Japanese Type 1 Carcarno by Beretta……………. (F 1247)

Type One Japanese Carcano by Beretta

An interesting and difficult one to pin down but ordered by the Japanese Navy in the interwar years.  Is it a plane? is it a bird? No ! Its a…..!  The origins of this rifle lay in the fact that Japanese domestic rifle production could not keep up with the demand.  So the high comand looked at its allies for help and in the end it was Nazi Italy that managed to offer the required levels of production that the Japanese needed.  It was primarily the Imperial Japanese Navy that opted for this solution. There must be perfectly legitimate reasons for the final design but not being a student of that gendre, I can only report the reality of what they decided on in the end.  I would love to have been a fly on the wall in that meeting!  What was produced was somewhat of a hybrid.

The Type One ended up with a Carcarno action and an Arisaka (Mauser derivative) magazine. It is also very similar to the Type 38 and uses the same round with a five shot internal magazine. The round is the 6.5 x 50mm as used in all the Japanese Arisakas before the 7.7mm Type 99.  It can be clip fed through the rear action bridge with the bolt withdrawn fully to the rear. The bolt actually cocks on opening.  Visually the bolt appears slim for the action and has a straight bolt arm. There is a safety to the rear.  The safety itself is somewhat unusual, it is applied by pressing on the cross hatched paddle against spring pressure and turning it anti-clockwise, whereby, it springs backwards, so setting to safe. As with the Arisaka it is easier to work with the open hand, than with fingers. Twin locking lugs at the front of the bolt.  The bolt is case colour hardened which is most obvious upon its underside.

This example was one of 40,000 made by Beretta and has a plain blued action.  “PB” is clearly marked on the underside of the bolt handle stub. That is the only visible external marking apart from the serial number, which is on the shoulder of the barrel, behind the rear sights and reads “K7331”.  Overall the rifle is 49.1/2″ in length. The round blued barrel is a nominal 30.1/2″ long.  The triger Pull is 13.1/4″ to center.  Open “V” aperture sights graduated from 500 to 2400 meters. Inverted “V” front sight on a block. Italian (European) Beech or Birch stock with semi pistol grip.  Interestingly, they have used the “Arisaka” type of two-piece butt stock design, a good way of saving money on timber.

Steel butt-plate. Large steel trigger guard with floor-plate release within, at front. Finger grooved fore-end. Spring retained mid-band with sling swivel. Front top half of barrel exposed, hand guard to rear sights.  Front band retains Arisaka type cleaning rod with under spring release behind bayonet lug.  Stock is in good condition with only one “graze” along the RHS lower forend worth mention. Metal work is in a mixed state from quite reasonable polished blueing back to almost rust brown fittings, and everything inbetween. Strong bore with good rifling, a little dirty; could do with a new keepers care and attention. UK proofed.  An interesting collection of rifle designs merged into one functioning weapon – a must for anyone interested in Military Rifle design. In the UK this is now a rare rifle as not many were actually built back in the mid 1930’s when they were originally ordered.

FAC Required – Stock No’ F 1247

£ 695.

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