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RARE JAPANESE HOWA M1 CARBINE SEMI AUTOMATIC RIFLE

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:500.00 USD Estimated At:1,000.00 - 1,500.00 USD
RARE JAPANESE HOWA M1 CARBINE SEMI AUTOMATIC RIFLE

WITH CORRECT JAPANESE BAYONET. Cal. 30 Carb. S#. 06669. All visible S#'s match; S#'d parts include receiver, bbl., bolt, slide, trigger guard, buttstock & handguard. Bbl. 18 ". Bbl. has faint underwood marking & flaming bomb behind front sight. These carbines were made in Japan for the Japanese Ground Self-defense Force. Howa Industries was the sole licensed producer of these rifles along w/ other military equipment in Japan. The total production is thought to have been approx. 10,000 of these rifles. These rifles were reportedly sold to Australia & other countries in the Far East when they were no longer needed in Japan & very few were imported into the United States. The U.S. imports supposedly had their bayonet lugs removed, but a very few, including this example, escaped this provision. The rifles were produced to the extent possible using surplus U.S. parts, including used stocks & handguards w/ newly mfg. receivers, slides & trigger housings. Receiver ring marked w/ what appears to be a dagger and rnd. shield. Japanese produced adjustable flip type aperture rear sight. Blade front sight w/ protective ears. Bayonet lug is attached to bbl. Bbl. band is unmarked. 6 O'clock type slide. Rnd. bolt. Milled trigger guard. Rotary safety. Mag. catch has support for 30 rd. mags. Straight cut hammer. Low wood oval cut buttstock marked in sling slot w/ "J", marked "B" at the end of pistol grip &"P" under grip. Marked on left side w/ "AAM" rebuild mark. Green nylon sling. 2 rivet deep grooved handguard marked "NP". MAGS: 1 unmarked 15 rd. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: 6 1/2" blade bayonet. Marked on left ricasso w/ "11-409". Marked on right ricasso "JAPAN". Bayonet is close copy of U.S. M-4 carbine bayonet w/ leather washer handle. Plastic & webbed scabbard appears to be Japanese production. Scabbard is marked on steel throat "U.S. M8A1". Bayonet & scabbard in very good condition w/ light wear & handling marks. Includes reprinted copies of magazine articles & photographs. CONDITION: stock set has arsenal rework type finish w/ light wear & handling marks & slight loss of wood in buttplate area. Metal retains lg. degree of dark parkerized finish w/ light wear & handling marks. Good bore w/ lightly worn lands & light frosting. (22-697/RW). CURIO. $1,000-1,500.