Just curious if any of these managed to find their way to the US and into private collections??
panzerfaust44
The late John Gerber of Guam had one in his collection, but I don't recall seeing it when I went to his museum earlier this year. These pics. are from circa 2006 when I was last on Guam. Sorry for the section pics., I couldn't get the whole gun in the shot and have it come out clear.
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There must be more than one left since over at Forgottenweapons there are pics of another one. http://www.forgottenweapons.com/japanese-type-97-20mm-anti-tank-rifle/
The last time I saw this was in the late 1960's or early 1970's, but there was one in the collection of the Marine Unit in Salt Lake City. I believe it was 121st India Company. It was up on the old Army base on the bench area. I am sure it must still exist.
Looks like it was built on the lines of the Solothurn principle and the recoil on that weapon is actually quite manageable as its a gas operated weapon.
A buddy of mine had an Amnesty-Registered DeWAT, with capture papers, up until maybe three or four years ago.
There were hundreds of them brought back after the War and they were for sale cheep! In my case $100.00 back in the mid sixties. Plus the $200.00 Federal Firearms Transfer Tax Stamp fee to make owning a "Dangerous Device" legal. I would have bought it except for two things; 1. I did not have the $100.00 and 2. The ammo was a dollar a round!
While these sound trivial now, You must do some research into inflation to know how big those charges were. Gas was 25-30 cents a gallon, you could buy a weeks worth of groceries for $20 and a new Mustang GT with the 390 Cubic Inch 375 HP engine and ALL of the go fast goodies only cost $2950 retail on the sticker! Think about all of that, a 150 mile per hour sports car with fat Poliglass Wide oval tires, LSD, disk breaks all around, anti-sway bars and heavy duty engine, trans and diff coolers for under $3000! A new Colt 1911 cost under $100 brand new! A box of .45 ACP ammo was $2.50, or a little less on sale at the K-Mart.
Now we have $3.06 a gallon gas, ammo, if you can find it, is $40-50 a box and a premium 1911 costs over $1,000.00! A real +150 MPH car costs $50,000.00 and is not as quick, or fast as that old Mustang! I know, I raced most of them in my younger days. ( Now I stick to the drags, Bonneville and Black Hawk Farms "run what ya brung" days with my old Camaro.
What changes and all caused by my own government that prints money to pay debts it should never have incurred!
While these sound trivial now, You must do some research into inflation to know how big those charges were. Gas was 25-30 cents a gallon, you could buy a weeks worth of groceries for $20 and a new Mustang GT with the 390 Cubic Inch 375 HP engine and ALL of the go fast goodies only cost $2950 retail on the sticker! Think about all of that, a 150 mile per hour sports car with fat Poliglass Wide oval tires, LSD, disk breaks all around, anti-sway bars and heavy duty engine, trans and diff coolers for under $3000! A new Colt 1911 cost under $100 brand new! A box of .45 ACP ammo was $2.50, or a little less on sale at the K-Mart.
Now we have $3.06 a gallon gas, ammo, if you can find it, is $40-50 a box and a premium 1911 costs over $1,000.00! A real +150 MPH car costs $50,000.00 and is not as quick, or fast as that old Mustang! I know, I raced most of them in my younger days. ( Now I stick to the drags, Bonneville and Black Hawk Farms "run what ya brung" days with my old Camaro.
What changes and all caused by my own government that prints money to pay debts it should never have incurred!
I have read that Japanese soldiers complained about recoil and didn't like firing the T97. I've mentioned on the boards a story related to me by a Japanese firearm designer during WW2. And that he watched General Dogame, head of the 97 development program firing a 97 at Futsu Proving Ground back about '36. My friend advised Dogame to not load up the magazine, that the bolt was not retracting far enough to pick up the sear. Dogame had been firing single rounds in the monster. Dogame didn't listen; reassured Kawamura everything was hunky-dory; and did it anyway. The weapon went full auto and emptied the mag. The 97 raised up and over Dogame who was in a prone position and fired the final rounds into a village nearby. Kawamura said Dogame was white as a sheep. No one was hurt in the village. Kawamura loved telling me that story, lots of animation, and here I am enjoying repeating it again on this thread, at least the second time. I reckon Dogame's feelings were hurt, as well as his shoulder. I'd hate to have one of those things go off and pull up and over my body.
Here is the old Post if anyone wants to check it out.
http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?287291-Type-97-Antitank-Rifle-Photos&highlight=anti+tank
http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?287291-Type-97-Antitank-Rifle-Photos&highlight=anti+tank
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