Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com

[Francis C. Allan]

Can anyone identify the rifle in the attachment? The attachment is a page from a 1929-dated publication which was a booklet published by the Tokyo Army Arsenal and relates to a public display put on by the arasenal. Many long guns are pictured in the booklet but there are four we have not been able to ID. This is the first of the four. The photo is poor but the translation of the heading appears below with some comments. Many errors, often quite humorous, were made by the arsenal worker IDing the weapons. He often picked up the manufacturer's name rather than the proper designation. Several have markings on the barrel missinterpreted. For example a Remington rifle was IDed as an "IRON RIFLE". The worker zeroed in on Ilion, NY, the location of the Remington factory, as the name of weapon.

Anyway, with those limitations in mind, can any of our readers ID this one? I know that the photo is poor quality. The booklet is on 4 1/2" by 6 1/2" was proably re-produced from a microfilm record, but any input would be most welcome.

Frank Allan


Page 76:
マツチウース歩兵銃
ma-c-chi-u-u-su-HO-HEI-JŪ
“Matchworth Infantry Rifle”

Notes:
1) Full length rifle is pictured. No information on the name “Matchworth” has been located. It has been suggest that this might be a French rifle with the name of “Matthews” or Matteus, Mattheus or something similar.
2) 14mm caliber is noted on the chart and the text mentions that the design dates from the 1860s.
4) It appears to be another cartridge conversion




_________________
Francis C. Allan
20Courtney Place
Palm Coast, FL 32137

(386) 445-4225

[cwbrel]

To me, it looks English. And .577 works out to be 14.66 mm. Could be a Snider that has been modified. Can't really explain the 'Matchworth' translation unless it's a corruption of 'Whitworth' (wrong rifle, but at least right country and rough the right time period).
_________________
Curtis

It's been referred to as an addiction. I can live with that.

[Francis C. Allan]

Dear cwbrel;

Thanks for the reply and for looking this thing over.

I would have come up with Whitworth also, but there are two clearly identified Whitworth rifles on other pages, so this must be something different. Sure has me perplexed.

Frank
_________________
Francis C. Allan
20Courtney Place
Palm Coast, FL 32137

(386) 445-4225

[cwbrel]

Guess that was the obvious one. It still looks English and the .577 is real close to 14 mm but then so is .54 and everything in between them.
_________________
Curtis

It's been referred to as an addiction. I can live with that.

[Francis C. Allan]

Dear cwbrel;

Yes, I agree. I think it is an Enfield with some type of cartridge conversion system modification. They also have pages in the book on Albini, Snider, Green, Wilson and some others I can not think of off the top of my head. I guess everyone was trying to sell the Japanese whatever firearms and firearms modifications they could during the late 1800s.

Frank
_________________
Francis C. Allan
20Courtney Place
Palm Coast, FL 32137

(386) 445-4225

[gwsiii]

in the vein of Ilion, Massachusetts?
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[Francis C. Allan]

I think that it is Ilion, New York, where the Remingotn factory was located.

Another interesting screw up is the Japanese label for U.S. Hall rifles and carbines which were clear in the four photos on that page. They were listed as "Snorth Rifles". I could not figure it out until Takehito and I were at the Louisville Gun Show and looked at an example of a Hall Rifle. The barrel markings include "S. North" (representing Simon North) in the manufacturing address. The Japanese arsenal worker missed the period after S and came up with "Snorth". Isn't that a hoot?

Frank
_________________
Francis C. Allan
20Courtney Place
Palm Coast, FL 32137

(386) 445-4225

[gwsiii]

Sorry, I meant for the katakana on the unknown rifle:

マツチウース歩兵銃
ma-c-chi-u-u-su-HO-HEI-JŪ

Massachusetts
_________________
Subscribe to BANZAI!
Fill out a Japanese Rifle Datasheet.
I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[Francis C. Allan]

You know that just might make sense!!!

Frank
_________________
Francis C. Allan
20Courtney Place
Palm Coast, FL 32137

(386) 445-4225