December 10-13, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/11/2024
Very desirable Japanese Type 11 machine gun as manufactured by Nagoya Arsenal in October, 1939. Visible serial numbers are matching on: shroud, receiver, buffer, retaining latch, ejector, charging handle, gas cylinder, and hopper cover lever. Gas regulator non-matching #28175 (almost certainly a Japanese swap-out during a “cleaning party” with other weapons in the same unit). Custom red felt canvas cover for battle damaged wood buttstock. Wood stock shows clear evidence of shrapnel or bullet damage on left hand side with more evidence of battle damage with pieces of shrapnel still embedded on the right-hand side stock wood. Bipod retention clips (which hold bipod in folded position) not present at bottom of shroud. This model utilizes standard 6.5 Japanese rifle ammunition on stripper clips loaded into the hopper, and then, with the hopper cover closed, there is essentially a revolving “track” that feeds the rounds into the action. The stripper clips drop out of the bottom of the hopper after the rounds they were holding have been fed into the feedway. A very innovative way to mitigate the effects of the inhospitable climate on cloth belts, while ensuring that as long as one had riflemen with ammunition, there would be readily available ammunition for the machine gun support weapon. An unusual system, but one that endured from 1922 until the late 1930s when this model was replaced over time with first the Type 96, and later the Type 99 machine guns. The Type 11 remained in service all the way to the end of WWII. Electronic NFA registry indicates “JAPAN” as the manufacturer. CONDITION: Overall appearance and finish is extremely fine to near excellent combination of original finish with refinished areas with buffer ejector plate a moderate even brown patina. White filled markings stand-out with a very attractive appearance. Bore is extremely fine, shiny and bright. This is a full-auto-only machine gun. This is a very desirable model of Japanese machine gun because it is so different from conventional magazine or belt-fed rifle caliber machine guns, and will have particular appeal to those collector who desire battle damaged machine guns. THIS IS A NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT ITEM AND REQUIRES BATF APPROVAL PRIOR TO TRANSFER. THIS ITEM IS FULLY TRANSFERABLE ON AN ATF FORM 3 OR 4 AS CURIO AND RELIC ELIGIBLE. JWK 2024-12-02.
Caliber/Bore
6.5mm Japanese