MANUFACTURER – Kokura Arsenal, Nagoya Rikugun Zoheisho, Nambu Seisakusho [Nagoya Army Ordnance; Nambu Factory]
STATUS – Obsolete
SERVICE – In service with Imperial Japanese Armed Forces
This was the last and most prolific of the Japanese Nambu pistol designs. The development of the pistol was completed by 1925 (14th year of the Taisho era) and production began a few years later. Overall, the weapon greatly resembled the earlier version, but had been simplified for better, faster, and cheaper production. The grip safety was removed on the Type 14 along with the external bulge of the recoil spring. The frame was simplified, again for production reasons, and no longer required the complex forging for its manufacture. The safety of the weapon is on the upper left side of the receiver and has to be operated with the non-firing hand. A magazine safety was included in the design which prevents the weapon from being fired if there is no magazine in place. There is no bolt stop on the Type 14. The bolt locks open on the last round by being stopped by a lug on the magazine follower. When the empty magazine is removed, the bolt immediately slams forward. Because of the bolt pushing against the back of the magazine follower, it can be difficult to remove the empty magazine for reloading, particularly if the operator’s hands are wet or cold. The Type 14 Nambu remained in production until the end of World War II with production quality continuing to suffer as the war progressed.
