20mm Type 97 AT Rifle

[Brady]

Taki cleared me up the Number of these produced, that being 400. Howeaver I came across this...:

The major gun in this category was the Army's M-97 Semi-Automatic Anti -tank Cannon which used a 20mm cartridge of smaller size than that used by the M-98 Anti-aircraft Gun, and which also was used against ground targets. Total production of the M-97 was about 10,000, and the gun was made at Kokura Arsenal

I asume its wrong?

[Akira Takizawa]

I checked it.

According to a recent study, Type 97 was produced more. Kokura Arsenal produced about 1,100 pieces and Nihonseiko produced 100 pieces. So, about 1,200 pieces were produced in total. Anyway, they are not so many as that says.

Taki

[Peter H]

From: http://www.futabachan.info/view/may/124315901

Is this one? Looks very hefty.

[Peter H]

From: http://sakurasakujapan.web.fc2.com/main ... eum03.html

Pacific War Museum, Guam display

[Akira Takizawa]

From: http://www.futabachan.info/view/may/124315901

Is this one? Looks very hefty.

Yes, it is Type 97 AT Rifle.

Recently, the book about Type 97 AT Rifle was published. It is the newest and the most detailed study of Type 97 AT Rifle. But, it has been sold out soon and not available now.

Taki

[Brady]

Awsome! Thanks

[Peter H]

From picturechina.cn

Captured at Nomonhan

[Fatboy Coxy]

Reading on Wikipedia, and comparing the Type 97 with the British Boys and Russian PTRD, I was struck by the enormous weight difference. The Boys, a 13.9mm calibre, weighted 16kg, the PTRD, a 14.5mm calibre, weighted 17.3kg, while the Type 97, a 20mm calibre, weighted a whopping 59kg.

Given they all suffered the violent recoil, noise and muzzle flash problems, I wonder how much more effective the Type 97 was. Clearly it had superior performance, but its quick reload time must have been hampered by the need to relocate the target after the recoil effects of the previous shot, and I just wonder about the mobility of the weapon with regard to ease of deployment.

Defensively, in a fixed position, it would easily trump the other two, but in the fluidity of battle, with a need to flank an armoured vehicle, i just wondered how they managed.

Steve

[tom!]

Hi.

https://dl.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/1034594

IJA handbook for the Type 97 AT-rifle at the National Diet Library online catalogue.

Yours

tom!