The Type I rifle (イ式小銃) was produced during the early years of World War II for the Japanese Empire by the Kingdom of Italy (Type I is not a numeric symbol, it denominates Italian).

History

Following Japan's invasion of China in July 1937, domestic rifle production could not keep pace with wartime demands. This necessitated the purchase of foreign rifles such as the Karabiner 98k and Vz. 24. Unlike those, the Type I was designed from the ground up for Japanese forces. It was based on the Type 38 rifle and utilized a Carcano action, but retained the Arisaka/Mauser type 5-round box magazine. It was chambered for the 6.5 x 50 mm cartridge. Approximately 120,000 Type I rifles were produced in 1938 and 1939, with 30,000 each manufactured by Beretta and Fabbrica Nazionale d'Armi, and 60,000 manufactured by the state arsenal in Gardone Val Trompia. The final shipment reached Japan on December 28, 1939. While frequently used by the Imperial Japanese Navy, some rifles were given to Japan's puppet regimes in China and used by garrison units of the Imperial Japanese Army until the conclusion of hostilities. On the collector market in the United States, the Type I rifle is uncommon but not particularly popular among collectors. Since the heritage of the Type I rifle is both Japanese and Italian, it tends to be shunned by collectors of Japanese focus. The Type I never had the Japanese Imperial Chrysanthemum markings, or other markings that typically interest collectors of Japanese militaria. Many Type I rifles brought back to the United States as war trophies were reportedly captured at Kwajalein Atoll, the Philippines, or from Japan at the conclusion of hostilities.

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