[seinen]

Here are photos of the Japanese school-marked M1870 Russian Berdan rifle I picked up from the "gray blanket" seller. Not much new to add from the auction description. The buttstock markings translate "Gamaike Village." The school name is currently unclear, however, Takehito believes the village is, or was, located in Fukuoka Prefecture. There is another municipality by the name of "Gamaike" in modern-day Niigata Prefecture. The condition of this example is fair, with nice finish remaining on the receiver. The barrel, however, is almost devoid of original finish. The rifle is dated 1883 and was fabricated at the Izhevsk Arsenal.

This is the first Berdan I've ever owned and several aspects of its design are rather unorthodox. For example, the bolt handle, when closed, rests at about 30 degrees offset from the receiver rail, rather than the customary 90 degrees. Also, the front of the bolt face doesn't fully enter the rear of the receiver when the bolt is completely forward.

C/

 

[tanegashimatomurata]

Interesting item, thanks for posting the photos.

Do you think it is a capture from the Russo-Japanese war, or a surplused rifle that made its way to Japan? The reason I ask is Yamamoto Hiekichi, the bear hunter associated with the Sankebetsu brown bear incident, appears to have used a variant of the Berdan rifle. There's a photo of him with the rifle here http://www.geocities.jp/skegfirst/CIMG5460.jpg

 

[seinen]

George,

No idea as to origin. Could be 1905 Russo-Japanese war or other route. Could have been a wartime capture, given the nature of metal and stock wear.

C/

 

[kablam]

I have little knowledge of these, but Russia did not sell much surplus to anyone prior to WWII did they? They seem like they have never had enough rifles.

 

[Trenchwarfare]

I guess they never did. In WWI, they were trading two soldiers to France, for one rifle.