Hamada Type pistol

Lore & Background

The Hamada pistol was developed after the importation of foreign sidearms ceased in Japan in 1941, and all raw materials for gun manufacturing were nationalized. Bunji Hamada, previously a manufacturer of high-quality civilian sporting guns, shifted his company to produce the pistol after government instruction. The Type I was designed as an inexpensive and more reliable alternative to the standard Nambu pistol, which had a poor reputation. Its design adopted the expired Browning Model 1910 patents. Around five prototypes were tested by the Chief of the Ordnance Bureau before approval in 1941.

In 1942, the Army requested a version chambered for the 8×22mm Nambu cartridge. Hamada scaled up the Type I design, but the initial submission was rejected without testing, reportedly due to military reluctance to accept a civilian-designed pistol. After minor modifications—including a more angled grip and a magazine styled after the Type 94 Nambu, reducing capacity from eight to six rounds—the Type II was accepted in 1943. Production took place at a converted textile factory in Notobe, with bluing intended to be applied later at the Nagoya Arsenal's Toriimatsu facility; all surviving examples remain unblued.

Most Hamada pistols were sent to Japanese Army units in China and were presumably lost. Production records were destroyed during World War II. Only 27 Type I and 17 Type II pistols are known to survive today, almost all in the United States. The surviving Type IIs come from a batch of about 50 of the first 500 produced that were set aside for an unknown reason; the remaining 450 were likely lost in China or sunk en route by US submarines.

Reader's Guide

The Hamada Type pistol represents a notable effort by a civilian manufacturer to supply the Japanese military during World War II, when state arsenals dominated production. Its design, based on the Browning Model 1910, was chosen for simplicity and reliability, and the Type I maintained high quality throughout its production, reflecting Hamada's background in sporting firearms. The Type II, adapted to the standard Nambu cartridge, was more expensive than the Type 94 Nambu but saw limited production. The pistols' rarity today—with only a few dozen known survivors—stems from wartime losses in China, bombing raids, and postwar scrapping. The absence of bluing on all surviving Type IIs suggests that final finishing was never completed, possibly due to Japan's deteriorating wartime situation. The Hamada pistols are significant as examples of Japanese small arms produced outside the state arsenal system, and their scarcity makes them highly sought after by collectors.

Did You Know?

• The Hamada Type I was based on the Browning Model 1910, with patents that had expired by the 1940s.
• All surviving Type II Hamada pistols remain unblued, as bluing was intended to be applied later at the Nagoya Arsenal.
• Only 27 Type I and 17 Type II Hamada pistols are known to exist today.
• The Type II's magazine capacity was reduced from eight to six rounds, styled after the Type 94 Nambu.