Arisaka Type 4 / Type 5 (Japanese Garand)

Experimental Self-Loading / Semi-Automatic Service Rifle / Battle Rifle

Imperial Japan | 1944

"The Type 4 semi-automatic rifle - the so-called Japanese Garand - was a near-direct copy of the classic American M1 Garand and seen only at the end of World War 2."

Performance
Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Arisaka Type 4 / Type 5 (Japanese Garand). Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.

1,320 ft
402.3 m | 440.0 yds
Max.Eff.Range

2,740 ft/sec
835 m/sec
Muzzle Velocity

Physical
The physical qualities of the Arisaka Type 4 / Type 5 (Japanese Garand). Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.

1,100 mm
43.31 in
O/A Length

590 mm
23.23 in
Barrel Length

9.15 lb
4.15 kg
Weight

Self-Loading; Gas-Operated; Rotating Bolt
Action

7.7x58mm Arisaka
Caliber(s)

10-Round Integral Magazine
Feed

Iron Front and Rear
Sights

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Arisaka Type 4 / Type 5 (Japanese Garand) Experimental Self-Loading / Semi-Automatic Service Rifle / Battle Rifle family line.

Type 4 - Base Series Designation

Type 5 - Alternative Designation

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/22/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The Type 4 / Type 5 rifle was a Japanese attempt to copy and mass-produce the classic American M1 Garand semi-automatic service rifle. Throughout the war, the Japanese infantryman relied on proven -but decidedly limited - bolt-action types and required a new, more modern weapon with good man-stopping capabilities as well as a smooth repeat-fire action. The British and the Americans had both moved on to repeat-fire rifles and the Germans and Soviets were following suit with designs all their own. Rather than invest in an all-new weapon, the Garand was selected for haste. While the Japanese had delved into semi-automatic service rifles prior to their full commitment to World War 2 (1939-1945), none of these projects supplied a viable end product. The commitment to the conflict also ensured that further development on such guns would be stymied for the foreseeable future.

The gun is recognized under the designations of "Type 4" and "Type 5" in sources and is known casually as the "Japanese Garand".

While borrowing heavily the key elements making up the Garand rifle - including its form and function - the Type 4/5 was chambered for the local 7.7x58mm Arisaka rifle cartridge, a departure from the .30-06 featured in the American gun. Also unlike the Garand the Japanese 5 semi-automatic service rifle made use of a ten-round internal magazine as opposed to an eight-shot design. The longer magazine case projected from the bottom of the gun body and feeding was by way of 2 x five-round "stripper" clips. The Type 4/5 rifle carried with it Arisaka-style sling loops, a leaf-style rear sighting device (as opposed to the Garand's aperture arrangement), and featured a wooden body - the trigger group slung underneath in the usual way. On the whole, the Japanese approach remained largely faithful to the American design.

With design work beginning in 1944, Japanese factories began setting up for mass production of the "Japanese Garand" in 1945. However, the Japanese surrender of August ended all planned manufacture of this semi-automatic rifle and only about 100 examples were completed from the 250 that were in the works at war's end. Twenty were known to be confiscated by the Allies at the Japanese Naval Arsenal on Honshu after the cessation of hostilities.

A true rarity today, the Japanese Garand is one of the lesser-known Japanese firearms to emerge from the fighting of World War 2. Its near-direct copying says much about the classic American design - that the enemy would be so keen on duplicating a sound and effective weapon such as the war-winning M1.

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Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Arisaka Type 4 / Type 5 (Japanese Garand). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.

Contractor(s): Yokosuka Naval Arsenal - Imperial Japan

[ Imperial Japan (cancelled) ]

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Image of the Arisaka Type 4 / Type 5 (Japanese Garand)

Image from the Public Domain.

Going Further...
The Arisaka Type 4 / Type 5 (Japanese Garand) Experimental Self-Loading / Semi-Automatic Service Rifle / Battle Rifle appears in the following collections:

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