KOKURA ARSENAL JAPANESE TYPE 92 PAPERED DEWAT

KOKURA ARSENAL JAPANESE TYPE 92 PAPERED DEWAT

03-1635
Cal. 7.7mm
S# 20494
Bbl. 30″

Mfg. November, 1940 by Kokura Arsenal. The Japanese Type 92 was one of the most widely used by the Japanese Army in WWII. Chambered in the much more powerful 7.7mm it was preferred over the than the previously used 6.5mm. It was designed for the new 7.7mm Semi-rimless cartridge though it was able to function w/ the 7.7mm Rimless as well. It had a very slow cyclic rate, in the area of 450 RPM, & due to its natural stuttering effect it was quickly nicknamed “The Woodpecker” from allied soldiers.

The Type 92 saw significant use as both an infantry gun as well as an anti-aircraft gun. While retaining the familiar Hotchkiss aesthetics of the very heavy barrel w/ massive cooling fins, its size takes it to a whole different level, The barrel shroud, protruding for the first 14″ in front of the chamber, has enormous cooling fins measuring over 3.5″ in diameter. The barrel itself has cooling fins measuring over 1.3″ in diameter.

The gun & tripod, unloaded weighs in at 122 pounds. The tripod mounts to the gun via side mounted trunnions, similar to that used w/ a canon. The massive weight was handled in the field by attaching long poles into sockets integrated w/ the tripod to support it during troop movement. The spade grips are unique in the way they fold up for storage & transport and fold down for use.

The trigger is actuated through a thumb depressed transfer bar above & between the grips. As with a lot of Japanese designs of this era the top cover has a built in oiling apparatus to lubricate ammunition during the feeding cycle.

The unique heavy tripod was adjustable for several shooting positions from kneeling behind an anti-aircraft extension, to sitting upright for horizontal shooting, down to laying prone w/ the barrel only 14″ above the surface.

The firing mechanism is an open bolt, long stroke piston & gas operated, machine gun, capable of full auto only. It is charged using a right side, non-reciprocating charging handle. It is fed from rigid loading strips, much like the Hotchkiss, feeding from the left side & presenting the empty feed strip out the right side.

Left side receiver markings include the Kokura Arsenal Arsenal stamp beside the serial number “20494” and “15.11” indicating Showa Era Year 15 in the 11th month, translating to the manufacturing date of November, 1940. Top of receiver marked w/ Japanese characters “Ku Ni Shiki” translating to “92 Type”.

The Type 92 machine gun had several sighting options starting w/ a right side offset peep sight adjustable in windage from 300 meters to 2500 meters as well as several choices of optical sights. Two scopes are a parascope style, the Type 93 sight & Type 94 sight, allowing the operator to maintain a very low profile & the other, the Type 92 sight, is a more traditional style scope w/ a crosshair pattern very similar to modern reticles w/ elevation & traverse data, as included w/ this example. Scope marked w/ Circle in star, the mark for the 1st Army Arsenal, “4×10” & serial number 42372. It was previously marked w/ number 46237 but marked over.

MAGS: 1 brass 30rd feed strip.

UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: Tripod, complete w/ cradle, adjustable for traverse & elevation, & leg extensions. Type 96 scope in rigid canvas case w/ leather straps. Photocopy of manual in Japanese.

NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT DEWAT MG REQUIRING BATF TRANSFER BEFORE TAKING POSSESSION. FULLY TRANSFERABLE 

STATUS: CURIO CLASS III