Nambu Type 14 Pistol

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by Olle

The last T14 I bought had a broken firing pin, so I retipped it myself.

Olle, some time ago [years] I recall someone retipping the broken Nambu firing pin with a SHCS drilled/tapped/threaded into the end of the firing pin and then turned to shape. It also had two flats so it could be replaced easily. I kind of stuck that away in my chamberpot of a memory, for a 'rainy day'.

Haven't had to try it, but I thought it was an interesting idea...I can't recall where I read it...

I'm not really into silver-soldering or brazing...I've done/do both, it's just not my thing...

[sheepherder]

I was able to resist those MOP grips, but I did get a spare barrel+extension for a caliber change [probably 7.65 Parabellum]...I won't bother with a full-profile pic, as it looks like any other Type 14 barrel...With one small exception...

If you look at the first pic, you'll see 'receiver' rear ends with the locking block 'ears'...689 is my T14; 203 is a used pull...Look at the red circles...The 689 'receiver' is relieved to let the locking block rotate up to clear the 'receiver' recess...The 203/spare isn't...

The spare won't let the locking block move up into battery...It won't even go into the 'receiver'...The red lines show the locking block in full retracted position; the spare is stopped by the rounded edge shown in the red circle...

Now, removing this metal to let the locking block retract is easily done...But...Looking close [see the second pic], I noticed an awful lot of *filework* in this area...Not just the edge of the 'receiver', but the inside edges of the locking block 'ears'...Crude, coarse filework...Hasty...Unskilled...

It's present on both of my 'receivers'...And is really mind boggling to think that this is part of the Nambu assembly line...Some slave labor peasant girl, squatting down on her clogs, 16 or 18 hours a day, filing the sharp edges of just each 'receiver' ear...I don't see any other obvious filing anywhere else...

The sides of the locking block that rotates are cut with a radius-ended end mill, and presumably filing/chamfering the edges of the 'ears' is the easiest way to make them clear the radiused cut...Without any complicated milling...A peasant girl with a file being cheaper than a milling operation...

I would be interested to see other T14 'receiver ear' pics...Does yours show crude filing???

Lugers have just as much intricate cavities/sliding parts, and they don't show file marks this crude...

There are many different engineers involved in a manufacturing process...This would be comical if it was Khyber Arms...But this is an Imperial Arsenal...In 1943...Not even yet the height of the war...

[Zorba]

I finally got mine reassembled - mags back from G.T., grips back from Hugh; and intend to make a range trip in the next week or so. I'll take a looksee upon post shooting cleaning/inspection.

They do get more interesting the more we look at 'em!

[sheepherder]

Here's an interesting item on eBay...A .22 cal Nambu T14 conversion...

NAMBU TYPE 14 BARREL BOLT 22 CONVERSION T-14 Japanese pistol WW2 .22 LR 22LR gun

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NAMBU-TYPE-1...-/261413426371

[sheepherder]

My backordered Wolfe 'Extra Power' recoil springs [and firing pin spring] came today. I whipped up a comparison with my original (as the gun came) recoil springs, and the Wolfe 'standard' spring pack.

Because my spring gauge only reads up to 20#, and the two spring sets I compared last time both came in at 19# at full recoil, I marked off a line one inch into the recoil (approximately at halfway position) to make my comparison. Pics show no load and load at one inch.

I also measured my springs. The way I did it was to slide a razor blade into the first coil and count the number of turns. I counted the ground compressed coil at each end as one coil (or the fraction). I didn't bother measuring free length.

Here's my results. They are only valid for my own setup. It is apparent that the Wolfe 'Xtra Power' spring set is a higher pull weight than their 'standard' set. I can't make any assumption for the original springs, as I have no idea if they are WW II vintage or not.

Why have both sets of Wolfe springs??? Because I tailor my loads to my pistol. I'll load up an 8mm Nambu 'target' load and fire it with the stronger of the two spring sets. If it won't cycle, I'll reduce the load. If it still won't cycle, then I'll go to the standard spring set and the reduced load and work from there.

I don't trust the Wolfe 'standard' spring set. If my old original spring set is of WW II vintage, then it should be substantially weaker than the new Wolfe 'standard' set. My observations are that the Wolfe is the same pull weight as the original. That just does not seem right. Unless my original springs are replacements.