variant. It is a bit lighter and shorter than the original, and thus handier to drag around. Mine has a nice trigger and is just a solid feeling gun. It is also very pleasant to fire. If i had to say anything against it, it might be that the magazines fit rather tight and have to be tilted into the magwell at a more or less exact angle. Also, the bipod does make the handguard a bit wide and bulky when folded up. These are minor issues, and all in all the BM59 has the positive attributes of the Garand, plus the switch from the en-bloc clip system to detachable magazines is a very welcome one.
I like the Springfield model, at least the ones built on Beretta marked receivers. I know they are assembled in the USA, but I like that they have all of the military features unlike the BM62. It is interesting to compare the BM59 to the M14/M1A too. The Beretta does feel sturdier, but also this means additional weight. I have taken this BM59 to the range twice now, and I can say it was a lot of fun, probably more so than my Springfield M1A honestly. It had less felt recoil and just seemed more like my M1 Garand.
AR70/223s; This is a very unique design that harkens back to the early days of the assault rifle and the .223 cartridge. I really like how it shares so much with the SiG SG550 and Armalite AR180; two of my all-time favorite .223 cal rifles (though for very different reasons). Mine has a very nice trigger and smooth bolt. It is easy to field strip and load mags into. It is not too long and is of average/medium weight. It has something of the Colt M16A1/SP1 in its spirite too. I do wish it took standard AR15/M16 magazines so I could use the piles I already have. Its mags are very solid feeling, but also very pricy and difficult to find. As with the BM59, I do find that the bipod does detract slightly from the feel of the handguard but at least it does not add much weight.
Some have said that as many as 2,000 AR70/223s were imported backin the 1980s. Based on how rarely they come up for sale and serial numbers, this number seems high to me. Others put the number at 500, which on the other hand, seems a bit low. Either way, it is a nifty piece of firearms history and fits perfectly in my Italian collection. Today, I will be taking this rifle out for its first range session. It will be interesting to see if it handles as nicely as a SIG SG55x.
ARX100; There is a lot I could say regarding this firearm. I will begin by saying how surprised I was when i discovered I absolutely loved it. I picked up my example last Christmas, and did so mostly because I found one NIB for under $1,400. Plus I was bored and wanted something new to play around with. Beretta has always made good products, and i planned to test it out a bit, get to know it, and then sell it down the line. What happened instead was that the ARX has become one of my top-favorite .223 rifles to take to the range. Please remember I also own or have owned many quality .223s such as the HK MR556A1, Bushmaster ACR, SIG SIG551-A1, FN SCAR, and several Colt AR15s. Also the Radom Archer, which is another top-favorite but that is a story for another day.
Alright, so what is it about the ARX I like so much? I know on paper that while it doesn't look bad, it also doesn't really stand out from the crowd. First off, it is a couple hundred bucks cheaper than the ACR, and nearly $1k less than either the MR556A1 or SCAR 16s. Since it is Beretta, it is well constructed from quality parts, including a great barrel. Second, it comes from the factory with a few freebees such as a decent set of BUIS, a really good sling, and a good soft case. Next, i liked the ergonomics. The controls are well laid out, the pistol grip comfortable, stock solid, and the trigger (on mine at least) is actually quite good (better than the one in my old SCAR or Tavor for sure). One ergonomic issue I did have was when charging the weapon, I would bang my knuckle against the brass deflector when the handle was rotated to the left side. The problem went away though when i swapped the handle to the right side. Finally, I found the quick change barrel system really handy for cleaning the bore out, and also just plain nifty. If Beretta offers different barrels or a caliber conversion kit, I will purchase them.
So already liking the rifle, I took it to the range right after Christmas; and it was there that i began to love it. Beretta's claims that the ARX's gas system reduces felt recoil are accurate. Sure a fully loaded AR15 that weighs 11 lbs has no real recoil, but the ARX is only 7 lbs and mostly polymer. So for it to have no real recoil is pretty impressive. When your heaviest metal piece is your bolt group, usually its bouncing back and forth ends up producing a see-saw effect. Sorry, its hard to explain. A good example of this can be found with the HK G36/SL8 or UMP/USC. Both firearms have more felt recoil than they really ought to, all due to a massive steel bolt bouncing around in a polymer receiver shell. So to me, the ARX feels nice when it is fired.
If i had to criticize anything with the ARX, it would be its buttstock. I wish it had a rubber coated buttplate and a different style of curve to it. For some it might also be a bit short, but since I am 5'6" it is just fine for me personally. Likewise, it would be nice if the charging handle were a bit larger, however I understand why it is the size it is so that it can be swapped from side to side without disassembling the weapon. Anyway, it is still better than that of the AR15. The factory BUIS do look a bit comically large, but are totally usable. Besides, most people put their own sights on when they customize their rifles. In the end, it is difficult to explain why the ARX is so fun. A person just has to experience it for themselves to understand what Beretta has done here, and done it for less money than most of the competition. I sincerely hope this rifle catches on and the manufacturer begins to offer parts and kits for it.
I will be taking mine to the range again this afternoon. It reminds me a lot of the ACR Enhanced and SCAR 16s, but for various reasons I just like it better. Oh yeah, and so far it has been 100% reliable, even with Tulammo steel cased 55g and 62g, which is about the weakest and cheapest .223 ammo on the market. The only other rifles of mine that eat that stuff reliably are the Radom Archer and HK MR556A1. It jammed up the Tavor, AUG A3, Colt 6920, S&W M&P-15, and ACR. It really is bad ammo and not the fault of those firearms that they wouldn't cycle it.
When the name Beretta is heard, most immediately think of the company's successful pistol lines such as the 92FS. However, the oldest firearms maker in the world has also been producing rifles for the Italian military for centuries. This article will take a look at 3 such firearms from the last five decades.
Oh yeah and, all 3 are damn cool designs....
BM59 Battlerifle:
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(my Springfield assembled on P.Beretta receiver BM59 rifle with standard magazine and issue sling)
After the end of World War II, the Italian military adopted the American M1 Garand rifle, chambered for the 7.62x63mm (.30-06) cartridge. It replaced the old Carcano bolt action rifle and served Italy well during the early Cold War era. In 1949, the Italian government purchased the production rights for the Garand from the USA. It was sold the wartime Winchester production line, complete with tooling and blueprints. By 1953, Beretta had setup Garand production and had turned out its first rifles. Later, it would be joined by Breda and the two factories would manufacture M1s for the Italian military and for export throughout the decade.
The Garand was an advanced rifle when it was introduced in 1936. It was one of the best rifles during WWII, and continued to serve well during the Korean War. However, by the mid 1950s it was beginning to look dated and lacking in modern features. The USA ended up developing the M14, while many other NATO allies went with the FN FAL and later the HK G3. Italy however decided to simply update and modernize the Garand. It was a battle prooven design and this route would save the nation considerable time and money too. By 1957, efferts were underway and the program moved at a rapid pace.
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(standard Italian military BM59 MK I rifle, with select fire capability)
The new rifle was released in 1959, and was adopted that same year by the Italian Army and Navy as the BM59. Essentially, it was a Garand rechambered for the then new 7.62mm NATO cartridge, the receiver was altered to accept detachable box magazines, and the weapon was given select fire capabilities. It used a Garand type gas system, bolt, and iron sights. Various muzzle brakes were used on the BM59 over the years. The original version took a modified Garand bayonet, while later variants took the standard M16 M7 type. Early rifles had the same 22" long barrel as the Garand, and later ones were fitted with a 19" one, which both saved on length and weight. The standard BM59 magazine was made of heavy stamped steel and held 20 rounds. The receiver also allowed for the use of stripper clips to "top off" the magazine.
Other features that would eventually be integrated into the design included a grenade launcher sight with gas cut off, folding lightweight bipod, rubber recoil pad, flip-up shoulder rest, 90 degrees rotating rear sling swivel, and a fold-down winter trigger. In the end, Beretta was able to rather radically update and improve the M1 Garand, while not sacrificing reliability, durability, or accuracy.
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(the BM59 MK III Paratrooper's carbine)
The BM59 was offered in several variants and configurations. The basic model with semi-pistol grip stock was designated as the MK I. The MK II was the same firearm, but with a wooden stock which featured a full pistol grip (not unlike the M14E2's stock). The MK III Truppe Alpine was designed for mountain troops, and featured a wooden pistol grip and metal folding buttstock. There was also a Paratrooper version of the MK III, which had a short 17" barrel and quick detachable flash hider to further save on length. The MK IV was the LMG or SAW variant with a heavier barrel and bipod, and is sometimes known as the Nigerian model (though this name is rather misleading). There was also the BM59sl, which was the so-called "economy" model and was offered as an upgrade package to militaries with M1 Garands. Basically Beretta would convert the Garand to 7.62mm NATO and modify it to feed from detachable magazines. It would also usually add a compensator to the barrel, but most all BM59sl's were left as semi-automatic only firearms. It is also worth pointing out that many early BM59s were built with leftover Garand parts, including receivers.
The BM59 would remain the standard issue rifle for all branches of the Italian military for over three decades. It was also used by several other nations, including; Algeria, Bahrain, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, Morocco, and Somalia. Argentina would use it along side the FN FAL during the Falklands War too. It was manufactured under license in Indonesia by the Bandung Weapons Factory as the SP-1, and in Nigeria by the Defense Industries Corporation. The rifle saw combat throughout the Cold War period, especially in Africa and East Asia.
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(a preban import Italian BM62, lacking grenade launcher)
Several semi-automatic only, civilian legal versions were produced over the years. The first was the BM62 by Beretta, which was a sporterized version. It used the same receiver, barrel, and detachable magazines, but lacked a flash hider, bayonet lug, grenade sight, bipod, and had a sporter style buttplate. Also, it was most often shipped with short 5 or 10 round magazines, even though standard 20 rd BM59 mags would work in it. Later, Beretta released the BM69, which was a much closer copy of the original military rifle that restored most of its features such as the bipod and bayonet lug. In the 1980s, Springfield Armory Inc. began offering the BM59 (Sporter), which was assembled in the USA from surplus Italian parts. Early SA BM59s were assembled on P.Beretta marked receivers, while later ones were simply marked Springfield. These rifles will have all of the features of the military model, except of course the selector switch. Most were of the MK I configuration, but some MK III and IVs were produced as well. SA just built whatever they had parts for. Finally, many American companies have created BM59 clones, most of them based on rewelded and modified Garand receivers. These are found with wildly ranging quality levels (as would be expected).
Italian Service: 1959-1990 (as standard issue, and until 1998 in reserves)
Weight: 4.4 kg (9.70 lb)
Length: 1,095 mm (43.1 in)
Barrel length: 491 mm (19.3 in)
AR70/223 & AR70/90 Assault Rifles:
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(my Italian Beretta AR70/223s, upgraded with bayonet lug and grenade sights, with standard magazine and correct sling)
The AR70 family is not all that widely known or seen outside of Italy. It is however a very interesting firearm, with roots stretching back nearly as far as those of the American M16. In 1963, Beretta partnered with SiG of Switzerland to develop an assault rifle to fire the then very new .223 Rem cartridge. The two companies worked on what would become known as the SG530, which used both a roller delayed bolt group and long-stroke gas piston. Beretta felt the roller system was unneccessary, where as SiG was very committed to it. This dispute became so problematic, that the partnership was dissolved after five years.
SiG kept working on the SG530 and Beretta went its own way in 1968. What it eventually came up with was the AR70. First unvailed in 1972, the AR70 combined the long-stroke gas piston system, with a dual lugged rotating bolt. You might recognize this as the same system that the Russians came up with for the AK47 and you would be right. However, the AR70 is not at all an AK clone. It has two receiver halves, with two push pins; just as with the AR15. It also borrowed many design elements from the Armalite AR18 such as being made of stamped and welded steel, spring loaded dustcover behind the bolt, and a very similar sight arrangement. The front was a post type sight located on the gasblock, and the rear had an L type flip aperture with two range settings and windage knob. The AR70 had front and rear fold up grenade sights, a long 4 slotted flash hider, folding light bipod (very similar to the one found on the BM59), and took a standard M16 M7 type bayonet. It fed from heavy stamped steel magazines, which were based on the AK pattern. All in all, it was very modern for its day, lightweight, and had a very reliable operating system which was also very easy to field strip for cleaning/maintenance.
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(the original Italian AR70/223 assault rifle)
The original AR70 was released in 3 main variants. The AR70/223 had a 18" long barrel and polymer fixed buttstock. The SC70/223 was the same firearm, but fitted with a polymer coated metal folding stock. Finally, the SCS70/223 was a carbine version with a 14.5" barrel and folding stock. All variants had a chromelined bore with a 1 in 12 twist rate to fire the standard 55g bullet then in common use.
The AR70/223 was the standard issue firearm for the Italian Special Forces during the 1970s and 1980s. It was also purchased by the Security Forces branch of the Italian Air Force, and used by some in the Italian Navy. Beretta found some overseas customers for the AR70/223 such as the militaries of Jordan, Indonesia, Egypt, and Malaysia. In all, 14 countries purchased the AR70/223 in some quantity. Its modest success on the globel market can be attributed to the fact that when it was released, there were very few fully developed .223 caliber assault rifles available. It also helped that the AR70/223 was relatively inexpensive and was easy to train standard soldiers how to use and maintain. All that said, the bulk of the Italian military did not adopt the rifle, and instead continued to use the venerable BM59.
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(the product improved AR70/90 pictured with optional folding stock assembly)
Then in 1985, the Italian Army decided it was time to retire its battlerifle and select a modern assault rifle which fired the standard 5.56mm NATO cartridge. Trials were held in the late 1980s, and Beretta submitted an upgraded version of the AR70. The new model fed from standard M16/NATO magazines, had a reshaped and strengthened upper receiver, 3 position gas regulator, ambidextrous selector and mag release, fold down trigger guard for use with gloves, and a weaver rail with detachable carry handle as standard features. The selector had an additional option for 3 round burst, as well as fully automatic. Also, the bore's twist rate was changed to 1 in 7 to better work with modern 62g projectiles. This new model eventually won the military trials in 1990, and was adopted as the AR70/90. It became standard issue for the Italian Army, Navy, and Air Force. In 1992, the military ordered 52,400 rifles from Beretta, with an additional 40,000 in 1996. It took until the end of the decade to fully phase out the BM59 and replace it with the new rifle. As with the AR70/223, the new model had 3 main variants: the fixed stock AR70/90, folding stock SC70/90, and the 14.5" barreled carbine as the SCP70/90. The Italian military would eventually acquire 105,000 AR70/90 rifles and 15,000 SCP70/90 carbines. It received its most recent and final shipment in 2008, which consisted of 500 carbines.
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(the SCP70/90 "Special Forces" carbine)
The AR70/90 is still in widespread use today. There are even some old AR70/223s around, which are mostly used for training and for display in parades. Also, the Air Force Security Force retains many SC70/223 folders, which are issued to airbase guards and support crews. The series has prooven durable and reliable, in such places as Afghanistan and Iraq. On the otherhand, while the AR70/223 was modern for the 1970s, by the time the AR70/90 was adopted in the 1990s, the design was already looking conservative (if not exactly obsolete). It was made of steel, with polymer only found in the furniture at a time when other manufacturers were going to bulllpups and/or designs with entire polymer receivers. The AR70/90 was both heavier and longer than most of its competition too. All this meant that in the end, the Italian military was the only user to adopt it for general issue. So ironically, the AR70/223 could be said to have actually been more successful than the AR70/90.
Going back to the beginning for a moment, it is interesting to revisit what SiG ultimately did. The SG530 was abandoned in the early 1970s in favour of the SG540. SiG finally discovered that Beretta had been right all along regarding the roller system, and it too dropped it, and like Beretta it used an AK style two lug rotating bolt in the SG540. The SG540 was evolved into the SG550, which became the new standard issue rifle in the Swiss military under the designation STGW.90 in 1990. Which was the same year that Beretta's own design finally went into general issue as well. In otherwords, both the AR70/90 and STGW.90 can be said to have had a development process which lasted nearly 30 years.
Beginning in the early 1980s, Beretta started to offer the AR70/223s, a semi-automatic only, civilian legal version of the original design. It was very close to its military counter part, though most examples lacked a bayonet lug and grenade sights. It shipped with a short 8 round range mag, but standard military ones would fit without issue. Later, the AR70/90s was released which again was very close to the military version, but lacked the bayonet lug as well as the flash hider due to changing gun ownership laws during the 1990s.
Somewhere between 500 and 2,000 AR70/223 Sporters were imported into the USA between 1985 and 1989. Others have been assembled after the ban using Numrich parts kits and USA made 80% receiver blanks.
Italian Service: AR70/223, 1972-1992 (limited issue), AR70/90, 1990-present day (standard issue)
Weight: 3.99 kg (8.80 lb) (varies slightly)
Length: 998 mm (39.3 in)
908 mm (35.8 in) (SCS & SCP carbines with stock deployed)
Barrel length: 450 mm (18.0 in) (standard rifle)
360mm (14.5 in) (SCS & SCP carbines)
ARX160 Modular Assault Rifle:
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my Beretta ARX100 with standard magazine and QD sling)
The ARX160 is a spin off from the Soldato Futuro program of the early 21th Century. It is part of an initiative to modernize the Italian military. It is an advanced modular assault rifle, constructed mostly from high-impact polymer. It is primarily chambered for the 5.56mm NATO cartridge, however versions in 7.62x39mm have been produced for certain customers. There are plans for additional calibers such as .300 Blackout, 6.8mm SPC, and 5.45x39mm. The ARX160 has a quick change barrel, which is cold hammer forged and chromelined, with a 1 in 7 twist rate. The standard barrel is 16" long with a lightweight profile. Beretta also offers a compact 12" barrel, extended 20", and heavier 16" for use as a DMR. It has an A2 type flash hider, on 1/2x28 threading. The weapon uses a short-stroke gas piston system, with AR15 style rotating bolt. The system is designed in such a way that felt recoil is more spread out and therefore minimized. The gas valve is adjustable with 2 settings.
The ARX160 is fully ambidextrous, including the mag release, safety selector, bolt release, and sling swivels. The charging handle can be easily flipped to either side without tools, and without disassembling the weapon. Most uniquely though, the weapon can be configured to eject from either side by using a bullet tip to activate an internal switch. The weapon feeds from standard AR15/M16 type magazines, and ships with 30 rounders made of stamped steel.
It features a long top rail, two shorter side rails, and a short bottom section. behind this section is a separate mount for the GLX160 single shot 40mm grenade launcher. The stock is adjustable with 4 positions and folds to the right side. The pistol grip is A2 style, with a storage compartment for a cleaning kit inside. All ARX firearms come standard with polymer backup sights that are adjustable from 100 to 600 meters, and that are quickdetachable with the press of a bullet tip.
Beretta released the ARX160 commercially in 2008, and shortly there after shipped 800 examples to the Italian military for testing and for use by Special Forces. In 2010, a slightly updated and improved version of the rifle began to see widespread use, with an order for 12,000 units placed by the Italian government. Then in 2012, it was announced that the ARX160 was officially to replace the AR70/90 as the military's standard issue rifle. Today, the Italian Army, Navy, and Air Force have a combined total of 30,000 ARX160s in their inventories, with plans to acquire more. Thus the AR70/90 is being phased out of frontline service.
The ARX160 has been adopted by the Egyptian Navy and Special Forces. Special Forces units of Kazakhstan issue a version chambered for the 7.62x39mm cartridge, and the Albanian Army has purchased several thousand rifles. The Mexican Federal Police have ordered 6,000 units from Italy. In addition, India, France, Argentina, and the USA have all tested Beretta's new design. It is a new comer to the market, and it is extremely difficult to overcome the M16/M4's popularity, but the ARX160 is at least receiving a lot of attention and more than a few favourable reviews. Only time will tell how successful it will become.
Beretta offers a semi-automatic only, civilian version designated as the ARX100. It mirrors its select-fire military counterpart in most every way. It is manufactured in the Beretta-USA factory to avoid the 1989 ban on the importation of "non-sporting "assault rifles," and to insure it has enough American parts to satisfy 922(r) requirements. It ships with 1 high-cap magazine, military QD sling, and in a factory nylon soft case.
Italian Service: 2012-present (standard issue)
Weight: 3.1 kg (6.8 lb) (with standard barrel)
3.0 kg (6.6 lb) (with short SF barrel)
Length: 755 mm (29.72 in) (stock exteneded w. 302 mm barrel)
680 mm (26.77 in) (stock collapsed w. 302 mm barrel)
580 mm (22.83 in) (stock folded w. 302 mm barrel)
920 mm (36.22 in) (stock exteneded w. 406 mm barrel)
820 mm (32.28 in) (stock collapsed w. 406 mm barrel)
755 mm (29.72 in) (stock folded w. 406 mm barrel)
Barrel length: 302 mm (11.89 in)
406 mm (15.98 in)
My thoughts on each of the rifles:
BM59; It is an interesting and well manufactured Garand variant. It is a bit lighter and shorter than the original, and thus handier to drag around. Mine has a nice trigger and is just a solid feeling gun. It is also very pleasant to fire. If i had to say anything against it, it might be that the magazines fit rather tight and have to be tilted into the magwell at a more or less exact angle. Also, the bipod does make the handguard a bit wide and bulky when folded up. These are minor issues, and all in all the BM59 has the positive attributes of the Garand, plus the switch from the en-bloc clip system to detachable magazines is a very welcome one.
I like the Springfield model, at least the ones built on Beretta marked receivers. I know they are assembled in the USA, but I like that they have all of the military features unlike the BM62. It is interesting to compare the BM59 to the M14/M1A too. The Beretta does feel sturdier, but also this means additional weight. I have taken this BM59 to the range twice now, and I can say it was a lot of fun, probably more so than my Springfield M1A honestly. It had less felt recoil and just seemed more like my M1 Garand.
AR70/223s; This is a very unique design that harkens back to the early days of the assault rifle and the .223 cartridge. I really like how it shares so much with the SiG SG550 and Armalite AR180; two of my all-time favorite .223 cal rifles (though for very different reasons). Mine has a very nice trigger and smooth bolt. It is easy to field strip and load mags into. It is not too long and is of average/medium weight. It has something of the Colt M16A1/SP1 in its spirite too. I do wish it took standard AR15/M16 magazines so I could use the piles I already have. Its mags are very solid feeling, but also very pricy and difficult to find. As with the BM59, I do find that the bipod does detract slightly from the feel of the handguard but at least it does not add much weight.
Some have said that as many as 2,000 AR70/223s were imported backin the 1980s. Based on how rarely they come up for sale and serial numbers, this number seems high to me. Others put the number at 500, which on the other hand, seems a bit low. Either way, it is a nifty piece of firearms history and fits perfectly in my Italian collection. Today, I will be taking this rifle out for its first range session. It will be interesting to see if it handles as nicely as a SIG SG55x.
ARX100; There is a lot I could say regarding this firearm. I will begin by saying how surprised I was when i discovered I absolutely loved it. I picked up my example last Christmas, and did so mostly because I found one NIB for under $1,400. Plus I was bored and wanted something new to play around with. Beretta has always made good products, and i planned to test it out a bit, get to know it, and then sell it down the line. What happened instead was that the ARX has become one of my top-favorite .223 rifles to take to the range. Please remember I also own or have owned many quality .223s such as the HK MR556A1, Bushmaster ACR, SIG SIG551-A1, FN SCAR, and several Colt AR15s. Also the Radom Archer, which is another top-favorite but that is a story for another day.
Alright, so what is it about the ARX I like so much? I know on paper that while it doesn't look bad, it also doesn't really stand out from the crowd. First off, it is a couple hundred bucks cheaper than the ACR, and nearly $1k less than either the MR556A1 or SCAR 16s. Since it is Beretta, it is well constructed from quality parts, including a great barrel. Second, it comes from the factory with a few freebees such as a decent set of BUIS, a really good sling, and a good soft case. Next, i liked the ergonomics. The controls are well laid out, the pistol grip comfortable, stock solid, and the trigger (on mine at least) is actually quite good (better than the one in my old SCAR or Tavor for sure). One ergonomic issue I did have was when charging the weapon, I would bang my knuckle against the brass deflector when the handle was rotated to the left side. The problem went away though when i swapped the handle to the right side. Finally, I found the quick change barrel system really handy for cleaning the bore out, and also just plain nifty. If Beretta offers different barrels or a caliber conversion kit, I will purchase them.
So already liking the rifle, I took it to the range right after Christmas; and it was there that i began to love it. Beretta's claims that the ARX's gas system reduces felt recoil are accurate. Sure a fully loaded AR15 that weighs 11 lbs has no real recoil, but the ARX is only 7 lbs and mostly polymer. So for it to have no real recoil is pretty impressive. When your heaviest metal piece is your bolt group, usually its bouncing back and forth ends up producing a see-saw effect. Sorry, its hard to explain. A good example of this can be found with the HK G36/SL8 or UMP/USC. Both firearms have more felt recoil than they really ought to, all due to a massive steel bolt bouncing around in a polymer receiver shell. So to me, the ARX feels nice when it is fired.
If i had to criticize anything with the ARX, it would be its buttstock. I wish it had a rubber coated buttplate and a different style of curve to it. For some it might also be a bit short, but since I am 5'6" it is just fine for me personally. Likewise, it would be nice if the charging handle were a bit larger, however I understand why it is the size it is so that it can be swapped from side to side without disassembling the weapon. Anyway, it is still better than that of the AR15. The factory BUIS do look a bit comically large, but are totally usable. Besides, most people put their own sights on when they customize their rifles. In the end, it is difficult to explain why the ARX is so fun. A person just has to experience it for themselves to understand what Beretta has done here, and done it for less money than most of the competition. I sincerely hope this rifle catches on and the manufacturer begins to offer parts and kits for it.
I will be taking mine to the range again this afternoon. It reminds me a lot of the ACR Enhanced and SCAR 16s, but for various reasons I just like it better. Oh yeah, and so far it has been 100% reliable, even with Tulammo steel cased 55g and 62g, which is about the weakest and cheapest .223 ammo on the market. The only other rifles of mine that eat that stuff reliably are the Radom Archer and HK MR556A1. It jammed up the Tavor, AUG A3, Colt 6920, S&W M&P-15, and ACR. It really is bad ammo and not the fault of those firearms that they wouldn't cycle it.
Friday, February 20, 2015
Japanese Arisaka Rifles
by Mishaco
In 2012, i wrote 2 threads dedicated to Japanese firearms. One covered the Type 14 Nambu; and the other, the Type 94 Nambu. Both were on pistols, but I've been wanting to do a 3rd and final thread on Imperial Japanese rifles. 2013-2014 was a busy period and I simply didn't have the time, or honestly the motivation. Now though, here it is: a thread dedicated to the Arisaka family of rifles and carbines, spanning from the late 19th century to World War II. There has been some Arisaka talk in the milsurp thread lately, so I hope this one is timely.
In case you missed them, condensed versions of the two Nambu threads will be coming soon as well.
Type 22 Murata Rifle & Carbine
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(A standard Type 22 Murata, functional and complete except for the small upper handguard)
Before getting into the Arisaka series, lets first look at Japan's first smokeless powder rifle, the Type 22 Murata. It was designed by Tsuneyoshi Murata and was an improvement upon his earlier creations. The Type 13 and 18 Muratas were single shot bolt actions, firing an 11mm black powder round. They were heavily based upon the French Gras and German Mauser M71, with a bit of the Dutch Beaumont thrown in for good measure. The Type 22 combined the Type 18's bolt system, with an under barrel tubular magazine copied from the Portugese Kropatschek M1886. More importantly though, it fired Japan's first small diameter, smokeless powder cartridge; the 8x53mm which was also named after Murata. As with all cartridges of the day, except for 8mm Mauser, it had a rimmed casing.
The new repeating rifle was adopted by the Japanese military in 1889. It had a 29.5" long barrel and a tube which could hold 8 cartridges. It also had a magazine feed cut off and no manual safety. Its bolt was a two piece design, with removable head. The stock was a long single piece, with a very small upper handguard section. A sectional cleaning rod was stored in the buttstock. In 1894, a carbine version of the T22 went into production for a brief time. It had a 19.5" barrel and a 5 shot tube. Considering how young Japan's firearms industry was at the time, Murata rifles exhibited good fit and finish, and benefited from strict quality control.
The rifle and carbine were in frontline service for only about a decade, before being replaced by the more advanced Arisaka. Some second line troops continued to carry them until at least 1905 though. When manufacturing ended at the Tokyo Arsenal in 1899, over 100,000 T22s had been produced. It was Japan's primary rifle during the First Cino-Japanese War and many were still around for the Russo-Japanese War. By WWI though, all had either been retired or given to schools to be used as trainers. The 8mm Murata cartridge too quickly fell out of use.
Type 30 Arisaka Rifle & Carbine
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(A Type 30 long rifle, with its unique hook safety and brass tipped cleaning rod)
The Type 30 was the first and the original Arisaka rifle. Developed in the mid 1890s by Colonel Nariaki Nariakira Arisaka at the Tokyo Arsenal, it was the standard frontline infantry long arm of the Japanese Army from its adoption in 1897 until it was officially replaced in 1905. Naturally, examples remained with secondary units for years afterwards, In fact, some were even used by hastily trained troops during the final year of WWII. That said, the only major conflict in which the T30 was Japan's main long arm was the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. By WWI, all front line troops had been re-equipped with more modern rifles. Japan rarely tossed old hardware out though, so most T30s were either put into long term storage or turned into trainers.
The T30 was a manually operated bolt action rifle, which fed from a 5 shot vertical magazine. Its bolt was similar to that of the German G.88 'Commission Rifle' and its magazine was heavily influenced by the double column Mauser pattern, but it had one improvement. The floorplate could quickly be removed for cleaning or to unload the weapon, by simply pushing a button located inside the trigger guard.
It fired the small diameter, round-nosed 6.5x50mm cartridge. This round used smokeless powder and a semi-rimmed base. It was accurate, flat shooting, and produced little smoke or felt recoil. It was a good anti-personal round. On the otherhand, it performed poorly against armor.
Other features of the T30 included standard long range adjustable latter sights, a two piece buttstock, and a long cleaning rod under the barrel. One of its most identifiable features though, was its hook type safety. To switch the rifle from safe to fire, one hooked a finger around it, pulled back, and rotated counter-clockwise.
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(A complete Type 30 Carbine, an uncommon variant today in any condition)
During the late 19th century, the Tokyo Arsenal manufactured 554,000 standard long rifles, with a 31.5" barrel; and 45,000 short carbines, with a 19.4" barrel. Most were destined for Japanese use, however some were sold to neighboring Asian nations. Interestingly, during World War I some were sold to the British Navy. Others were given to Tsarist Russia.
Type 35 Arisaka Rifle
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(An original Japanese Navy Type 35 rifle with the unique manual dustcover and squeeze rear sight)
After the Army adopted the T30, the Japanese Navy felt it too needed a more modern standard service rifle. In 1902, it selected the Type 35 Arisaka, which was a product improved version of the T30. Changes included a wider hook safety, a new pattern of rear sight (only found on the T35), a stronger extractor, a gas port in the bolt in case of a case rupture, and a manually operated dustcover. This forward sliding cover was used only on the T35 and Siamese contract Mauser. It covered the front part of the action when the firearm was not being used, and then had to be slid up onto the receiver by the user before firing.
The T35 was only produced from 1902 until 1904. Just over 10,000 were built before it was superceeded by a more advanced pattern of Arisaka. It was an intermediate step, a footnote really, but it was the first Arisaka on which Kijiro Nambu had some design influence.
Virtually everyone of these rifles went to the Navy. They were rotated out of frontline service by the end of WWI, however in a way the T35 had a twilight career in the closing days of WWII.
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(A so-called last-ditch Type 02/45; Type 35 action, training rifle small parts, and unusually put into a leftover Type 30 stock)
In 1945, old obsolete T35 barreled actions were pulled out of long term storage and put into 1 piece trainer stocks. They were finished out with sights, barrel bands, magazines, and triggers scavenged from damaged or rejected rifles; many parts even made from cast iron and intended for use on trainers. About 1,500 such mutts were assembled during the last desperate days of the war. Most were given to the Navy, who seemed to always get the leftovers. The Japanese never really even thought to give them an official designation. Today, collectors most commonly refer to them as Type 02/45s, but I myself prefer Substitute Type 35. It is more in keeping with the Japanese naming system. Honestly, these rifles probably saw more actual combat than the original T35 did back during the early 20th century.
Type 46 and 46/66 Siamese Mauser Rifles
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(A Type 46 Siamese Mauser, unconverted and still in the original 8x500mmR caliber)
An interesting side story to the Arisaka is the Type 46 Mauser manufactured by the Tokyo Arsenal for the government of Siam. It was adopted in the year 2445 according to the Buddhist calender, which was 1903 for most of the rest of the world. Originally, Siam wanted to purchase Model 98 pattern Mausers from DWM in Germany; however, it did not have adequate funding to equip its entire military with enough rifles. Likewise, it could not afored to setup a domestic factory and also pay for the licensing at the same time. So a compromise was hit upon. A license was obtained from DWM, and the Tokyo Arsenal agreed to build the new rifles under contract for Siam. Production lasted from 1903 until roughly 1908, with over 40,000 rifles delivered.
The Type 46 was primarily an M98 Mauser pattern firearm. It used a 98 style bolt, internal staggered 5 shot Mauser box magazine, and Mauser style sights. Nevertheless, it did have a few uniquely Japanese features, such as the manually sliding dustcover from the Type 35, Arisaka style receiver tangs, and a stock very similar to other Japanese rifles. One completely unique feature was the Type 45's buttstock compartment, which was designed to store a muzzle cover rather than a cleaning kit. All rifles as delivered from Japan came with a 28.3" long barrel. However, the Siamese did convert some into carbines, designating them as the Type 47.
The rifle was originally chambered for the round-nosed 8x50mmR Type 45 cartridge, which was inspired by, but not the same as the Austrian 8x50mmR used in the M1895 Steyr. In 1923, a new 8x52mmR Type 66 pattern of high velocity spitzer style bullet and loading was introduced for the Siamese Mauser, and most rifles were upgraded to fire it. These rifles had their chambers reworked and sights recalibrated. They received the new designation of Type 46/66.
In 1938, Siam changed its name to Thailand and found itself one of the few non-colonised/still independent nations in East Asia. Its military used the Type 46/66 during WWII, first against the colonial french and later against invading Japanese. The design prooved to be reliable and robust, and it gave the small nation a bit of an edge. Many rifles would remain in military service up through the 1950s, and some police departments would not turn theirs in until the 1980s.
Type 38 Arisaka Rifle & Carbine
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(A standard earlier production Type 38 long rifle, with original dustcover)
The Type 30 was a well built and accurate firearm, but it was not as durable and reliable as the Japanese had hoped for. It was somewhat sensitive to dust and moisture, and could on occasion experience double feeds. This is why the T30's production run was so brief. Just a year or so after its original introduction, work had already begun on its replacement.
The team responsible for the new rifle was headed by Japan's most well known, and possibly best, firearms inventor, Kijiro Nambu. Nambu had previously worked on the T35, but his influence was much more pronounced with the new rifle. What he came up with was adopted in 1905 as the Type 38. Basically the T38 was a heavily modified T30, hence why it was still considered an 'Arisaka.' It had a one piece bolt borrowed from the M1893 Mauser and an improved trigger. It had a non-rotating extractor, which resolved the double feeding issue. To protect the action from dust and the elements, a ssheet metal dustcover was added to the receiver. It slid automatically with the bolt, making it less complicated to use than the manual cover of the T35. It was the T38 that first introduced the now familiar plum shaped ovular bolt knob, which was meant to be easier to grasp than a round one. Two small vent holes were added over the chamber area of the receiver, so gas could escape in the event of a ruptured cartridge. A leaf spring rather than a coil was used in the magazine, which gave it a longer service life. Finally, the T38 had a new style of safety. It was a large checkered knob, which the user pressed and rotated to activate. It was easier and faster to use than the old hook type. Along with the new rifle, a new high velocity pointed spitzer type version of the 6.5mm round was put into service.
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(An earlier production Type 38 carbine, with side mounted sling swivels)
The new rifle was definitely a success. It was in production for over 3 decades, and was in frontline use during both WWI and WWII, as well as saw extensive use during the occupation of China. It was originally built as both a 31.5" barreled rifle and a 19.5" barreled carbine, like the T30 before it. Later though, during the 1920-1930s, some long rifles were cutdown by arsenals into so called "Cavalry rifles." Most of these T38 short rifles had a 25" barrel, though a few seem to have had a 24" one instead. Their sling swivels remained on the bottom, which is an easy way to spot one today. The final variant in the line was the Type 97 sniper's rifle, which appeared in 1937. It was a standard T38 rifle, fitted with a 2 to 4 power scope and mount. It also had a turned down bolt handle to clear the optic. No one knows exactly how many T38s were built in all, or even when manufacturing ended exactly, but 3,400,000 is a good estimate I'd say.
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(A somewhat rare Type 38 short rifle, cut down from a long rifle by the Japanese in the 1930s)
The T38 really wasn't a special or unique military rifle for its day. It was no more accurate than many others, no easier to use, held 5 rounds as was common, and cost about the same to build. What it did do was to give Japan a truely modern and effective long arm. It had no serious flaws and a very strong receiver, so it remained in service for longer than any other rifle before in Japan.
The T38 was the first Japanese firearm to be widely exported to the West. In 1910, the government of Mexico contracted with the Tokyo Arsenal for a run of T38s chambered in 7x57mm Mauser. However, only a few hundred were actually delivered before a new political party gained control in Mexico. Then during WWI, Japan sold a total of 150,000 T30 and T38 rifles to the British military. Most were used as trainers, some were given to the Navy, and the rest went to the Home Guard. Similarly, about 620,000 T30 and T38s were sold to Imperial Russia during the same war. The Russians respected the 6.5mm Arisaka round, ever since facing it a decade earlier in their war with Japan.
Many of the Arisakas sent to Britan were eventually used to equip Czech soldiers towards the end of WWI. Others were used to arm White Russians fighting against the Communists in 1919. As for those sent to Imperial Russia, thousands were captured or left behind during Finland's revolution in 1917. So the young FDF found itself with Japanese rifles, and needing all the firearms it could get, kept them in active service.
Type 44 Cavalry Carbine
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(A Type 44 carbine, first variant with dustcover and spike bayonet)
Introduced in 1911, the Type 44 Cavalry Carbine was a major production modification of the T38 Carbine pattern. In general terms it is the same, using a 19.5" barrel, 5 shot magazine, and straight bolt handle with sliding dustcover. However, there are many differences too. The T44 has a redesigned stock with reshaped forend and an angled front sling swivel. Its 2 piece cleaning rod was stored in its buttstock, which meant it had to have a new pattern of buttplate. It had a rotating trap door, with slotted latch on the side used to open it. Of course the biggest difference between the T44 and the original T38 Carbine was the T44's underfolding spike bayonet. The bayonet had a rather large assembly, complete with hooked cross guard, which was intended for use during bayonet fights. The spike itself locked securely into place with a spring loaded push button. The Japanese took the T44's bayonet seriously. When it was felt to be too weak, the housing was increased in size. Still feeling it wasn't quite strong enough, it was then updated by moving the two main screws further apart.
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A late production Type 44 third variant with strengthened bayonet housing)
Approximately 91,000 of these carbines were produced, with the final ones delivered to the military around 1942. The T44 saw extensive use by Japanese cavalry in China, especially in areas without good roads and/or transportation. It was prized for its lightweight and compact size, and having the bayonet right there could also be handy at times. Many soldiers who weretransfered from the mainland to fight the Americans on Pacific islands, took their T44 carbines with them. The pattern prooved to be well suited for jungle warfare too.
Type I Carcano Rifle
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(A typical Type I rifle manufactured in Italy for the Japanese Navy)
The supply needs of the Japanese Army were always given priority over that of the Navy, even when it came to smallarms. After years of fighting in China, Japanese industry could barely produce enough T38s to meet the Army's needs, so very few new rifles were made available to the Navy. By the middle of the 1930s, the Navy was experiencing a severe rifle shortage. With none of the Japanese arsenals able to help out, the Admiralty turned to one of its nation's allies, Italy.
Between 1937 and 1939, Italian factories supplied 60,000 so called Type I long rifles to the Japanese Navy. These rifles were an odd mix of Arisaka and Carcano. They fired the 6.5mm Arisaka round and had an internal 5 shot box magazine. They also had a two piece stock. On the otherhand, the Type I had a Carcano style bolt, complete with Carcano safety.
The Type I was used by guard units protecting Naval bases, as well as by the Special Naval Landing Force (aka Marines). Other examples spent the war stored away in lockers, on board Imperial vessels. It was a well built firearm, which when used in combat prooved itself just as accurate and reliable as any T38.
Type 99 Short Rifle
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(A Type 99 long rifle produced by the Nagoya Arsenal in 1940)
The Type 99 was a major update of the Arisaka pattern. While fighting in China during the 1930s, the Imperial Army saw first hand how effective the 8x57mm Mauser round could be. While the 6.5mm Japanese round was well suited for dealing with normal soldiers, many found it lacked penetration when used against light armor or structures. The T38 itself was a dependable rifle, but by the standards of the era, it was felt to be too costly to manufacture; both in terms of raw material and labor. Thus the Nagoya Arsenal was tasked with designing a new rifle, which was both more powerful and less resource demanding to produce than the T38.
In 1939, after a relatively short but intensive development process, Nagoya presented the Type 99 to the Imperial military. The new rifle fired the 7.7x58mm round, which was essentially the same as the British .303 but with a more modern recessed rim casing. The T99 was the first rifle to be adopted by any military for general issue which featured both a chrome lined bore and chrome plated bolt face. This then very modern step was taken to allow the rifle to resist rust and corrosion better in humid Asian climates, thus extending its effective service life. The magazine floorplate was henged to the receiver, so it couldn't be lost in the field and its release redesigned so it could not be accidentally hit. The round safety and sliding dustcover were both carried over from the T38, as was the familiar two piece buttstock. The T99 had several interesting but rather pointless standard accessories too, such as a folding monopod, fold-out anti-aircraft sights, and a push button cleaning rod retainer.
Nagoya made the T99 more powerful and modern, and it also found ways to make it cheaper and faster to mass produce. The receiver forging was simplified and required fewer finishing machining steps. Instead of two smaller vent holes over the chamber, it had only one larger one. The buttplate, barrel bands, magazine floorplate, receiver tangs, and trigger guard were all switched from being made from milled parts, to ones created from stampings. Also, the barrel bands were attached with screws, rather than spring clips.
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(An earlier production Type 99 short rifle, with monopod, AA sights, and dustcover)
The original plan was to build the new T99 as both a traditional long infantry rifle and as a short cavalry carbine. However, it was quickly discovered that with the new 7.7mm round, a 31" barrel did not offer signifigantly better performance, than one with an intermediate length such as 25". At the same time, many felt that 7.7mm produced too much muzzle flash and felt recoil, when fired from a short 19" carbine barrel. As a result, a short pattern rifle version of the T99 became the new standard in 1940. Only about 38,000 long rifles were ever produced, and the carbine variant never made it past the prototype stage. So the overwelming majority of T99s had a 26" barrel. Though a true sniper's rifle version of the T99 was never officially adopted, many standard short rifles were fitted with a scope and had their bolt handles turned down. The T97 remained the standard and was honestly better suited as a long range weapon, thanks to its flatter shooting 6.5mm round and longer 31.5" barrel.
From 1940, until the end of the war in 1945, a total of 9 Japanese Arsenals turned out approximately 2,600,000 T99 short rifles. In the beginning, it was planned that the new rifle would completely replace the older T38 series, but it never fully did. Japan needed all the firearms it could make during the war, so T38 manufacturing was not even haulted until 1942. The rifle itself remained in frontline service with hundreds of thousands of troops right up til the end. All that said, the T99 saw very widespread service in every theatre of the war, and extremely heavy combat.
Type 2 Paratrooper Rifle
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(A standard Type 2 in reasonably good shape with the AA sights intact)
Japan was one of the few nations to put a takedown type paratrooper's rifle into general production, during WWII. Work on the Tera project began at the Nagoya Arsenal in 1940, immediately after the T99 short rifle had gone into mass production. The military desired a full power bolt action rifle which could be carried in a compact case, and which could quickly and easily be made ready for combat.
The first major prototype which was seriously considered was the Type 0, which appeared in late 1940. It was a heavily modified T99, with a 26" long barrel. It separated into 2 halves, of roughly equal length and weight. The barrel and receiver were connected together by an interrupted thread system. Additionally, the bolt handle could be unscrewed to allow the package to be quite thin. Unfortunately, it was quickly discovered that the T0 simply was not strong enough to fire thousands of rounds of 7.7mm or be continuously assembled and taken apart. It was too weak. Only a few were ever made. Just as a side note, I've seen this model referred to as the Type 100, but going by the Japanese naming system in use at the time, Type 0 is correct.
The next idea put foreth was the Type 1, which was based on the T38 carbine. In fact, it was a T38 carbine that had had its buttstock chopped off behind the trigger guard and reattached with a henge. The henge was nothing special, little more than something one might find on a door, but it did allow the carbine to be made more compact for transportation. It was quite short too, with its 19" barrel and folded stock. However, it fired the older and weaker 6.5mm round and the stock was prone to cracking and splitting. About 300 of these were constructed, with most owned by the Navy.
Neither the T0 nor the T1 made it out of the prototype stage, but then in 1942, Nagoya got things right with the Type 2. The T2 returned to the 2 piece T99 takedown pattern, but used a strong sliding wedge to connect the two halves. Also, the bolt handle was not removable, allowing it to be more durable and not easily lost. The T2 was very much like the T99. It had a 26" barrel, sliding dustcover, button released cleaning rod (slightly shortened to fit the front half), and even anti-aircraft sights. The stock behind the rear sling swivel was ever so slightly changed though.
Between 1942 and 1944, Nagoya produced thousands of the paratrooper's rifle. Modern estimations range from a total of 19,000 up to 24,000. The rifle changed little during its production runexcept that the last few thousand lacked anti-aircraft sights.
Substitute Type 99 Rifle
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(A midwar production Nagoya Type 99 with some simplifications)
Though on paper, the T99 was produced right up until the final day of the war, in reality the final examples made were so different from the original design, that they were designated as Substitute Type 99 rifles. Today, the ST99 is most commonly called a 'Last Ditch Arisaka' by collectors. One might think that these rifles were produced only during the final months or year of the war; but in reality, over a million were made during a 2 year production run.
Changes and manufacturing shortcuts began to appear on new T99s as early as the Spring of 1943. Before we get into the various stages and steps, please keep one thing in mind; different alterations were implemented at different factories, at different times. Also, sometimes leftover or previously rejected parts were used, so a later rifle could leave the factory with an earlier pattern part. There is no real set, firm order or schedule, just a gradual transition from the original T99, to the Substitute 99. With that in mind, here's how things loosely progressed.
The two earliest features to be deleted from the T99 design were the monopod and anti-aircraft sights. The pod was unstable anyway, and the sights were useless, so not having them in no real way detracted from the rifle. The rear sight was still an adjustable latter, it just lacked the fold-out AA wings. Soon after, the push button retained long cleaning rod, was switched for a short rod, which simply screwed into the stock. This little rod was to be used as a weight, tighed to the end of a rope pull-through.
Next, the iconic plum shaped bolt knob was dropped in favour of a slim cylinder, because it was much faster to machine. Finally by late 1943; early 1944, rifles started to come out of the factory without dustcovers. The receivers themselves retained the grooves for a cover but time was saved by not including the piece itself. Not a big deal either, since most soldiers removed the cover as it rattled and complicated bolt removal. Fit and finish of these midwar rifles was still quite high, and the receiver was still marked Year Type 90-9, but 1944 would see more radical changes and a dramatic drop-off in quality control.
Cosmetically, the design began to really change. The barrel bands were simplified as was the safety knob. The knob went from having a fine checkered finish, to course checkering, to a pattern of simple diagonal straight lines. Finally, they stopped doing anything to it, except smoothing out the weld. The adjustable rear sight soon was replaced with a simple fixed peep, welded directly onto the barrel. The front sight lost its protective ears too. It was at this point that the bluing applied to the metal parts started to really decline. Most factories stopped chrome plating the bolt face, though they did continue to line the bore. The receiver even ceased to be stamped with the model designation.
Shortcuts with the stock were also taken. It was no longer finished with Urushi lacker, and instead was simply stained with various substances. The two piece buttstock, became a 3 piece, with the forearm being a separate part. The upper handguard was shortened to about half of its original length, exposing the forward half of the barrel. Even the rear sling swivel was simplified at some factories, going from being attached with two screws to only one. The biggest change with the stock though was the buttplate. It went from being made of steel with a cupped shape, to being made of plain straight wood. It was held to the buttstock by two or threee nails to save on metal for screws.
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(A true last-ditch Substitute Type 99 from Nagoya, with all the latewar shortcuts)
By the end of 1944, the ST99 was looking pretty crude, but was still a servicable repeating bolt action rifle. The receiver and barrel might not be polished or deeply blued, but they were still properly forged and heat treated. More changes aimed at conserving steel and time would come about in the final year of the war.
For example, the weld on the back of the safety was left in the rough and no attempt was made to machine it smooth. The welds on the barrel bands and bayonet lug were also left unfinished. The cleaning rod and its channel in the forearm were both deleted altogether. The stamped magazine floorplate and trigger guard were both simplified, and the forearm lost its finger grooves. The wrist area of the buttstock was ever more hastely carved, to a point towards the end when it was nearly as rough as raw wood. Some factories simplified the receiver by omitting the dustcover grooves or even the serial number. Others adopted a very basic bolt latch and very crude barrel bands. Two even did away with both sling swivels completely. Instead, a rope was used as a sling, with one end tighed in a hole in the buttstock, and the other looped around the barrel. Not surprisingly, the bore was no longer chromelined in many of these late rifles.
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(A very latewar Substitute Type 99 produced in the Summer of 1945 by Kokura)
What is surprising to some today is the fact that even these crude looking late war rifles were and often still are, safe to operate. Japan was fighting a desperate war during the final years. It needed as many firearms as its factories could produce. So every possible frill and unneccessary step was removed. How a rifle looked, didn't matter one damn bit, however a rifle that would possibly injure its user did. Critical parts such as receivers, barrels, and bolts were still kept to a high standard in terms of durability and reliability. It also helped that the Arisaka pattern action was overbuilt and very strong to begin with. Only rifles made during the final weeks and days of the war, might be considered suspect, as by that time the proof testing system had completely broken down. By that point, random parts were literally being thrown together by untrained workers, who were deeply afraid for their very lives.
For two years, the Imperial Japanese Army fought numorous engagements with the Americans using Substitute Type 99 rifles.
Type 99 Naval Special Rifle
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A typical Type 99 Naval Special short rifle, with trainer adjustable sights, no cleaning rod channel, and cast iron receiver)
I almost just lumped this variant of the T99 in with the Substitute 99s, as it is another late war creation. It is just different enough though, that I decided not to do that. In 1944, Japan's Special Naval Landing Force did not have nearly enough Arisakas for its needs. With all factories already at maximum output, the Navy itself tasked its own production yards with coming up with an inexpensive and quick to build rifle.
The T99NS was made nearly entirely from cast iron, including the receiver. In fact, the only two parts made of true hardened steel were the barrel and the bolt. Everything else, including the bolt handle, safety, trigger, sights, and buttplate was cast. The rifle also lacked sling swivels and was to be used with a rope sling. To keep the thing from exploding in a soldier's face, what the designers did was to machine the barrel with an extension, which is what the bolt lugs locked into, rather than the receiver as on other Arisakas. In away, it is not unlike the system used in the AR15/M16. As a result of this locking system, the T99NS receiver was much wider around the chamber area. Most rifles were made with a 26" barrel, but some came out with a 22" carbine length. This wasn't done because the Navy wanted a short weapon. It was done to further save on precious steel. Earlier examples had adjustable sights and later ones had a fixed peep. As the war continued, the upper handguard was cut back, as had been done on the Substitute 99.
About 6,000 of these rifles were delivered to the Naval Landing forces between mid 1944 and early 1945. They were used along side the Italian made Type I and older T38s. They would be joined by other last ditch creations, such as the Type 02/45.
Though in theory the T99NS was strong enough to withstand the 7.7mm round, modern collectors nearly universally agree that these rifles should not be fired today.
Type 99 Production
Nagoya - 1939-1945 - Series 1-8 & 10-12
Kokura - 1939-1945 - Series 20-25
Toyo Kogyo - 1939-1945 - Series 30-35
Tokyo Juki Kogyo - 1940-1945 - Series 27 & 37
Izawa Jyuko - 1940-1945 - first 10,000 in Series 4 & first half of 9
Howa Jyuko - ?-1945 - second half of Series 9
Jinsen - ?-1945 - Series 40
Mukden - ?-1945 - Series 45
(Serials in a Series ran from '0' to '99999')
Notes Regarding The chrysanthemum
The chrysanthemum or just 'mum' is often mentioned and discussed when it comes to Arisakas. I will say this right-out, most real collectors like to have it, but the lack of one is not a deal breaker for them if a rifle doesn't have it. This is because there are just some rifles, such as a Series 12, you simply can't find with the mum intact. Plus, a scrubbed or defaced mum is just part of the rifle's history.
You find them either scrubbed off by a milling machine, or scratched off with a sharp object, such as a bayonet tip. The scrubbed ones were done by Japanese factories before surrendering the firearms to the Allies. The scratched off ones could have either been done by a Japanese or an American soldier in the field. While it is true that Japanese soldiers were ordered to do this before handing over their rifles; to date, no firm evidence has been uncovered that US Gis were actually ordered to do the same. That said, I am sure it was considered common courtesy to do so, and it was an informal rule. You will find more earlier rifles with their chrysanthemums intact than you will latewar ones. You will also find those rifles with theirs only partially defaced by either a single slash mark or light sanding. Don't let a missing mum keep you from buying an otherwise nice Arisaka, though feel free to use it as a negotiating point to get it at a better price.
Well, there you have an overview of the Japanese Arisaka rifle series. Now, i know other goons have these firearms too, so please share them. If someone has a question about theirs or is looking at buying one, please ask it here. Someone will try and help I am sure. I just thought we needed a resource for the Arisaka, as collecting and shooting them are becoming more and more popular these days. For me, I just find them interesting and fun World War II relics. Especially since the majority here in this country today are true 'vet bring backs' too. I remember the first time i saw that Tales of the Gun episode with various Japanese smallarms in it back in the 1990s on the History Channel (you know? back when that was actually a half-decent thing to watch!). I knew right then that one day I would have to own at least an early T99 with all the goofy gadgets and a late one with all the crudity.
As it turned out, the very first Arisaka I bought was the Type 30 long rifle you saw earlier. A local shop knew I was wanting one, so when they traded for it, they called me to ask if I wanted it for $200. I had someone drive me up there and i looked at it. I really was wanting a T99 in 7.7mm, but after a bit of considering, i bought it. I am really happy I did, as T30s in this condition are not exactly easy to find. That same day, i bought my second Arisaka. On the way home, we stopped into a pawnshop, and I asked the owner if he had any 7.7mms. He said no, but then thought and went into the back. Much to my delight, he came back with a latewar T99. He said he'd basically give it to me, if i promised I'd never ever try and shoot it. He was so afraid of it, he hadn't even logged it into his books. That rifle is the Series 25 you saw above. So on my very first day of Arisaka ownership, i was very lucky and ended up with two quite nice examples. Finally, about a year later I found my gadgety early T99 at a local gunshow. I paid $250 for it, and it too is the one you saw in this thread. Good fortune and good memories surround my 15+ year collecting of Arisakas and Nambus. Plus, when i started, I could buy them quite cheaply because not too many others were interested in Japanese stuff. Today though, that is changing and prices are starting to really climb. Most recently, i picked up my T35, which was the last major Arisaka variant I was needing to round out my collection. Plus hey, Navy marked firearms are always nifty right? I've had a lot of fun finding these guns and learning about them, so I wanted to share.
cheers,
In 2012, i wrote 2 threads dedicated to Japanese firearms. One covered the Type 14 Nambu; and the other, the Type 94 Nambu. Both were on pistols, but I've been wanting to do a 3rd and final thread on Imperial Japanese rifles. 2013-2014 was a busy period and I simply didn't have the time, or honestly the motivation. Now though, here it is: a thread dedicated to the Arisaka family of rifles and carbines, spanning from the late 19th century to World War II. There has been some Arisaka talk in the milsurp thread lately, so I hope this one is timely.
In case you missed them, condensed versions of the two Nambu threads will be coming soon as well.
Type 22 Murata Rifle & Carbine
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(A standard Type 22 Murata, functional and complete except for the small upper handguard)
Before getting into the Arisaka series, lets first look at Japan's first smokeless powder rifle, the Type 22 Murata. It was designed by Tsuneyoshi Murata and was an improvement upon his earlier creations. The Type 13 and 18 Muratas were single shot bolt actions, firing an 11mm black powder round. They were heavily based upon the French Gras and German Mauser M71, with a bit of the Dutch Beaumont thrown in for good measure. The Type 22 combined the Type 18's bolt system, with an under barrel tubular magazine copied from the Portugese Kropatschek M1886. More importantly though, it fired Japan's first small diameter, smokeless powder cartridge; the 8x53mm which was also named after Murata. As with all cartridges of the day, except for 8mm Mauser, it had a rimmed casing.
The new repeating rifle was adopted by the Japanese military in 1889. It had a 29.5" long barrel and a tube which could hold 8 cartridges. It also had a magazine feed cut off and no manual safety. Its bolt was a two piece design, with removable head. The stock was a long single piece, with a very small upper handguard section. A sectional cleaning rod was stored in the buttstock. In 1894, a carbine version of the T22 went into production for a brief time. It had a 19.5" barrel and a 5 shot tube. Considering how young Japan's firearms industry was at the time, Murata rifles exhibited good fit and finish, and benefited from strict quality control.
The rifle and carbine were in frontline service for only about a decade, before being replaced by the more advanced Arisaka. Some second line troops continued to carry them until at least 1905 though. When manufacturing ended at the Tokyo Arsenal in 1899, over 100,000 T22s had been produced. It was Japan's primary rifle during the First Cino-Japanese War and many were still around for the Russo-Japanese War. By WWI though, all had either been retired or given to schools to be used as trainers. The 8mm Murata cartridge too quickly fell out of use.
Type 30 Arisaka Rifle & Carbine
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(A Type 30 long rifle, with its unique hook safety and brass tipped cleaning rod)
The Type 30 was the first and the original Arisaka rifle. Developed in the mid 1890s by Colonel Nariaki Nariakira Arisaka at the Tokyo Arsenal, it was the standard frontline infantry long arm of the Japanese Army from its adoption in 1897 until it was officially replaced in 1905. Naturally, examples remained with secondary units for years afterwards, In fact, some were even used by hastily trained troops during the final year of WWII. That said, the only major conflict in which the T30 was Japan's main long arm was the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. By WWI, all front line troops had been re-equipped with more modern rifles. Japan rarely tossed old hardware out though, so most T30s were either put into long term storage or turned into trainers.
The T30 was a manually operated bolt action rifle, which fed from a 5 shot vertical magazine. Its bolt was similar to that of the German G.88 'Commission Rifle' and its magazine was heavily influenced by the double column Mauser pattern, but it had one improvement. The floorplate could quickly be removed for cleaning or to unload the weapon, by simply pushing a button located inside the trigger guard.
It fired the small diameter, round-nosed 6.5x50mm cartridge. This round used smokeless powder and a semi-rimmed base. It was accurate, flat shooting, and produced little smoke or felt recoil. It was a good anti-personal round. On the otherhand, it performed poorly against armor.
Other features of the T30 included standard long range adjustable latter sights, a two piece buttstock, and a long cleaning rod under the barrel. One of its most identifiable features though, was its hook type safety. To switch the rifle from safe to fire, one hooked a finger around it, pulled back, and rotated counter-clockwise.
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(A complete Type 30 Carbine, an uncommon variant today in any condition)
During the late 19th century, the Tokyo Arsenal manufactured 554,000 standard long rifles, with a 31.5" barrel; and 45,000 short carbines, with a 19.4" barrel. Most were destined for Japanese use, however some were sold to neighboring Asian nations. Interestingly, during World War I some were sold to the British Navy. Others were given to Tsarist Russia.
Type 35 Arisaka Rifle
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(An original Japanese Navy Type 35 rifle with the unique manual dustcover and squeeze rear sight)
After the Army adopted the T30, the Japanese Navy felt it too needed a more modern standard service rifle. In 1902, it selected the Type 35 Arisaka, which was a product improved version of the T30. Changes included a wider hook safety, a new pattern of rear sight (only found on the T35), a stronger extractor, a gas port in the bolt in case of a case rupture, and a manually operated dustcover. This forward sliding cover was used only on the T35 and Siamese contract Mauser. It covered the front part of the action when the firearm was not being used, and then had to be slid up onto the receiver by the user before firing.
The T35 was only produced from 1902 until 1904. Just over 10,000 were built before it was superceeded by a more advanced pattern of Arisaka. It was an intermediate step, a footnote really, but it was the first Arisaka on which Kijiro Nambu had some design influence.
Virtually everyone of these rifles went to the Navy. They were rotated out of frontline service by the end of WWI, however in a way the T35 had a twilight career in the closing days of WWII.
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(A so-called last-ditch Type 02/45; Type 35 action, training rifle small parts, and unusually put into a leftover Type 30 stock)
In 1945, old obsolete T35 barreled actions were pulled out of long term storage and put into 1 piece trainer stocks. They were finished out with sights, barrel bands, magazines, and triggers scavenged from damaged or rejected rifles; many parts even made from cast iron and intended for use on trainers. About 1,500 such mutts were assembled during the last desperate days of the war. Most were given to the Navy, who seemed to always get the leftovers. The Japanese never really even thought to give them an official designation. Today, collectors most commonly refer to them as Type 02/45s, but I myself prefer Substitute Type 35. It is more in keeping with the Japanese naming system. Honestly, these rifles probably saw more actual combat than the original T35 did back during the early 20th century.
Type 46 and 46/66 Siamese Mauser Rifles
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(A Type 46 Siamese Mauser, unconverted and still in the original 8x500mmR caliber)
An interesting side story to the Arisaka is the Type 46 Mauser manufactured by the Tokyo Arsenal for the government of Siam. It was adopted in the year 2445 according to the Buddhist calender, which was 1903 for most of the rest of the world. Originally, Siam wanted to purchase Model 98 pattern Mausers from DWM in Germany; however, it did not have adequate funding to equip its entire military with enough rifles. Likewise, it could not afored to setup a domestic factory and also pay for the licensing at the same time. So a compromise was hit upon. A license was obtained from DWM, and the Tokyo Arsenal agreed to build the new rifles under contract for Siam. Production lasted from 1903 until roughly 1908, with over 40,000 rifles delivered.
The Type 46 was primarily an M98 Mauser pattern firearm. It used a 98 style bolt, internal staggered 5 shot Mauser box magazine, and Mauser style sights. Nevertheless, it did have a few uniquely Japanese features, such as the manually sliding dustcover from the Type 35, Arisaka style receiver tangs, and a stock very similar to other Japanese rifles. One completely unique feature was the Type 45's buttstock compartment, which was designed to store a muzzle cover rather than a cleaning kit. All rifles as delivered from Japan came with a 28.3" long barrel. However, the Siamese did convert some into carbines, designating them as the Type 47.
The rifle was originally chambered for the round-nosed 8x50mmR Type 45 cartridge, which was inspired by, but not the same as the Austrian 8x50mmR used in the M1895 Steyr. In 1923, a new 8x52mmR Type 66 pattern of high velocity spitzer style bullet and loading was introduced for the Siamese Mauser, and most rifles were upgraded to fire it. These rifles had their chambers reworked and sights recalibrated. They received the new designation of Type 46/66.
In 1938, Siam changed its name to Thailand and found itself one of the few non-colonised/still independent nations in East Asia. Its military used the Type 46/66 during WWII, first against the colonial french and later against invading Japanese. The design prooved to be reliable and robust, and it gave the small nation a bit of an edge. Many rifles would remain in military service up through the 1950s, and some police departments would not turn theirs in until the 1980s.
Type 38 Arisaka Rifle & Carbine
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(A standard earlier production Type 38 long rifle, with original dustcover)
The Type 30 was a well built and accurate firearm, but it was not as durable and reliable as the Japanese had hoped for. It was somewhat sensitive to dust and moisture, and could on occasion experience double feeds. This is why the T30's production run was so brief. Just a year or so after its original introduction, work had already begun on its replacement.
The team responsible for the new rifle was headed by Japan's most well known, and possibly best, firearms inventor, Kijiro Nambu. Nambu had previously worked on the T35, but his influence was much more pronounced with the new rifle. What he came up with was adopted in 1905 as the Type 38. Basically the T38 was a heavily modified T30, hence why it was still considered an 'Arisaka.' It had a one piece bolt borrowed from the M1893 Mauser and an improved trigger. It had a non-rotating extractor, which resolved the double feeding issue. To protect the action from dust and the elements, a ssheet metal dustcover was added to the receiver. It slid automatically with the bolt, making it less complicated to use than the manual cover of the T35. It was the T38 that first introduced the now familiar plum shaped ovular bolt knob, which was meant to be easier to grasp than a round one. Two small vent holes were added over the chamber area of the receiver, so gas could escape in the event of a ruptured cartridge. A leaf spring rather than a coil was used in the magazine, which gave it a longer service life. Finally, the T38 had a new style of safety. It was a large checkered knob, which the user pressed and rotated to activate. It was easier and faster to use than the old hook type. Along with the new rifle, a new high velocity pointed spitzer type version of the 6.5mm round was put into service.
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(An earlier production Type 38 carbine, with side mounted sling swivels)
The new rifle was definitely a success. It was in production for over 3 decades, and was in frontline use during both WWI and WWII, as well as saw extensive use during the occupation of China. It was originally built as both a 31.5" barreled rifle and a 19.5" barreled carbine, like the T30 before it. Later though, during the 1920-1930s, some long rifles were cutdown by arsenals into so called "Cavalry rifles." Most of these T38 short rifles had a 25" barrel, though a few seem to have had a 24" one instead. Their sling swivels remained on the bottom, which is an easy way to spot one today. The final variant in the line was the Type 97 sniper's rifle, which appeared in 1937. It was a standard T38 rifle, fitted with a 2 to 4 power scope and mount. It also had a turned down bolt handle to clear the optic. No one knows exactly how many T38s were built in all, or even when manufacturing ended exactly, but 3,400,000 is a good estimate I'd say.
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(A somewhat rare Type 38 short rifle, cut down from a long rifle by the Japanese in the 1930s)
The T38 really wasn't a special or unique military rifle for its day. It was no more accurate than many others, no easier to use, held 5 rounds as was common, and cost about the same to build. What it did do was to give Japan a truely modern and effective long arm. It had no serious flaws and a very strong receiver, so it remained in service for longer than any other rifle before in Japan.
The T38 was the first Japanese firearm to be widely exported to the West. In 1910, the government of Mexico contracted with the Tokyo Arsenal for a run of T38s chambered in 7x57mm Mauser. However, only a few hundred were actually delivered before a new political party gained control in Mexico. Then during WWI, Japan sold a total of 150,000 T30 and T38 rifles to the British military. Most were used as trainers, some were given to the Navy, and the rest went to the Home Guard. Similarly, about 620,000 T30 and T38s were sold to Imperial Russia during the same war. The Russians respected the 6.5mm Arisaka round, ever since facing it a decade earlier in their war with Japan.
Many of the Arisakas sent to Britan were eventually used to equip Czech soldiers towards the end of WWI. Others were used to arm White Russians fighting against the Communists in 1919. As for those sent to Imperial Russia, thousands were captured or left behind during Finland's revolution in 1917. So the young FDF found itself with Japanese rifles, and needing all the firearms it could get, kept them in active service.
Type 44 Cavalry Carbine
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(A Type 44 carbine, first variant with dustcover and spike bayonet)
Introduced in 1911, the Type 44 Cavalry Carbine was a major production modification of the T38 Carbine pattern. In general terms it is the same, using a 19.5" barrel, 5 shot magazine, and straight bolt handle with sliding dustcover. However, there are many differences too. The T44 has a redesigned stock with reshaped forend and an angled front sling swivel. Its 2 piece cleaning rod was stored in its buttstock, which meant it had to have a new pattern of buttplate. It had a rotating trap door, with slotted latch on the side used to open it. Of course the biggest difference between the T44 and the original T38 Carbine was the T44's underfolding spike bayonet. The bayonet had a rather large assembly, complete with hooked cross guard, which was intended for use during bayonet fights. The spike itself locked securely into place with a spring loaded push button. The Japanese took the T44's bayonet seriously. When it was felt to be too weak, the housing was increased in size. Still feeling it wasn't quite strong enough, it was then updated by moving the two main screws further apart.
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A late production Type 44 third variant with strengthened bayonet housing)
Approximately 91,000 of these carbines were produced, with the final ones delivered to the military around 1942. The T44 saw extensive use by Japanese cavalry in China, especially in areas without good roads and/or transportation. It was prized for its lightweight and compact size, and having the bayonet right there could also be handy at times. Many soldiers who weretransfered from the mainland to fight the Americans on Pacific islands, took their T44 carbines with them. The pattern prooved to be well suited for jungle warfare too.
Type I Carcano Rifle
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(A typical Type I rifle manufactured in Italy for the Japanese Navy)
The supply needs of the Japanese Army were always given priority over that of the Navy, even when it came to smallarms. After years of fighting in China, Japanese industry could barely produce enough T38s to meet the Army's needs, so very few new rifles were made available to the Navy. By the middle of the 1930s, the Navy was experiencing a severe rifle shortage. With none of the Japanese arsenals able to help out, the Admiralty turned to one of its nation's allies, Italy.
Between 1937 and 1939, Italian factories supplied 60,000 so called Type I long rifles to the Japanese Navy. These rifles were an odd mix of Arisaka and Carcano. They fired the 6.5mm Arisaka round and had an internal 5 shot box magazine. They also had a two piece stock. On the otherhand, the Type I had a Carcano style bolt, complete with Carcano safety.
The Type I was used by guard units protecting Naval bases, as well as by the Special Naval Landing Force (aka Marines). Other examples spent the war stored away in lockers, on board Imperial vessels. It was a well built firearm, which when used in combat prooved itself just as accurate and reliable as any T38.
Type 99 Short Rifle
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(A Type 99 long rifle produced by the Nagoya Arsenal in 1940)
The Type 99 was a major update of the Arisaka pattern. While fighting in China during the 1930s, the Imperial Army saw first hand how effective the 8x57mm Mauser round could be. While the 6.5mm Japanese round was well suited for dealing with normal soldiers, many found it lacked penetration when used against light armor or structures. The T38 itself was a dependable rifle, but by the standards of the era, it was felt to be too costly to manufacture; both in terms of raw material and labor. Thus the Nagoya Arsenal was tasked with designing a new rifle, which was both more powerful and less resource demanding to produce than the T38.
In 1939, after a relatively short but intensive development process, Nagoya presented the Type 99 to the Imperial military. The new rifle fired the 7.7x58mm round, which was essentially the same as the British .303 but with a more modern recessed rim casing. The T99 was the first rifle to be adopted by any military for general issue which featured both a chrome lined bore and chrome plated bolt face. This then very modern step was taken to allow the rifle to resist rust and corrosion better in humid Asian climates, thus extending its effective service life. The magazine floorplate was henged to the receiver, so it couldn't be lost in the field and its release redesigned so it could not be accidentally hit. The round safety and sliding dustcover were both carried over from the T38, as was the familiar two piece buttstock. The T99 had several interesting but rather pointless standard accessories too, such as a folding monopod, fold-out anti-aircraft sights, and a push button cleaning rod retainer.
Nagoya made the T99 more powerful and modern, and it also found ways to make it cheaper and faster to mass produce. The receiver forging was simplified and required fewer finishing machining steps. Instead of two smaller vent holes over the chamber, it had only one larger one. The buttplate, barrel bands, magazine floorplate, receiver tangs, and trigger guard were all switched from being made from milled parts, to ones created from stampings. Also, the barrel bands were attached with screws, rather than spring clips.
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(An earlier production Type 99 short rifle, with monopod, AA sights, and dustcover)
The original plan was to build the new T99 as both a traditional long infantry rifle and as a short cavalry carbine. However, it was quickly discovered that with the new 7.7mm round, a 31" barrel did not offer signifigantly better performance, than one with an intermediate length such as 25". At the same time, many felt that 7.7mm produced too much muzzle flash and felt recoil, when fired from a short 19" carbine barrel. As a result, a short pattern rifle version of the T99 became the new standard in 1940. Only about 38,000 long rifles were ever produced, and the carbine variant never made it past the prototype stage. So the overwelming majority of T99s had a 26" barrel. Though a true sniper's rifle version of the T99 was never officially adopted, many standard short rifles were fitted with a scope and had their bolt handles turned down. The T97 remained the standard and was honestly better suited as a long range weapon, thanks to its flatter shooting 6.5mm round and longer 31.5" barrel.
From 1940, until the end of the war in 1945, a total of 9 Japanese Arsenals turned out approximately 2,600,000 T99 short rifles. In the beginning, it was planned that the new rifle would completely replace the older T38 series, but it never fully did. Japan needed all the firearms it could make during the war, so T38 manufacturing was not even haulted until 1942. The rifle itself remained in frontline service with hundreds of thousands of troops right up til the end. All that said, the T99 saw very widespread service in every theatre of the war, and extremely heavy combat.
Type 2 Paratrooper Rifle
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(A standard Type 2 in reasonably good shape with the AA sights intact)
Japan was one of the few nations to put a takedown type paratrooper's rifle into general production, during WWII. Work on the Tera project began at the Nagoya Arsenal in 1940, immediately after the T99 short rifle had gone into mass production. The military desired a full power bolt action rifle which could be carried in a compact case, and which could quickly and easily be made ready for combat.
The first major prototype which was seriously considered was the Type 0, which appeared in late 1940. It was a heavily modified T99, with a 26" long barrel. It separated into 2 halves, of roughly equal length and weight. The barrel and receiver were connected together by an interrupted thread system. Additionally, the bolt handle could be unscrewed to allow the package to be quite thin. Unfortunately, it was quickly discovered that the T0 simply was not strong enough to fire thousands of rounds of 7.7mm or be continuously assembled and taken apart. It was too weak. Only a few were ever made. Just as a side note, I've seen this model referred to as the Type 100, but going by the Japanese naming system in use at the time, Type 0 is correct.
The next idea put foreth was the Type 1, which was based on the T38 carbine. In fact, it was a T38 carbine that had had its buttstock chopped off behind the trigger guard and reattached with a henge. The henge was nothing special, little more than something one might find on a door, but it did allow the carbine to be made more compact for transportation. It was quite short too, with its 19" barrel and folded stock. However, it fired the older and weaker 6.5mm round and the stock was prone to cracking and splitting. About 300 of these were constructed, with most owned by the Navy.
Neither the T0 nor the T1 made it out of the prototype stage, but then in 1942, Nagoya got things right with the Type 2. The T2 returned to the 2 piece T99 takedown pattern, but used a strong sliding wedge to connect the two halves. Also, the bolt handle was not removable, allowing it to be more durable and not easily lost. The T2 was very much like the T99. It had a 26" barrel, sliding dustcover, button released cleaning rod (slightly shortened to fit the front half), and even anti-aircraft sights. The stock behind the rear sling swivel was ever so slightly changed though.
Between 1942 and 1944, Nagoya produced thousands of the paratrooper's rifle. Modern estimations range from a total of 19,000 up to 24,000. The rifle changed little during its production runexcept that the last few thousand lacked anti-aircraft sights.
Substitute Type 99 Rifle
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(A midwar production Nagoya Type 99 with some simplifications)
Though on paper, the T99 was produced right up until the final day of the war, in reality the final examples made were so different from the original design, that they were designated as Substitute Type 99 rifles. Today, the ST99 is most commonly called a 'Last Ditch Arisaka' by collectors. One might think that these rifles were produced only during the final months or year of the war; but in reality, over a million were made during a 2 year production run.
Changes and manufacturing shortcuts began to appear on new T99s as early as the Spring of 1943. Before we get into the various stages and steps, please keep one thing in mind; different alterations were implemented at different factories, at different times. Also, sometimes leftover or previously rejected parts were used, so a later rifle could leave the factory with an earlier pattern part. There is no real set, firm order or schedule, just a gradual transition from the original T99, to the Substitute 99. With that in mind, here's how things loosely progressed.
The two earliest features to be deleted from the T99 design were the monopod and anti-aircraft sights. The pod was unstable anyway, and the sights were useless, so not having them in no real way detracted from the rifle. The rear sight was still an adjustable latter, it just lacked the fold-out AA wings. Soon after, the push button retained long cleaning rod, was switched for a short rod, which simply screwed into the stock. This little rod was to be used as a weight, tighed to the end of a rope pull-through.
Next, the iconic plum shaped bolt knob was dropped in favour of a slim cylinder, because it was much faster to machine. Finally by late 1943; early 1944, rifles started to come out of the factory without dustcovers. The receivers themselves retained the grooves for a cover but time was saved by not including the piece itself. Not a big deal either, since most soldiers removed the cover as it rattled and complicated bolt removal. Fit and finish of these midwar rifles was still quite high, and the receiver was still marked Year Type 90-9, but 1944 would see more radical changes and a dramatic drop-off in quality control.
Cosmetically, the design began to really change. The barrel bands were simplified as was the safety knob. The knob went from having a fine checkered finish, to course checkering, to a pattern of simple diagonal straight lines. Finally, they stopped doing anything to it, except smoothing out the weld. The adjustable rear sight soon was replaced with a simple fixed peep, welded directly onto the barrel. The front sight lost its protective ears too. It was at this point that the bluing applied to the metal parts started to really decline. Most factories stopped chrome plating the bolt face, though they did continue to line the bore. The receiver even ceased to be stamped with the model designation.
Shortcuts with the stock were also taken. It was no longer finished with Urushi lacker, and instead was simply stained with various substances. The two piece buttstock, became a 3 piece, with the forearm being a separate part. The upper handguard was shortened to about half of its original length, exposing the forward half of the barrel. Even the rear sling swivel was simplified at some factories, going from being attached with two screws to only one. The biggest change with the stock though was the buttplate. It went from being made of steel with a cupped shape, to being made of plain straight wood. It was held to the buttstock by two or threee nails to save on metal for screws.
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(A true last-ditch Substitute Type 99 from Nagoya, with all the latewar shortcuts)
By the end of 1944, the ST99 was looking pretty crude, but was still a servicable repeating bolt action rifle. The receiver and barrel might not be polished or deeply blued, but they were still properly forged and heat treated. More changes aimed at conserving steel and time would come about in the final year of the war.
For example, the weld on the back of the safety was left in the rough and no attempt was made to machine it smooth. The welds on the barrel bands and bayonet lug were also left unfinished. The cleaning rod and its channel in the forearm were both deleted altogether. The stamped magazine floorplate and trigger guard were both simplified, and the forearm lost its finger grooves. The wrist area of the buttstock was ever more hastely carved, to a point towards the end when it was nearly as rough as raw wood. Some factories simplified the receiver by omitting the dustcover grooves or even the serial number. Others adopted a very basic bolt latch and very crude barrel bands. Two even did away with both sling swivels completely. Instead, a rope was used as a sling, with one end tighed in a hole in the buttstock, and the other looped around the barrel. Not surprisingly, the bore was no longer chromelined in many of these late rifles.
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(A very latewar Substitute Type 99 produced in the Summer of 1945 by Kokura)
What is surprising to some today is the fact that even these crude looking late war rifles were and often still are, safe to operate. Japan was fighting a desperate war during the final years. It needed as many firearms as its factories could produce. So every possible frill and unneccessary step was removed. How a rifle looked, didn't matter one damn bit, however a rifle that would possibly injure its user did. Critical parts such as receivers, barrels, and bolts were still kept to a high standard in terms of durability and reliability. It also helped that the Arisaka pattern action was overbuilt and very strong to begin with. Only rifles made during the final weeks and days of the war, might be considered suspect, as by that time the proof testing system had completely broken down. By that point, random parts were literally being thrown together by untrained workers, who were deeply afraid for their very lives.
For two years, the Imperial Japanese Army fought numorous engagements with the Americans using Substitute Type 99 rifles.
Type 99 Naval Special Rifle
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A typical Type 99 Naval Special short rifle, with trainer adjustable sights, no cleaning rod channel, and cast iron receiver)
I almost just lumped this variant of the T99 in with the Substitute 99s, as it is another late war creation. It is just different enough though, that I decided not to do that. In 1944, Japan's Special Naval Landing Force did not have nearly enough Arisakas for its needs. With all factories already at maximum output, the Navy itself tasked its own production yards with coming up with an inexpensive and quick to build rifle.
The T99NS was made nearly entirely from cast iron, including the receiver. In fact, the only two parts made of true hardened steel were the barrel and the bolt. Everything else, including the bolt handle, safety, trigger, sights, and buttplate was cast. The rifle also lacked sling swivels and was to be used with a rope sling. To keep the thing from exploding in a soldier's face, what the designers did was to machine the barrel with an extension, which is what the bolt lugs locked into, rather than the receiver as on other Arisakas. In away, it is not unlike the system used in the AR15/M16. As a result of this locking system, the T99NS receiver was much wider around the chamber area. Most rifles were made with a 26" barrel, but some came out with a 22" carbine length. This wasn't done because the Navy wanted a short weapon. It was done to further save on precious steel. Earlier examples had adjustable sights and later ones had a fixed peep. As the war continued, the upper handguard was cut back, as had been done on the Substitute 99.
About 6,000 of these rifles were delivered to the Naval Landing forces between mid 1944 and early 1945. They were used along side the Italian made Type I and older T38s. They would be joined by other last ditch creations, such as the Type 02/45.
Though in theory the T99NS was strong enough to withstand the 7.7mm round, modern collectors nearly universally agree that these rifles should not be fired today.
Type 99 Production
Nagoya - 1939-1945 - Series 1-8 & 10-12
Kokura - 1939-1945 - Series 20-25
Toyo Kogyo - 1939-1945 - Series 30-35
Tokyo Juki Kogyo - 1940-1945 - Series 27 & 37
Izawa Jyuko - 1940-1945 - first 10,000 in Series 4 & first half of 9
Howa Jyuko - ?-1945 - second half of Series 9
Jinsen - ?-1945 - Series 40
Mukden - ?-1945 - Series 45
(Serials in a Series ran from '0' to '99999')
Notes Regarding The chrysanthemum
The chrysanthemum or just 'mum' is often mentioned and discussed when it comes to Arisakas. I will say this right-out, most real collectors like to have it, but the lack of one is not a deal breaker for them if a rifle doesn't have it. This is because there are just some rifles, such as a Series 12, you simply can't find with the mum intact. Plus, a scrubbed or defaced mum is just part of the rifle's history.
You find them either scrubbed off by a milling machine, or scratched off with a sharp object, such as a bayonet tip. The scrubbed ones were done by Japanese factories before surrendering the firearms to the Allies. The scratched off ones could have either been done by a Japanese or an American soldier in the field. While it is true that Japanese soldiers were ordered to do this before handing over their rifles; to date, no firm evidence has been uncovered that US Gis were actually ordered to do the same. That said, I am sure it was considered common courtesy to do so, and it was an informal rule. You will find more earlier rifles with their chrysanthemums intact than you will latewar ones. You will also find those rifles with theirs only partially defaced by either a single slash mark or light sanding. Don't let a missing mum keep you from buying an otherwise nice Arisaka, though feel free to use it as a negotiating point to get it at a better price.
Well, there you have an overview of the Japanese Arisaka rifle series. Now, i know other goons have these firearms too, so please share them. If someone has a question about theirs or is looking at buying one, please ask it here. Someone will try and help I am sure. I just thought we needed a resource for the Arisaka, as collecting and shooting them are becoming more and more popular these days. For me, I just find them interesting and fun World War II relics. Especially since the majority here in this country today are true 'vet bring backs' too. I remember the first time i saw that Tales of the Gun episode with various Japanese smallarms in it back in the 1990s on the History Channel (you know? back when that was actually a half-decent thing to watch!). I knew right then that one day I would have to own at least an early T99 with all the goofy gadgets and a late one with all the crudity.
As it turned out, the very first Arisaka I bought was the Type 30 long rifle you saw earlier. A local shop knew I was wanting one, so when they traded for it, they called me to ask if I wanted it for $200. I had someone drive me up there and i looked at it. I really was wanting a T99 in 7.7mm, but after a bit of considering, i bought it. I am really happy I did, as T30s in this condition are not exactly easy to find. That same day, i bought my second Arisaka. On the way home, we stopped into a pawnshop, and I asked the owner if he had any 7.7mms. He said no, but then thought and went into the back. Much to my delight, he came back with a latewar T99. He said he'd basically give it to me, if i promised I'd never ever try and shoot it. He was so afraid of it, he hadn't even logged it into his books. That rifle is the Series 25 you saw above. So on my very first day of Arisaka ownership, i was very lucky and ended up with two quite nice examples. Finally, about a year later I found my gadgety early T99 at a local gunshow. I paid $250 for it, and it too is the one you saw in this thread. Good fortune and good memories surround my 15+ year collecting of Arisakas and Nambus. Plus, when i started, I could buy them quite cheaply because not too many others were interested in Japanese stuff. Today though, that is changing and prices are starting to really climb. Most recently, i picked up my T35, which was the last major Arisaka variant I was needing to round out my collection. Plus hey, Navy marked firearms are always nifty right? I've had a lot of fun finding these guns and learning about them, so I wanted to share.
cheers,
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