Japanese Type 18 11mm bolt sction black powder cartridge rifle

varifleman · June 30, 2017, 09:44 AM

Here's my Japanese MURATA Type 18 1885 manufacture bolt action rifle chambered in 11mm. This is the first bolt action rifle manufactured in Japan and was the precursor to the famous Arisaka rifle. It mostly matching numbers; bolt, receiver, barrel, rear sight and trigger guard all match. Stock still retains its cartouche. 32” barrel is very good with some surface wear; strong rifling remains. Rear ladder sight. Bore is good with some surface wear; strong rifling remains. Original cleaning rod intact. Matching numbers receiver shows same brown patina; Bolt action works smoothly and flawlessly. Bolt numbers match; Firing pin mechanism numbers do not. Trigger guard very good with matching numbers. The only numbers I see that do not match are on the middle barrel band. Full length stock remains quite attractive with shoulder stock cartouche. Small repaired crack left side along rear tang; barely noticeable. Original metal butt plate very good. Does anyone make brass for this rifle or have any reloading hints?

varifleman · June 30, 2017, 09:46 AM

few more details:

mapsjanhere · June 30, 2017, 10:30 AM

You can get the die from CH4D, and I found various sources claiming to use 348 WCF or 24 gauge brass. Personally I wonder how close the dimensions are to a 11 mm Mauser, and if you can fire form the Murata from the Mauser (for which you can get new brass and the list of reform cartridges is the same).

**Mike Irwin** · July 5, 2017, 10:50 AM

Very nice!

Certainly not something you see every day. It's been a LONG time since I saw an 11mm Murata in that nice of condition, and a LOT longer since I saw an 8mm Murata in anything even approaching yours.

g.willikers · July 8, 2017, 08:56 AM

varifleman,
You realize none of your photobucket hosting pictures are viewable?

**Mike Irwin** · July 9, 2017, 02:45 PM

They were for a few days.

Then I guess extortionbucket discovered they were hosted images.

varifleman · July 10, 2017, 10:50 AM

Here's the photos from my computer; have to figure out how to enlarge them.

**Mike Irwin** · July 10, 2017, 11:11 AM

"have to figure out how to enlarge them."

Download a photo editing program like Picassa.

Armed_Chicagoan · July 11, 2017, 11:23 AM

You can't enlarge what started out as small, it will just become pixelated.

It looks like instead of copying the pictures to your computer you only copied the thumbnails.

June 30, 2017, 09:44 AM	#1
varifleman Member Join Date: August 9, 2010 Posts: 70	Japanese Type 18 11mm bolt sction black powder cartridge rifle Here's my Japanese MURATA Type 18 1885 manufacture bolt action rifle chambered in 11mm. This is the first bolt action rifle manufactured in Japan and was the precursor to the famous Arisaka rifle. It mostly matching numbers; bolt, receiver, barrel, rear sight and trigger guard all match. Stock still retains its cartouche. 32” barrel is very good with some surface wear; strong rifling remains. Rear ladder sight. Bore is good with some surface wear; strong rifling remains. Original cleaning rod intact. Matching numbers receiver shows same brown patina; Bolt action works smoothly and flawlessly. Bolt numbers match; Firing pin mechanism numbers do not. Trigger guard very good with matching numbers. The only numbers I see that do not match are on the middle barrel band. Full length stock remains quite attractive with shoulder stock cartouche. Small repaired crack left side along rear tang; barely noticeable. Original metal butt plate very good. Does anyone make brass for this rifle or have any reloading hints?

June 30, 2017, 10:30 AM	#3
mapsjanhere Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 2,832	You can get the die from CH4D, and I found various sources claiming to use 348 WCF or 24 gauge brass. Personally I wonder how close the dimensions are to a 11 mm Mauser, and if you can fire form the Murata from the Mauser (for which you can get new brass and the list of reform cartridges is the same). __________________ I used to love being able to hit hard at 1000 yards. As I get older I find hitting a mini ram at 200 yards with the 22 oddly more satisfying.

July 5, 2017, 10:50 AM	#4
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,380	Very nice! Certainly not something you see every day. It's been a LONG time since I saw an 11mm Murata in that nice of condition, and a LOT longer since I saw an 8mm Murata in anything even approaching yours. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

July 8, 2017, 08:56 AM	#5
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	varifleman, You realize none of your photobucket hosting pictures are viewable? __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

July 9, 2017, 02:45 PM	#6
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,380	They were for a few days. Then I guess extortionbucket discovered they were hosted images. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

June 30, 2017, 09:46 AM	#2
varifleman Member Join Date: August 9, 2010 Posts: 70	few more details:

July 10, 2017, 11:11 AM	#8
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,380	"have to figure out how to enlarge them." Download a photo editing program like Picassa. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

July 11, 2017, 11:23 AM	#9
Armed_Chicagoan Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2013 Location: Albany Park, Chicago Posts: 776	You can't enlarge what started out as small, it will just become pixelated. It looks like instead of copying the pictures to your computer you only copied the thumbnails.