[OldSmaj]

Every Japanese weapon from WWII can be dated almost without looking at the serial numbers.

They started the war looking good...well made, good machining and finish work, etc.

As the war progressed, the work went literally to shit.

But as far as the Nambu Type 94...that exposed sear bar made it a killer from the start.

It is amazing to me that a culture such as the Japanese, heavily based in "face" and an ingrained sense of always doing the best thing, would have allowed the 94 to even get into production.

If one studies the entirety of why Japan lost, the haughtiness of the "ruling" class, with their sense of infallibility, certainly goes a long way to explain why the crap they turned out for their soldiers to conduct war with, was allowed to continue.

[Calvin Locke]

I've read that due to the small size, they were popular side arms for guys in confined spaces - tanks and aircraft.

I wonder if the weapon ever discharged by a guy being jostled against the wrong thing?