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A grenade gun from the Yantai Museum’s collection
The museum’s inventory record simply lists this item as a “captured Japanese weapon”; it lacks a specific name, and there is no information regarding who captured it, or when and where the capture took place.
The weapon resembles a light machine gun and is equipped with a bipod. It features a large caliber (visually estimated at 30–40mm), a relatively short barrel, and a shoulder stock. Sling swivels are located on the left side of the barrel and stock, allowing it to be carried over the shoulder. While it resembles a firearm, its caliber far exceeds 20mm, and it lacks a feeding mechanism, an ejection port, and a trigger; instead, it has a cocking handle on the right side, leaving its loading and firing methods unclear. Conversely, while it might be considered a form of artillery, its overall structure—including sights consisting of a front post and rear notch—mimics that of a light machine gun, yet its operational mechanics remain obscure.
The author posits that this is a specialized grenade launcher, or “grenade gun.” Given the lack of detailed records regarding this specific weapon—and the fact that neither Western Allied nor Soviet forces fielded such a weapon during World War II—the author conducted extensive research into weaponry used during the War of Resistance. This research focused particularly on the grenade dischargers (knee mortars) used by the Japanese military, as well as similar equipment employed by the Eighth Route Army and Nationalist forces.
Close inspection reveals that this weapon at the Yantai Museum has an outer barrel diameter of 42 mm and an inner diameter of 35 mm (matching the 35 mm caliber of China’s Type 87 grenade launcher). It weighs approximately 7 kg, has an overall length of about 1,000 mm, and a barrel length exceeding 450 mm—making it relatively long for its class and capable of a correspondingly greater range. The barrel thickens gradually from the muzzle toward the section bearing the inscription, a design that accommodates the varying pressure of propellant gases within the chamber. No loading port is visible, implying that the grenade is loaded via the muzzle. Since the weapon is fired from the shoulder, recoil must be kept low; consequently, it utilizes the high-low pressure launching principle, a fundamental mechanism of modern grenade launchers. It lacks a conventional trigger, likely employing a pull-cord or push-button firing mechanism. The sighting system suggests high accuracy, with a design optimized for direct fire supplemented by indirect fire—offering superior performance compared to grenade dischargers and mortars. A bipod is fitted to enhance stability, and a carrying sling allows for shoulder-slung transport, facilitating mobility.
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