Japanese WWII Type 97 Resin Display Light Machine Gun New Made Items

New Made Item: During the early stages of the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japanese forces captured a number of Czech ZB vz/26 light machine guns from China’s National Revolutionary Army, whose numerous design advantages led to the development of the Type 97. This was used in a modified form for armored vehicles until 1940, when the Japanese Army switched to a rimless 7.7 mm cartridge.

The Type 97 was mechanically similar to the Czech ZB vz. 26, but used a different stock and pistol grip. It had a straight, vertical, 20-round box magazine and used the same 7.7 mm cartridges as were used in the Type 99 rifle. The light gun barrel was easy to overheat, which meant the gunner had to fire in bursts, or the barrel would be shot out.

When fitted to a tank, a fixed focus 1.5x telescopic sight with a 30° field of view was used. To prevent injury to the gunner, a heavy rubber eye pad was attached to the rear of the sight. When used as an infantry weapon, a bipod was employed.

The Type 97 came into active service in 1937, and was used on all Japanese tanks and other armored vehicles until the end of the war. It was much less common as a stand-alone infantry gun due to its weight. The Imperial Japanese Navy also used the weapon in their combat vehicles such as the Type 92.

Our solid resin non-firing display gun is nothing short of stunning. It really does look like the real thing from just a few feet away. It was cast from a silicon mold of an original Type 97 in the IMA collection and therefore is not only an accurate 1:1 scale but has all the details of the real thing. It has been expertly air brushed to provide the cold glimmering look of steel and the warm richness of wood grips. For added authenticity we have used metal bipod (fully secure) to allow you to solidly stand the gun, we added a metal wire frame that runs through most of the more delicate areas of the gun. Not only does it look good but it feels good this gun weighs in at 12 lbs!

This is it, finally an affordable, safe, robust, quality display alternative to spending many thousands of dollars on a liability laden display gun. Perfect for gun enthusiasts, as a prop firearm for theatrical and film productions or one amazing childhood toy for epic war games.