Type 26 revolver

Type 26 Revolver
Type	Revolver
Place of origin	Empire of Japan
Service history
In service	1893–1945
Used by	See Users
Wars	Russo-Japanese War, Second Sino-Japanese War, World War I, World War II
Production history
Designed	1893
Manufacturer	Koishikawa arsenal, Tokyo
Produced	1893–1935
No. built	59,300 to 59,900
Specifications
Weight	880 g (1 lb 15oz) unloaded
Length	231 mm (9.09 in)
Barrel length	121 mm (4.76 in)
Height	130 mm (5.12 in)
Cartridge	9mm Japanese revolver
Caliber	9 mm
Action	Double-action
Muzzle velocity	229 m/s (750 ft/s)
Feed system	6–round cylinder
Sights	Blade, V-notch

The Type 26 or Model 26 "hammerless" revolver (二十六年式拳銃, Nijuuroku-nen-shiki kenjuu^?) was the first modern revolver adopted by the Imperial Japanese Army. It was developed at the Koishikawa Arsenal and is named for its year of adoption in the Japanese dating system (the 26th year of the reign of the Meiji emperor, i.e., 1893). The revolver saw action in conflicts including the Russo-Japanese War, World War I and World War II.

It is a conglomeration of design features from other revolvers made during the time period. The revolver has a design flaw that allows the cylinder to over-rotate and align the wrong chamber. Five distinct phases of production have different markings depending on the time and individual Type 26 produced. The 9mm Japanese revolver ammunition used is unique to the weapon. The Type 26 has a double-action only mechanism and is therefore difficult to aim accurately. The Type 26 was replaced by the Nambu pistol in the first half of the 20th century.

Known as the Meiji 26 Nen Ken Ju (meaning "Pistol, Pattern of the 26th year of the Meiji era"), the Type 26 revolver was the first indigenous revolver adopted by the Japanese military. The Type 26 was produced to replace the aging Smith & Wesson New Model No. 3 and was officially adopted March 29, 1894. The design is widely believed to be a mixture of features taken from other revolvers. The lock design is similar to Galand designs, the hinged frame is similar to Smith & Wesson designs, and the hinged side plate covering the lock is similar to the Modèle 1892 revolver. The cartridge was loaded with black powder until 1900 when the cartridges began to be loaded with smokeless powder. The Type 26 is considered a remarkable leap in Japanese pistol development despite the international influence, with the matchlock being the most common domestic Japanese handgun 40 years earlier. Production stopped after 1923 when much of the Koishikawa Arsenal was destroyed in the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, with assembly continuing until the exhaustion of stockpiled parts. Approximately 59,000 Type 26 revolvers were produced and an additional 900 revolvers were made in pre-production. Restoration and re-issue of revolvers that had been removed from service because of damage or wear, was carried out on an as needed basis over a period of many years. The original Type 26s are missing the external markings of later produced revolvers and are identifiable by numbers stamped on internal parts. Type 26s were still being used in 1945 which, according to firearms expert and author Ian Hogg, is considered a testament to their original workmanship and a much more suitable combat weapon than later Japanese produced pistols.

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