IMPERIAL JAPANESE
GRENADE RIFLES AND LAUNCHERS
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
PREFACE, ix
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, x
FOREWORD, xiii
1. INTRODUCTION, 1
Scope of This Book, 1
Book Overview, 3
Army Ordnance Administration
Headquarters, 5
Naval Technical Department, 11
Japanese Written Language, 13
Japanese Dating Systems, 17
Japanese Ordnance Nomenclature, 18
Type 18, Type 38, and Type 99 Rifles, 20
Type 30 Bayonet, 20
2. MARK A AND MARK B GRENADE RIFLES, 25
Chapter Overview, 25
Mark A Grenade Rifle, 26
Mark B Grenade Rifle, 33
3. SPIGOT GRENADE LAUNCHERS, 39
Chapter Overview, 39
Early Spigot Grenade Launcher, 41
Type 91 High-Explosive Multipurpose
Grenade, 43
Hexachlorethane Smoke Rifle Grenade, 48
Late Spigot Grenade Launcher, 50
Hollow-Charge Naval Rifle Grenade, 53
Model 2 High-Explosive Naval Rifle
Grenade, 55
Model 3 Modification 1 High-Explosive
Naval Rifle Grenade, 59
Other Naval Rifle Grenades and Fuzes, 62
White Phosphorus Rifle Grenade, 65
4. TYPE 100 GRENADE LAUNCHER, 67
Chapter Overview, 67
Type 100 Grenade Launcher, 68
Type 100 Grenade Launcher Manufacturers,
74
Type 100 Grenade Launcher Variations, 77
Type 100 Grenade Launcher Pouches, 94
Type 99 (A) Hand Grenade, 97
Launching Cartridges, 107
Cleaning Equipment, 116
Souvenir Grenade Launchers, 118
5. EXPERIMENTAL SE-TE GRENADE LAUNCHERS, 121
6. TYPE 2 GRENADE LAUNCHER, 123
Chapter Overview, 123
Hollow-Charge Explosives, 124
Transfer of German Hollow-Charge
Technology to Japan, 125
German Schiessbecher, 132
Type 2 Grenade Launcher, 146
Secret Ordnance Codes, 150
Type 2 Grenade Launcher Marking
Variations, 151
Type 2 Grenade Launcher Accessories, 157
Type 2 Rifle Grenades, 160
Launching Cartridges, 170
Type 2 Grenade Launcher Performance, 170
7. DUAL-USE 45 MM GRENADE LAUNCHERS, 173
8. SIMPLE GRENADE RIFLES AND LAUNCHERS, 177
Chapter Overview, 178
Simple Grenade Rifles, 178
Simple Grenade Launchers, 178
Grenades Propelled by the Simple Grenade
Launchers, 182
9. IMPROVISED GRENADE RIFLE AND LAUNCHERS, 189
Chapter Overview, 189
New Guinea Grenade Launcher, 191
Burma Grenade Launchers, 195
Bougainville Grenade Rifle, 199
New Britain Grenade Launcher, 207
Panay Grenade Launcher, 208
10. PRESSURE TEST RIFLE WITH MUZZLE ATTACHMENT, 209
APPENDIX A—Translation of Type 100
Grenade Launcher Manual, 211
APPENDIX B—Translation of Japanese
Secret Ordnance Codes, 221
REFERENCES, 229
INDEX, 239
ABOUT THE AUTHORS, 247