Make: Tokyo Artillery Arsenal in Koishikawa

Model: The official Japanese model for this pistol was Automatic Pistol Nambu Type B, but it has typically been referred to as the "Baby Nambu" by Western collectors.

Serial Number: 1125

Year of Manufacture: 1909-1923

Caliber: 7x20mm Nambu

Action Type: Striker-Fired, Short-Recoil, Semi-Automatic with 7-Round Removable Magazine

Barrel Length: 3 1/4”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed into a base fixed to the barrel. The rear sight is a “V” groove in the top of the frame at the rear.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered wood with smooth borders. The interior of each panel is marked with the serial number. The grips have light handling wear with a few light nicks and compressed checkers. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good-plus condition.

Type of Finish: Blue & Strawed

Finish Originality: Original, numbered parts match.

Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright with well defined rifling. There is scattered minor erosion in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 7+ out of 10.

Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 90% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at most edges. There is scattered minor surface oxidation, primarily in the grip areas. There is light handling wear in the grip areas. The strawed parts show some muting. There are a few scattered minor marks. The action shows light operational wear. The screw heads are tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this handgun rates in Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a single 7-round serial-matching magazine, a leather flap holster with cleaning rod and three cartridges.

Our Assessment: The Nambu Type B pistol, generally referred to in the West as the "Baby Nambu", was a three-quarter sized scaled-down version of the Model 1902 ("Grandpa Nambu"). Very limited production started in 1903 with full-scale production beginning in 1909. Production continued through 1921 to 1923 (records from this period are incomplete), with all production moving to the Tokyo Gas Electric Company to free up production capacity for the modified 1902 "Papa" Nambu. The "Baby" Nambu were never adopted by any branch of the armed forces but were sold to officers through officer stores. Sales, and thus production, were limited due to the pistol's high cost when compared to comparable import pistols which tended to not only be less expensive, but also of higher quality.

This example is in quite good condition given its age and the period of Japanese history it survived. It retains much of its original finish, a decent bore and all-matching serialized parts, including its magazine! With approximately 6,500 pistols made between the Tokyo Artillery Arsenal and TGE, this pistol is perfect for a collector of Japanese firearms. It would look great along-side its “Grandpa”, “Papa”, Type 14 and Type 94 cousins. Please see our photos and good luck!