A 99% Nambu type 14 from Simpson's

tark

tark

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Just got home from Simpson's. The thread about Nambu's intrigued me and I have never even held one. I decided to rectify that and I headed for Simpson's today. They had one billed as 99% , pristine, all numbers matching with flawless grips, made in 1935. It was all of that! I have never seen a Luger that looked any better. The rust blueing was deep, rich and lustrous. The polish and machining are flawless. When I pulled the mag I was surprised to see cosmoline, or something resembling it, slobbered all over the inside of the magazine. See the first pic. I have to wonder if this thing was ever fired after leaving the factory? The inevitable scratch mark left by the safety is barely visible. It isn't even deep enough to have scratched through the blueing. It could have been made by a QC test at the factory.

The disassembly of these guns is a rather bizarre procedure which I will neither describe nor attempt to do. I'll never fire the thing anyway, even though five rounds came with the gun.

In closing I will say that this pistol is proof that All Japanese military pistols are not crude, cobby looking and low quality. You just have to find an early one...
 

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.455_Hunter said:
Outstanding!

Now you just need a Baby!
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Uhhh... I'm pretty well off... but not THAT well off !!! Baby's are expensive beyond my financial reach. A nice one of those is about four or five times what I paid for this one.
Jimbo80 said:
Shoot it….it’s too nice not to.
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I'm a collector so the thought of shooting such a high conditioned gun is unthinkable. Nambu's aren't rare, aren't classics and they certainly aren't considered "High End" collectables, like Lugers, but pristine early guns do have some value. My real fear is this: Shooting the thing would be fun and I would want to do it all the time. And I can't find ammo. Everybody lists it and everybody is out of stock!! :cuss:
 
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Jimbo80 said:
I’m a collector myself and not shooting it would be unthinkable to me. I’ve had ammo on backorder at Steinels for going on 2 years. Hope that changes soon.
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Why would I want to shoot a gun that high conditioned when there are of thousands of shooter grade Nambu's out there? I have this same situation with my 99% C-96 Mauser that was never fired after proofing. It was made in 1913 and hasn't spit out a bullet since. If I fire it enough to knock even one percent off of that 99% grading, I just lost hundreds of dollars in value. Why do that when I have a second, shooter grade C-96 to play with? In some guns, every extra percentage point over 97% can double the value of the gun.

I see beat up, shooter grade Nambu's going for half of what I paid for my gun. If ever ammo becomes available again maybe I'll pick up one of those. I also have a T-series Hi-Power made in 68 that has never been fired, and never will be. At least not by me, and plenty of ammo for that one IS available.
 
I just realized something. Look at the first pic in my OP. Does that magazine follower look like it has ever had the last round stripped out of the mag? Or been scratched when loading the first round in the mag? I think this gun has never been fired ! :what:
 
Different strokes. I don’t shoot them much but do shoot my high condition guns from time to time. I had my like new ‘65 T series out the other day. I don’t sell my guns so for me the enjoyment I get out of shooting them even a little bit is well worth a couple hundred bucks in imaginary money.
 
That is a great example of a historic pistol. I've certainly never seen one in such great shape...I've only seen wartime "bring backs" taken from dead officers.

I really do like the original Type 14 with the smaller trigger guard. It is so much more graceful and balanced that the later ones with the enlarged trigger guards for use while wearing gloves. The Type 14 was intended for officers who had to buy their own pistols while the M-94 was intended for for issue to NCOs. The Baby Nambu was never officially adopted but was usually bought by higher ranking officers...it cost more than twice the price of the Type 14
 
9mmepiphany said:
The Baby Nambu was never officially adopted but was usually bought by higher ranking officers...it cost more than twice the price of the Type 14
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Right you are. If ever there was a pistol intended to be a " badge of rank " and not a serious weapon... it was the Baby Nambu. I think that if you ever shot someone with a " Baby " and they found out about it ... they would be very upset.
 
Jimbo80 said:
Different strokes. I don’t shoot them much but do shoot my high condition guns from time to time. I had my like new ‘65 T series out the other day. I don’t sell my guns so for me the enjoyment I get out of shooting them even a little bit is well worth a couple hundred bucks in imaginary money.
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Part of me sympathizes with your position on this. Damn, I wish I had enough ammo to at least see how well this thing shoots. The sights are kind of weird. An inverted "V" for the rear and a sharply tapered blade for the front. It is a strange sight picture, one which might be capable of great accuracy from the bench... but totally worthless as a combat sight. What were they thinking?
 
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That’s a very nice specimen, Tark. I’ve never seen one that nice, and if I had that much in my gun budget I’d have definitely picked it up, too. I agree with your assessment that it may well be unfired. I’d find a mag-mismatch, shooter grade gun for $600 and shoot that one. Same reason I bought myself a “shooter” P08 (mismatching police rework) so I’m not tempted to shoot my matching WW1 rig.
 
Nambu's just don't get that much respect from collectors. And by that I mean monetarily. If this gun were a Luger, of the same year and condition, it would be worth two or three times as much. A rare variation, far more than that. Remington sporting arms of the twentieth century are in the same boat. They don't command the same prices as the Winchester's, all things being equal.
 
tark said:
Nambu's just don't get that much respect from collectors. And by that I mean monetarily. If this gun were a Luger, of the same year and condition, it would be worth two or three times as much. A rare variation, far more than that. Remington sporting arms of the twentieth century are in the same boat. They don't command the same prices as the Winchester's, all things being equal.
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for now! I can see the Nambu getting more respect from collectors. People always want what they can’t get! You might be sitting on a good investment.

Now, can I still come over and shoot that Les Baer on your profile photo???
 
Very nice find! I remember seeing Nambus at gun shows in the 1980s but not nearly as much anymore. We Allies always did look down on Japanese arms but I hope that changes.
 
You snagged a great piece of history in pristine condition. Congrats... I've never seen that many in person but the ones I've seen are usually no better than "fair" condition. Yours I would describe as "stunning", and I wouldn't shoot it if it were mine; there are still shooter grade examples to be had.
 
tark said:
Part of me sympathizes with your position on this. Damn, I wish I had enough ammo to at least see how well this thing shoots. The sights are kind of weird. An inverted "V" for the rear and a sharply tapered blade for the front. It is a strange sight picture, one which might be capable of great accuracy from the bench... but totally worthless as a combat sight. What were they thinking?
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Its like a mauser sight. Tip of the front goes halfway down the rear v notch. You end up w uncovered target.
 
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