Murata Rifle

Murata Type 13 (M.1880) - 11x60mmR Murata

Murata Type 13 with sling - 11x60mmR Murata

Murata Type 16 shotgun

Murata Type 22 - 8x53mmR Murata

Rare Murata commercial shotgun. This is not a converted military rifle but manufactured for sporting purposes. This uses its own rimmed cartridge, a shortened version of the 8mm Murata round.

The Murata Rifle is an early Japanese bolt-action rifle, named after its inventor, Major Murata Tsuneyoshi. This is the first modern Japanese locally produced long firearm (before it, Japan only produced the Tanegashima arquebus). It's also the first indigenous Japanese rifle. Murata rifles were used by the Japanese Imperial Army during the First Sino-Japanese War, and the Boxer Rebellion. After 1898, Murata rifles were replaced by the more advanced Arisaka Rifle, but saw limited use during the Russo-Japanese War and World War I.

After WWI, many rifles were converted to shotguns and sold on the civilian market (similar to what happened with old rifles in Russia and Germany). Due to its obscurity, the Murata rifle will most likely appear in old or historical Japanese movies, TV shows, or anime.

Specifications

(1880 - 1905)

• Country of Origin: Japan

• Type: Bolt Action Rifle

• Caliber(s): 11x60mmR Murata; 8x53mmR Murata

• Weight: 9 lbs (4.1 kg)

• Length: 50.9 in (129.4 cm)

• Barrel length(s): 33.1 in (84 cm)

• Capacity: Single-Shot (Type 13, Type 16, Type 18, and civilian models); 8, 5-round tube magazine (Type 22, Type 22 carbine)

• Fire Modes: Single-Shot

Variants

• Type 13 (1880) preliminary model (11x60mmR). Bolt action, single-shot.
• Type 16 (1883) carbine (11x60mmR). Derived from Type 13, structurally identical.
• Type 18 (1885) (11x60mmR). Improved internal mechanisms and ergonomics.
• Type 22 (1889) (8x53mmR). Tube magazine, capacity of eight rounds.
• Type 22 carbine (1889) (8x53mmR). Carbine variant of the original Type 22. Tube magazine holds five rounds.
• Civilian models (various calibers). Usually retired Type 13s and Type 18s; some were converted to bolt action shotguns via omission of bayonet lugs and rifling.

---

The Murata Rifle and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Notes	Date
Under Aurora	Kôji Yakusho	Genzo Tamiya	Converted shotgun	1990
	Andrei Boltnev	Arseniy
Yellow Fangs	Hiroyuki Sanada	Haiyaku Eiji	Converted shotguns	1990
	Mika Muramatsu	Yuki
	Bunta Sugawara	Kasuke
	Bin Kurihara	Gohei
	Akira Kurosaki	Sabu
	Yasushi Suzuki	Kuramochi constable
Mutant Girls Squad	Koide Shikou	Vigilant #1	Converted shotguns	2010
	Takashi Nishina	Vigilant #2
Malay Regiment		Communist guerillas		2017

Anime

Title	Character	Notes	Date
When They Cry Expanded: Outbreak	Armed civilian		2013
Golden Kamuy - Season 1	Nihei Tetsuzou		2018
	Tanigaki
Golden Kamuy - Season 2	Tanigaki		2018
	Matagi
Golden Kamuy - Season 3	Tanigaki		2020
	Cikapasi
	Kiroranke
Jujutsu Kaisen 0			2021
Golden Kamuy - Season 4	Tanigaki	Ep. "Sweet Lies"	2022-23
	Cikapasi

Video Games

Title	Appears as	Mods	Notes	Date
Siren	"Type 22 Murata rifle"			2003
Siren: Blood Curse	"Hunting Rifle"		Type 13	2008