Murata (Series)

Bolt-Action Service Rifle

Imperial Japan | 1880

"Influenced by European rifles of the period, the Murata became a homegrown Japanese design and served into the World War 1 years."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 07/08/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

The bolt-action rifle debuted on the battlefield as early as the 19th Century and went on to be the standard infantryman's weapon well into World War 2 (1939-1945). These weapons were generally of considerable overall length (inevitably leading to development of shorter "carbine" forms) with wooden stocks and firing self-contained cartridges. They were evolved along various lines but maintained their general battlefield form and function until given up, as a frontline service weapon, in favor of automatic rifles.

Back in 1880, the Japanese Army moved ahead in adopting the Meiji Type 13 "Murata" bolt-action rifle. As expected, this rifle continued the widely-accepted design qualities of contemporaries and was limited to single-shot firing. The bolt-action mechanism, manually-actuated, was used to extract spent shell casings and open the breech for accepting a fresh cartridge. Other qualities included bayonet support, single-banded full-length wood stock and iron sights for ranged fire. The trigger was underslung in the usual way and the shoulder stock was made integral to the weapon body. Sling sloops provided attachment points for a shoulder strap.

Since the middle of the 1800s, the Japanese Army relied on a mixed collection of long guns that were imported from Europe so the locally-minded Murata was something of a departure for both the Army service and Japanese industry as a whole. The Japanese Civil War also revealed the Army need for a standardized long gun and this led to Japanese Army officer Major Murata Tsuneyoshi heading a committee to fashion a new service rifle - hence the weapon came to bear his name ("Murata"). The rifle borrowed proven elements from the French Lebel and the Austrian Kropatschek series.

The original Model 1880, as its name suggests, was adopted in 1880 and chambered for the local 11x60mmR Murata cartridge. This product was also recognized as the "Type 13" due to its introduction during the 13th year of Emperor Meiji's reign. The Model 1883 (Type 16) was a carbine form in 11x60mmR chambering and, beyond its shortened length, was more or less faithful to the original. When revisions were enacted to the Type 13 design, this produced the Model 1885 (Type 18) in turn and, later that decade, further work begat the Model 1889 (Type 22). The Model 1889 was a significant development in that it became the first to use a smokeless powder cartridge, which gave the weapon a modern quality, and the first Japanese small bore magazine rifle as it was chambered for 8x53mmR. The Type 22 introduced an 8-round tube magazine for repeat firing and its shortened carbine brother held a 5-round magazine.

At the time of the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) the Murata series rifle was made the standard-issue Japanese Army weapon. However, the war showcased the inherent limitations and deficiencies in the Murata and authorities already looked to secure its official successor. Work on a new long gun then produced the Arisaka Type 30 which entered service in 1897. A plethora of offshoots were spawned from this classic weapon that saw service into World War 2.

Despite the introduction of the Arisaka series, the Murata rifle continued to be encountered into the new century - seeing its last commitments in World War 1 (1914-1918).

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Physical
The physical qualities of the Murata (Series). Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.

1,300 mm
51.18 in
O/A Length

840 mm
33.07 in
Barrel Length

9.04 lb
4.10 kg
Weight

Manually-Actuated Bolt-Action System
Action

11x60mmR Murata; 8x53mmR Murata
Caliber(s)

Single-Shot; Repeater Models Later Available.
Feed

Iron Front and Rear.
Sights

Performance
Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Murata (Series). Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.

1,430 ft/sec
436 m/sec
Muzzle Velocity

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Murata (Series) Bolt-Action Service Rifle family line.

Murata - Base Series Name

Model 1880 - Original production rifle in 11x60mmR

Model 1883 Carbine - Carbine model of shorter length

Model 1885 - Improved internals

Model 1889 - Chambered for 8x53mmR; 8-round tube magazine.

Model 1889 Carbine - Carbine form of Model 1889; 5-round tube magazine.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Murata (Series). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.

Contractor(s): State Factories - Imperial Japan

[ Imperial Japan ]

1 / 1

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Design Qualities
Some designs are single-minded in their approach while others offer a more versatile solution to requirements.

Recognition
Some designs stand the test of time while others are doomed to never advance beyond the drawing board; let history be their judge.

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Going Further...
The Murata (Series) Bolt-Action Service Rifle appears in the following collections:

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2025 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks U.S. DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols US 5-Star Generals WW2 Weapons by Country

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes Global Firepower, WDMMA.org, WDMMW.org, and World War Next.

©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)