Interesting Shooting Iron

[Peter Bleed]

A couple of interesting Japanese firearms just showed up on the world’s flea market. I’ve decided that I don’t need them but I hope some on the NMB might find them worth discussion.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221877352398?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I have not found anything just like this in Frances Allan’s Banzai volume on Imported Arms of the Meiji Era, but it sure looks like a Japanese production wrapped around an imported lock and breech block. The stock seems to be made of oak and both of the sights look like they belong on hinawaju. The “plus” screws in the butt plate are – ahhh – challenging. And I am surprised that there are not a lot of marks and stamps on this gun. But it seems like an interesting arm.

This dealer also is offering an old looking hinawaju as well. Is the Japanese market as soft as this suggests?

Peter

[estcrh]

                A couple of interesting Japanese firearms just showed up on the world’s flea market. I’ve decided that I don’t need them but I hope some on the NMB might find them worth discussion.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221877352398?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I have not found anything just like this in Frances Allan’s Banzai volume on Imported Arms of the Meiji Era, but it sure looks like a Japanese production wrapped around an imported lock and breech block. The stock seems to be made of oak and both of the sights look like they belong on hinawaju. The “plus” screws in the butt plate are – ahhh – challenging. And I am surprised that there are not a lot of marks and stamps on this gun. But it seems like an interesting arm.

This dealer also is offering an old looking hinawaju as well. Is the Japanese market as soft as this suggests?

Peter

Peter, I guess there is not a lot of interest in Japanese firearms from this time period that are not matchlocks. I personally think they are quite interesting and historical. I myself have a couple of Japanese matchlock to percussion conversians, this type of rifle was the next step. Here is a link to some pictures of non-matchlock Japanese firearms.  https://www.pinterest.com/worldantiques/western-style-firearms-used-by-samurai/

 

[Peter Bleed]

Eric,

thanks for the reaction. It looks like you are right - there is not much interest In Japanese guns of this vintage. That may not be surprising since there is very little available information on them. I have to say that is also too bad. Clearly Japan was rearming and modernizing in the 1860s and 70s. Unfortunately it looks like most of the work was being done in isolated, small operations that there "below the radar." In fact, I be they were illegal and left few traces. It was also a very brief period since the meiji government soon took over, got their army going and blocked development of regional armies. .

This remains a tempting gun!

Peter

[estcrh]

Eric,

thanks for the reaction. It looks like you are right - there is not much interest In Japanese guns of this vintage. That may not be surprising since there is very little available information on them. I have to say that is also too bad. Clearly Japan was rearming and modernizing in the 1860s and 70s. Unfortunately it looks like most of the work was being done in isolated, small operations that there "below the radar." In fact, I be they were illegal and left few traces. It was also a very brief period since the meiji government soon took over, got their army going and blocked development of regional armies. .

This remains a tempting gun!

Peter

Peter, one problem is that very few of this type madeit  out of Japan compared to Japanese matchlocks. I do see them for sale in Japan quite regularly. It has been said that the Japanese did not modernize their firearms but clearly they were trying, they just could not compete with Western factory production and samurai factions with money could purchase large amounts of the most modern Western guns of the day.