| |
|
| Country |
Japan |
| Type |
Rifle |
| Manufacturer |
Arisaka |
| Introduction |
1937 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Type 97 Sniper Rifle is a Japanese bolt-action rifle, based on the Type 38 Rifle. Following the standard practice of the time, it was adapted from an existing infantry rifle. The only difference between this rifle and the original Type 38 is that it had a lightened stock, a longer, bent bolt, a 2.5 power telescopic sight and a mid-band setup for a monopod, although later models has this deleted. The rifle entered service in 1937, or on the Imperial Japanese calendar, year 97 of the current Imperial era. When fired, the mild 6.5x50mm Arisaka cartridge gave off little flash or smoke and made counter-sniper activity difficult. The lack of flash and smoke comes from the length of the barrel, a 600 mm (23.5 inches) long barrel may allow cartridge propellant to fully burn and attain the optimum combination of accuracy and bullet velocity. The barrel of Type 97 Sniper Rifle has already reached up to 797 mm (31.4 in), it is long enough to hide almost all the flash flames because the propellant may have been burned out before the bullet left the muzzle.
The physical mass of 6.5mm Arisaka bullet was high, compared to its little propellant. The barrel would produce a certain friction to the bullet due to the length. Meanwhile, in aerodynamics, a turbulence and drag force would be formed right after the tail of the bullet after it was fired. Both of these reasons caused the weakness to the cartridge. Though the long barrel and the design of the cartridge may have reduced the killing power, these two disadvantages were associated with very stable external ballistics and terminal ballistics to every round the Type 97 sniper rifle fired.
The Type 97 was manufactured at the Nagoya and Kokura Arsenals, with the bulk of them made in Nagoya.
|
