Japanese Type 18 11mm bolt sction black powder cartridge rifle

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varifleman

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Here's my Japanese MURATA Type 18 1885 manufacture bolt action rifle chambered in 11mm. This is the first bolt action rifle manufactured in Japan and was the precursor to the famous Arisaka rifle. It mostly matching numbers; bolt, receiver, barrel, rear sight and trigger guard all match. Stock still retains its cartouche. 32” barrel is very good with some surface wear; strong rifling remains. Rear ladder sight. Bore is good with some surface wear; strong rifling remains. Original cleaning rod intact. Matching numbers receiver shows same brown patina; Bolt action works smoothly and flawlessly. Bolt numbers match; Firing pin mechanism numbers do not. Trigger guard very good with matching numbers. The only numbers I see that do not match are on the middle barrel band. Full length stock remains quite attractive with shoulder stock cartouche. Small repaired crack left side along rear tang; barely noticeable. Original metal butt plate very good. Does anyone make brass for this rifle or have any reloading hints?





 
You can get the die from CH4D, and I found various sources claiming to use 348 WCF or 24 gauge brass. Personally I wonder how close the dimensions are to a 11 mm Mauser, and if you can fire form the Murata from the Mauser (for which you can get new brass and the list of reform cartridges is the same).
 
Very nice!

Certainly not something you see every day. It's been a LONG time since I saw an 11mm Murata in that nice of condition, and a LOT longer since I saw an 8mm Murata in anything even approaching yours.
 
Here's the photos from my computer; have to figure out how to enlarge them.
 

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You can't enlarge what started out as small, it will just become pixelated.

It looks like instead of copying the pictures to your computer you only copied the thumbnails.
 
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