Type 26 Revolver

[pdawg1911]

I figured this is the closest I could get for the right crowd in the know. I have a Type 26 Revolver and holster that I am thinking about selling. The pistol is in fair shape, and the holster is in great shape. My serial number is 13,xxx. Does anyone know if this gun is definitely manufactured in 1899 or earlier? If so, it would make it shippable (barring any state restrictions) as an antique rather than a C&R. I have looked all over, and can't find a serial number range for these guns that align with the year it was produced. If any one is interested, I will shoot some photos.

Regards,
Pat

[Bill Hollinger]

Mine is 28,7XX and I want to say it was made in the early 1930s. As to their worth, not all that much. The one I have is in near perfect condition with the holster. Because yours is a five digit serial number, I would say yours is around 1925. Check this site and contact Teri from it. Nambu World: Teri�fs Japanese Handgun Website (http://members.shaw.ca/tju/jhg.htm) She is called the Nambu lady! Teri is very sweet and is very quick to help with any questions.

[pdawg1911]

Thanks Bill- That is a pretty good site, but apparently Type-26 production data is an enigma.

Maybe I should create a dedicated Type-26 collector's site, then the 28 people in the world that really like them can have a site! :lol:

Regards,
Pat

[Jim K]

I don't know about "like", but I have two of them. They are getting pricey. A very nice one, with the holster can bring $1200 or more.

Derby and Brown "Japanese Military Cartridge Handguns 1893-1945" has a chapter (Chapter I) on the Type 26. Many of those guns have been damaged by attempted disassemby by people who had more muscle than brains, but many seem to have spent the war in storage, since quite a few are in very good shape. There are also rebuilt/refinished ones, so top dollar would go for truly originals. Note that those revolvers have both a serial number and assembly numbers which do not match the serial number.

Also, on holsters, the Japanese leather holster is very similar to the holster for the French Model 1892 revolver, and the latter is sometimes sold as Japanese at a high price. To determine the difference, lift the flap on the cartridge compartment. If there are two rows of 9 loops, the holster is Japanese. If there are three large loops, it is French.

Jim

[Jim K]

Sorry for the error in the above. I took a quick look at the loops and miscounted. There is one row of 8, one row of 6 and a row of 4 on the inside front of the pouch. The total is still 18 or three cylinder loads.

Here is an excellent site with pictures:

Type 26 Accessories (http://members.shaw.ca/tju/t26accessories.htm)

Thanks to Pdawg1911 for keeping me straight on this.

Jim