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Like the Smith, the Type 26 was a top-break and had automatic ejection. The Type 26 was more diminutive than the S&W Russian, measuring 9¼ inches long as opposed to the S&W’s overall length (OAL) of 11½ inches and weighing some 8 ounces less. Japanese characters below translate to “26 Year Type” The four cannonball markings on this Type 26 indicate that it was manufactured at Imperial Japanese Army Tokyo Arsenal. It was one year earlier than the gun’s acceptance date, but the year in which the design was perfected. Experiments were undertaken at the Imperial Japanese Army Tokyo Arsenal, and in 1894 the Type 26 Revolver was adopted, taking its designation from Emperor Meiji’s 26th year on the throne. In 1887, it was decided to produce an indigenous revolver, one that was smaller and of lighter caliber. 44 Russian, they were a top-break SA and relatively large pieces of hardware. 3, ultimately ordering some 7,500 over the years. Imperial forces continued to be supplied with the S&W New No. 3 Smith & Wesson Russian, an excellent arm that also saw military service with Russia and Turkey, among others.
The Type 26 (bottom) was a replacement for the Japanese Model No. In 1880, Japan came up with an indigenous longarm, the Murata Type 13, named after the 13th year of Emperor Meiji’s reign. Beginning in the 1870s, versions of the Smith & Wesson (S&W) Russian and New Model 3 revolvers were also used. Initially troops were armed with imports such as the French Chassepot and Gras, Dutch Beaumont rifles and the French Lefaucheux-style pinfire revolvers.
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It created an insatiable desire on their part to update Japan’s military and, as early as 1860, the Japanese began to accumulate and use a considerable array of then-current firearms, which they gathered from a number of different sources. On his second voyage to Japan in 1854, he brought with him several up-to-date percussion breech and muzzleloading longarms, along with handguns that amazed his hosts whose forces were still largely armed with matchlocks.
Admiral Matthew Perry in 1853 set off a chain reaction that continues to this day. Japan’s transformation from a feudal society to a modern industrial state in less than half a century is one of the most remarkable instances of national resolve in recent history. Though introduced in 1893 and ‘94, and superseded by more sophisticated designs, the Type 26 continued to be used by Japanese forces through World War II. He cited as his main gripes “miserable,” “an easy-to-go-out-of-order lock work,” and a “less-than impressive.
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Without missing a beat, he chose the series of Colt New Army and Navy Model revolvers.
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However, if one has been around for three quarters of a century, he should have enough sense not to be so complacent.Īlas! Hubris! My next call was to the owner of one of the largest movie firearms rental companies in the world, someone who has to work with all manner of guns on a daily basis. My first three calls were one to a long-time museum curator and two to venerable firearms writers and editors, and they gave me hope - to a man they picked the Type 26. The results, like the panel, were mixed and not a little surprising. Still, to give the gun a chance and to test my theory, I selected an octet of noted experts whom I have relied on over the years, asking each one to come up with his own candidate for the nadir in revolverdom, being careful not to telegraph the direction in which I was leaning. When I first wrote this feature, I was convinced that all firearms historians would immediately agree with me that the Japanese Type 26, for reasons which will be outlined anon, was probably the worst military revolver ever issued.