Kijirō Nambu (1869 – 1949) hailed from a modest background before joining the Imperial Japanese Army Academy at the age of 20 in 1889. Later during the mid-1890’s he was stationed at the Kokura Arsenal where he worked under well-known Japanese arms designer Nariakira Arisaka. It was here that he was tasked to develop a semi-automatic pistol for the Japanese Army, earning him the nickname of the “John Browning of Japan.” His first design was in 1902, a semi-auto pistol with shoulder stock known as the Grandpa Nambu, almost resembling a mix between the German C/96 Mauser and the Luger pistol design. Elks:32 mentions that the first of his designs to be adopted, although only by the Navy was the Type 4 in 1905. Modifications were made to the original design, named the Papa Nambu and eventually leading to the Type 14, so named because it was adopted in 14th year of the reign of the Emperor Taisho, or 1925 in the Western calendar. It was adopted by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1925 and two years later by the Imperial Japanese Navy and remained the standard Japanese service pistol until the end of the war. (Erlmeier, Brandt Ref. 95).
Sources:
Elks, K. (2007) Japanese Ammunition 1880 – 1945 Part 1. Solo Publications
Guns Magazine, The Luger Forums, Nambu World, IAA Forums
From start of production until somewhere in 1942 the bullets were of cupro-nickel but thereafter was changed to gilding metal. Second last specimen is a dummy round with hollow brass bullet. Second from right is a new turned case, manufacturer unknown. Last is by Bertrams Australia.
The F C case for Federal was made for them by BELL c. 1989. HDS is by Huntington Die Specialties with cases made by Starline. The J – AOA headstamp was by made by Asahi Seiki in 1963 for the Japanese Coast Guard, which used Type 14 pistols after the war. The AOA letters in the headstamp was for Asahi-Okuma Arms Company, Ltd. which was the name of the company until 1961. The J was for the Japanese Maritime Agency. Midway USA was loaded by Federal Cartridge Company using brass cases produced by Jim Bell of Brass Extrusion Laboratories. There has been some confusion over the years about the detail behind the B E headstamp. According to the full story on the Luger Forums, B&E was incorporated in Minnesota on the 23rd of July 1948 by Robert & Evelyn BARD and Donald & Ann ENGEBRIT. The OWS headstamp was by Dangerous Dave of Old Western Scrounger, 12924 Hwy A-12, Montague, CA with cases produced by Bertrams.
