Type 44 Cavalry Rifle Country Japan Type Rifle Manufacturer Arisaka Introduction 1911 Specifications Weight 7.28 lb (3.3 kg) Length 38.03 in (966 mm) Barrel length 19.17 in (487 mm) Cartridge 6.5x50mm Arisaka Action Bolt-action Muzzle velocity 685 m/s Feed system 5-round internal magazine

The Type 44 Cavalry Rifle is a Japanese bolt-action rifle. This rifle is also often referred to as a Type 44 Carbine. It was a development of the Arisaka Type 38 Cavalry Rifle, the main difference being the bayonet is a needle type and it can be folded backwards and locks underneath the barrel. It fired the 6.5x50mm Arisaka round, and capacity was an internal five round box magazine, it was fed via five round stripper loaded clips.

Type 44 entered production in 1911 and entered service in 1912, and served on until the end of the Second World War in 1945, production of the rifle ran until three years prior to the end of the Second World War; 1942. Approximately 91,900 Type 44 rifles were produced by Japanese arsenals during these years.

The Type 44 was produced in 3 variations (referred to as First, Second, and Third variations). The major differences between variations was in the folding bayonet housing, which increased the length and durability with each variation. A minor difference between variations may be found in the cleaning rod compartment found beneath the buttplate. First variation stocks had two holes drilled for each half of the cleaning rod, while second and third variations had a single larger hole to house both halves of the cleaning rod.