Japanese Simple Weapons of 1944-1945

[Kiipu]

General

In 1944 it was realized that the decisive battle of the mainland of Japan was soon to be fought. There was a call for complete national armament and because of the shortage of weapons the study and development of simple weapons began. The purpose was to arm everyone in Japan both military and civilian, with some type of fighting weapon. Research was started in the summer of 1944 and was nearly completed by the summer of 1945.

WRF Simple Weapons.

 

Pistol

Included among the simple weapons was a pistol.  An example of which can be seen below.

RARE Japanese Civilian Defense Pistol

[Bugyotsuji]

Like children's toys. Going backwards through evolution, to percussion cap or pill-lock weapons! Thank you for the link and background. Really interesting, but kind of sad to contemplate. 

 

This kind of ties in with the missing drawer handles on the chest in the attic. I also have a bunch of small, corrupt yen coins from 1945, the last year that coins bore the grand title of 大日本, reflecting the dire straits in which the Japanese population must have found themselves in those late war years.

[John C]

The concept reminds me of the FP 45 pistol dropped to French resistance fighters.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FP-45_Liberator

 

John C.

[Brian]

Phew. That is about as basic as it gets....wow.
Interesting sear arrangement though, first homemade pistol I've seen with that through-sear like that. Would work well as a percussion piece.

[Kiipu]

Is a picture worth a thousand words?

Rare Rifle ;)

[John C]

I think the sniper version of that rifle used a piece of PVC pipe as a scope.

 

John C.