New to Me Miroku .38 Special

[Tallball]

I'd heard that Miroku revolvers are good revolvers, and that they made a copy of the Colt Detective Special that was a very nice handgun.

They often go a little cheaper, but I went ahead and won this one for a $170-something bid on Gunbroker. I finally picked it up today. Its trigger is very nice. It seems to be in very good shape mechanically, though the finish shows definite wear.

It's larger than I expected. Maybe I misunderstood what a Colt Detective is supposed to be like. I haven't compared them side-by-side yet, but it seems to be the same size as a S&W K-frame snub.

I was also surprised that it has no import stamp. I am going to try to look up the serial number (277xx), but I am assuming it was manufactured and imported before 1968.

If anyone can tell me more about Miroku or this revolver, I would be very grateful. I hope to shoot it this weekend, if my health and the weather cooperate.

Miroku 38 special

• Tallball
• Oct 4, 2018

 

[GunnyUSMC]

If I remember right, Miroku is the company that mad guns for Browning.
I’ve never shot one of their revolvers. About a year ago there was a 4” model in a local pawn shop, but they wanted $300 for it.

 

[DukeConnor]

not familiar with the revolvers but i have 2 charles daily trap guns that were made by Miroku. They are excellent shotguns.

 

[Tallball]

I've heard that they make very fine long guns and/or barrels for very fine long guns. I've seen a few 4" revolvers offered for sale, too. This one seems like a well-made revolver. The new guy at the LGS has already tried to buy it from me. I take that as a good sign.

 

[bannockburn]

Tallball

Not a whole lot of info out there on your Miroku revolver. Found a brief mention on them in Jane's Guns. Apparently there were two frame sizes made, with a 5 round and a 6 round cylinder. Both guns resembled Colt revolvers in their basic design and were considered relatively inexpensive but serviceable revolvers. Production was from 1967 to 1984 and many were exported under the "EIG" logo or else with the "Liberty Chief" name.

These guns shouldn't be confused with the Japanese Police and Maritime forces revolver, the New Nambu Model 60 made by Shin Chuo Kogyo in Tokyo. They somewhat resembled a S&W J frame in .38 Special and had a 3" barrel.

 

[Slamfire]

That is a rare pistol, I don't recall ever seeing one. I would recommend, do not shoot +P rounds in the thing. Just use standard velocity 38 Special, and I will bet, the thing is sighted in for 158 grain bullets.

I remember the biases of the WW2 generation, and if this was pre 1980's pistol, the WW2 generation would have had nothing to do with Japanese pistols. WW2 vets used to tell me about Japanese cast iron rifles, suicide squad stuff. A few of them were so bitter that I heard them claim they would not buy anything made by the Japanese. It really upset them when you pointed out that their television was made in Japan.

 

[Riomouse911]

As was stated, Miroku long guns are really, really nice. Browning shotguns and Winchester-branded lever and falling block guns were/are their main imports here in the US.

Hopefully your revolver will operate for you as well as their long guns have. I echo the other statement about keeping the ammo in the standard-pressure range, no reason to risk damage/injury stoking a gun with +P when there is an "unknown maximum pressure" question.

Stay safe!

 

[Maj Dad]

That is a rare pistol, I don't recall ever seeing one. I would recommend, do not shoot +P rounds in the thing. Just use standard velocity 38 Special, and I will bet, the thing is sighted in for 158 grain bullets.

I remember the biases of the WW2 generation, and if this was pre 1980's pistol, the WW2 generation would have had nothing to do with Japanese pistols. WW2 vets used to tell me about Japanese cast iron rifles, suicide squad stuff. A few of them were so bitter that I heard them claim they would not buy anything made by the Japanese. It really upset them when you pointed out that their television was made in Japan.

I saw a couple of Mirokus over the years, and all looked reasonably well made. Guy at the range owned one and wouldn't have parted with it. I expect their quality had just about approached that of the other Miroku weapons by then. Looks like a decent shooter to me...

The Japanese were almost universally hated when I was growing up in the early 50's - too many GIs with seriously bad blood and worse memories. Even the innocuous imports like toys and everything else was "cheap Japanese junk", true or not. And it wasn't confined to the U.S.: when I was at Kunsan, Korea, in the mid-90's, a Korean doctor talked me into tutoring his daughter in English. She was very literate and understood the written language well, but pronunciation and comprehension is difficult for Koreans (and almost all Asian languages) as the reverse is true for us. Anyway, he refused to attend any of the Cherry Blossom Festival activities because it was a Japanese custom, and to say he despised them is classic understatement. He grew up under their heavy thumb, and he had not, and I know never did forgive or forget.

 

[Drail]

Anything stamped "Miroku" will be considerably better than most of the guns S&W is selling in America today.

 

[Monac]

The Miroku revolvers were also imported into the United States under the "EIG" name. I recently bought one, and the lockwork seems strange to me, and not like the Numrich diagram of the revolvers Miroku sold under their own name. For example, the mainspring is not really attached to the hammer by anything, but just bears on it at certain times. I will put up a picture if I can get a decent one.

BTW, Miroku also made a small-grip version of that revolver under the name "Liberty Chief".

Also, be careful if you take the sideplate off. Miroku mounted some parts ON the sideplate, and I found it a pain to get back together. I also lost a spring (although it may have turned back up).

 

[Monac]

In looking for online pictures of the Miroku revolver, I learned something I did not know - there was an adjustable sight version of the gun:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=285821&d=1495838500

The EIG Mirokus are not nearly this well made and finished.

The picture is from a thread in a Smith & Wesson forum. DWalt's post of 5/31/2017 in it describes the finicky way you have to put the sideplate back on:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/firear...833-miroku-38-special-revolver-revisited.html

 

[Tallball]

I appreciate all of the good advice. I'll stick with mild loads. Since I shoot my 1916 S&W and my 1921 Colt from time to time, I never purchase hot 38 special loads, and my FiL's reloads are likewise mild. Also, I don't trust myself to do gunsmithing, so I will definitely leave the sideplate on!

As I said, this revolver has no import stamp. The barrel has "38 special revolver" stamped on one side, and "special police model" stamped on the other. I has "Miroku firearms mfg co" on the side opposite the cylinder crane. The serial number is on the butt, as is "Miroku Japan". The fit and finish are very good, other than a few machining marks that are hidden behind the crane.

I am curious why it has no import stamp. And if it was made for domestic use, it seems odd that the markings would be in English, rather than Japanese characters. I hope to shoot it tomorrow morning. It's a six shooter, and as I mentioned, about the size of my Model 10 snub. It has a good trigger, so I expect shooting it will be similar to the Model 10 (which is excellent).

Work has been very busy this week. Hopefully I'll have time to do some research this weekend.

 

[Slamfire]

I am curious why it has no import stamp.

There was a time before import stamps. I thought the practice started in the 1990's, but this ATF publication insists that anything after 2002 have an import stamp.


ATF Guidebook - Importation & Verification of Firearms, Ammunition, and Implements of War

https://www.atf.gov/resource-center...n-guidebook-firearms-verificationpdf/download

NAME of IMPORTER Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or st amped (impressed) on the firearm frame, receiver, barrel or slide


For firearms imported after January 30, 2002, the engrav ing, casting or stamping (impressing) of the impor ter’s name must be to a minimum depth of .003 inch


7. CITY & STATE of the IMPORTER Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or st amped (impressed) on the firearm frame, receiver, barrel or slide


• For firearms imported after January 30, 2002, the engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the importer’s city and stat e must be to a mini mum depth of .003 inch

 

[P5 Guy]

A few of them were so bitter that I heard them claim they would not buy anything made by the Japanese. It really upset them when you pointed out that their television was made in Japan.

My Dad felt the same way about Italian and German products.
Being a WWII Africa/Italy vet.

 

[Jim Watson]

The last one I saw in person - of very few ever - was in top condition and had a very glossy but somewhat purple finish.
The DA was reasonably light and very smooth.
I don't know about strength and durability, but that one sure looked and felt good.

 

[Monac]

There was a time before import stamps. I thought the practice started in the 1990's, but this ATF publication insists that anything after 2002 have an import stamp.

The practice of requiring the country of manufacture to be marked on a product or its container goes back well over a century. I have Spanish guns from the 1920's marked "Made in Spain", and a Sauer 1913 marked "Made in Prussia" for some reason. I think US tariff laws, which were a prime source of Federal government revenue until about 1913, necessitated this.

The only exceptions seem to be when the importer wanted to the pretend the gun was made in the USA. This gets very confusing, with some parts being made here, and legal arguments about the percent of manufacture.