Nambu

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Have a friend who is dying  and he has a Nambu he wants to sell.  What I know about a Nambu could be written on the head of a pin in inch high letters, but I wouldn't mind having one.

 

I assume that there are several models and varieties of them and I don't want to spend a lot for a piece of junk, and really don't want one that belonged to the Emperor.

 

There seem to be a lot of info out there but I don't understand most of  it.  I don't even know what it looks like, so I need some help.

 

Who would you contact that would be honest  and not speak a language that I don't

[J-BAR #18287]

I am also ignorant about Nambus.  The ones listed on Gunbroker appear to be worth $1000 +, a few in the $2000+ range.  Enough to make some effort for a good appraisal.  Good luck.

[Rip Snorter]

https://truegunvalue.com/pistol/nambu/price-historical-value

Just search Nambu Pistol Models

[Horace Patootie, SASS #35798]

I have a Type 14 Nambu with some original wartime ammo. I traded into it and a sword from a friend who was trained as a Kamikaze pilot but never flew because the war ended.  I don't know what it's worth, BUT if you need newly loaded ammo, I bought some recently from Buffalo Arms.

Horace

[Crooked River Pete, SASS 43485]

 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

2 hours ago, Rip Snorter said:

https://truegunvalue.com/pistol/nambu/price-historical-value

Just search Nambu Pistol Models

I don't even know what this gun looks like yet.  Once I get it in my hands.....or even a picture of it.....I'll try to research it.

[Buckshot Bob]

 

[Buckshot Bob]

 

[Buckshot Bob]

 

[Buckshot Bob]

There Nambu U 

I had a friend who has since passed who collected Japanese WW2 guns . 
If I remember correctly the papa and baby were pretty pricey 

[watab kid]

i had a couple diferent ones back a decade ago or so , the ammo was an issue but yes there are collectors that reload and will pay for them , my japanese source of information has long since quit posting and cant be reached any more but IIRC there is a collector group ...i think its SEMCA , they hold a get together every year down in the southeast part of the country and we are talking about big time collectors here , wish i could help more but the ;last of my japanese stuff left in about 2012 or before 

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

I saw the word mamba and thought it was something with a blade.   )))))

[Utah Bob #35998]

8 hours ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

I saw the word mamba and thought it was something with a blade.   )))))

Or fangs

[watab kid]

so words do mean something ? 

[Sixgun Sheridan]

Nambus are notorious for breaking their firing pins. It was bad enough that a spare firing pin was often included inside the holster.

 

BTW there is another Nambu model as well... The Type 94 which is the ugly one with an exposed sear on the side of the pistol.

[punxsutawneypete]

On 9/17/2022 at 5:31 PM, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

Have a friend who is dying  and he has a Nambu he wants to sell.  What I know about a Nambu could be written on the head of a pin in inch high letters, but I wouldn't mind having one.

 

I assume that there are several models and varieties of them and I don't want to spend a lot for a piece of junk, and really don't want one that belonged to the Emperor.

 

On 9/17/2022 at 8:51 PM, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

I don't even know what this gun looks like yet.  Once I get it in my hands.....or even a picture of it.....I'll try to research it.

Who would you contact that would be honest  and not speak a language that I don't

 

I would recommend for familiarization finding a copy of Small Arms of the World.  It has a section dealing with Japanese service pistols from World War II.  This can give you a start before you go to look at this pistol.  

 

World War II service pistols don't have to be expensive wall hangers.  They are interesting pieces of history and can be fun to take out and shoot a little bit.  My club in Maryland has an event called the Great Wars Match, in which we gather twice a year to shoot military handguns of any country from World War I through the end of World War II.  Since somebody in this thread mentioned a source of ammunition,  so if this gun is in any kind of decent shape you should be able to take it out and play with it on occasion.

 

And if the Nambu doesn't appeal to you, there are lots of World War II service pistols still floating around, and again you don't have to go for a premium collector piece.  I have a Luger and a British Enfield revolver that somebody chromed, which apparently was a cottage industry after World War II.  Sure, the collector value is gone, but that doesn't stop having fun throwing a little lead downrange with them.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Thanks, Pete.  I have a 1974 edition Small Arms of the World, very battle weary and dog eared, with many marginal notes and a ton of hand written notes on scraps of paper, but still one of my personal treasures.  

 

I still haven't seen the Nambu pistol in person and have no clue what he's going to ask for it.  I don't want it myself, but he's dying and wants to get some money for his family.  I told him when he's ready to let me know and I'll try to sell it and get him a good price for it.  I'll buy it and advertise it in the Classifieds to make it legal.  I'll let the wire know when I figure it all out.

 

Thanks.

 

About the only military guns I still have any more are single action Colt and Remington Army revolvers, a S&W transition  Russian model, a 1911A1, a Colt 1903 .32 pocket hammerless, and a pair of 1860 Colts.

 

I went through a ton of rifles and handguns when I was much younger, and many of the guns were being sold as surplus at almost give away prices.

 

Along bout 1976 I got rid of most of them in favor of muzzle loaders and lever action pre-1900 rifles.

 

Somehow or another I have accumulated several dozen little pocket pistols in .22 to .44 calibers, mostly from the Civil War period to 1900.  Not sure just why, but the darn things fascinate the bejabbers out of me.