Howa Type 64
64式自動小銃
Overview
Type 64
Left side view of Type 64 battle rifle.
Source: Hidetake -
© Public domain
Kenzo Iwashita
R63E (prototype)
Description
Introduction
The Type 64 is an early Cold War era battle rifle of Japanese origin. It was developed to replace the American M1 Garand in Japanese military service. The Type 64 proved heavy and rather expensive.
Design
The Type 64 is a gas operated select fire rifle. It uses a short stroke gas piston and locking is achieved using a tilting bolt. The adjustable gas system allows for either NATO or reduced load rounds to be fired. The latter is standard issue and better suits the smaller stature of Japanese soldiers. For use as a marksman rifle a World War 2 era 2.2x M84 scope can be fitted. A folding bipod is standard issue.
Firepower
The Type 64 fires the reduced load Type 64 variant of the 7.62x51mm NATO round. A 20 round detachable magazine is used. Cyclic rate of fire is rather low at about 500 rpm. Effective range is 400 meters. In the marksman role the Type 64 was never effective. This was mainly due to the low power optical sight that was issued, which was also plagued with failure to retain zero.
Users
The Type 64 was the standard issue rifle in Japanese service from the 1960’s to the 1990’s. It was replaced by the Type 89, but remains in limited use with all branches. In the sniper role the Type 64 was replaced by the M24 SWS in 2001.
Details
Media
Type 64
Camouflaged Japanese soldiers with Type 64 battle rifle.
Source: www.mod.go.jp
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Type 64
Type 64 battle rifle (top) and marksman variant (bottom).
Source: Unknown author
Copyright: Copyright lies with original owner
Type 64 marksman rifle
Type 64 marksman rifle. Note the optical sight hand cheek rest.
Source: Unknown author
Copyright: Copyright lies with original owner
Type 64
Japanese soldier attaching a bayonet to his Type 64 battle rifle.
Source: www.mod.go.jp
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Type 64
Japanese soldiers with Type 64 battle rifle.
Source: www.mod.go.jp
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Type 64
Japanese soldier taking aim with a Type 64 battle rifle in 1985.
Source: US DoD
Copyright: Public domain
Type 64 marksman rifle
Type 64 marksman rifle. Note the optical sight hand cheek rest.
Source: Unknown author
Copyright: Copyright lies with original owner
Type 64
Japan Air Self-Defense Force soldiers firing their Type 64 battle rifles in 2008.
Source: www.mod.go.jp
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Type 64 marksman rifle
Type 64 battle rifle with optical sight for use as a marksman rifle.
Source: Norseman 5614
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Related articles
M1 Garand
The Type 64 was developed to replace the M1 Garand in Japanese service.
Howa Type 89
In Japanese military service the Type 64 battle rifle was replaced by the Type 89 assault rifle.