The Type 100 was a submachine gun that was used by Japan during World War II.
Description[]
The Type 100 was fitted to fire the 8x22mm Nambu Cartridge and had a magazine capacity of 30 rounds. This however lead to some issues as to the effectiveness of the weapon as the 8x22mm Nambu simply did not have the lethality to operate effectively. This first production model of the Type 100 was known as the Type 100/40. The rate of fire of this first production model was around 450 rounds per minute.[1] The total weight of the Type 100 was about 3.8 kg while its total length was 88.9 centimeters.
The first Type 100 also had numerous mechanical issues that hampered its usage in combat. Furthermore, the Type 100/40 with its heavy bayonet lug and bipod was too cumbersome to be used in jungle warfare.
Variants[]
The two variants of the Type 100 were the Type 100/40(N) and Type 100/44. The Type 100/40(N) was a variant that was given a folding stock, fixed sight, and the capability to mount a bayonet directly on the barrel.[2] This model was designed to be used by IJN paratroopers and sometimes IJA paratroopers. In all, some 6,000 to 7,000 examples of Type 100/40(N) were created. The Type 100/44 meanwhile was a highly simplified model of the Type 100 which aimed to fix some of the larger faults present in the original Type 100. For one, it had a higher rate of fire of 800 rounds per minute and was less prone to jamming. Furthermore, it was slightly lighter and had a fixed sight.
History[]
The Type 100 was first developed in 1939 following the Japanese realization that automatic weapons were necessary for the upcoming war. While it was not given all out priority, the Type 100 continued its development nonetheless. The company tasked with the design and development was the Nambu Arms Manufacturing Company who used many different foreign designs of submachine guns as their base and inspiration for the Type 100. Once development had been completed, the Type 100/40 began its production and was issued to Japanese servicemen between the period of 1941-1942.
From there, it saw service with Japanese special forces in places such as mainland China, the Dutch East Indies, Leyte, Okinawa, etc.[3] However, relatively few Type 100s were produced and thus they were not a common weapon on the battlefield. The Type 100/44 model is unknown to have been used in service as the 7,000 models produced were thought to have been left on the Japanese mainland for defense. However, some American personnel claimed to have encountered Type 100/44 submachine guns on the Pacific Islands. In total, some 17,000 total Type 100s had been produced during the war.
References[]
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