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Type 97 scope
6.5x50/7.7x58 - 2.5x - Japan - Type 97/Type 99






Designed for the the Type 97 sniper rifle it was also used on the latter Type 99 sniper rifle due to shortages of the 4x Type 99 scope. It was the most widespread of Japanese scopes for use by snipers and marksmen.

The Type 97 sniping rifle was adopted by the Japanese Army in 1937 as a result of trails that had begun in 1935. Development was led by Col. Tatsumi Namio at the Toyama Military Academy. The Kokura Arsenal made around 8,000 to 9,000 sniper rifles between 1938 and 1939. The Nagoya Arsenal produced around 14,500 rifles betwen 1938-1943 when production was shifted to the newer Type 99 sniper rifle (Walter, 2024). This would put Type 97 scope production in excess of 22,500 scopes as the scope was also produced and mounted on the latter Type 99 sniper rifle.

The scope's mount was based on the mount used for the commerical Nikko Modell 11 scope (Anyone have photos or additional info on this commercial scope?). The scope was produced by at least eight different manufactures in Japan (Allan & Soto, 2015).











Images



On Type 97 rifle with Japanese soldier during training in 1941.




With Chinese soldiers on Type 97 rifle in April 1945.




Reticle



Manufactuer Marks


Enomoto Kogaku Seiki Seisakusho
Enomoto Optical Mfg Co. Ltd
Nihon Kogaku Kogyo KK
Nippon Optical Industry Co. Ltd
Nihon Taipuraitā KK
Nippon Typewriter Co. Ltd
Takatiho Seisakusho KK
Takatiho Mfg Co. Ltd

Tokyo Dai-ichi Rikugun Zoheisho
Tokyo First Army Arsenal
Tokyo Kogata Kikai KK
Tokyo Optical Machinery Co. Ltd
Tokyo Shibaura Denki KK
Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co. Ltd
Tomioka Kogaku Kikai Seisakusho KK
Tomioka Optical Machinery Mfg Co. Ltd




Serial Numbers

.


Serial Rifle Maker Type 99 Images Notes
587 Yes 2 3 4 5
861 ?
60 1040 Tokyo Kogata Kikai KK 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
120 No serial Nihon Taipuraitā KK Yes 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
681 No serial Nihon Taipuraitā KK Yes 2 3 4 5
969 No serial Nihon Taipuraitā KK Yes 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
1257 No serial Nihon Taipuraitā KK Yes 2 3 4
2451 No serial Tomioka Kogaku Kikai Seisakusho KK 2 3 4 5 Seen on rifle 5137.
2510 No serial Tomioka Kogaku Kikai Seisakusho KK Yes 2 3 4 5 6 Seen on rifle 2138.
2914 6068 Tokyo Dai-ichi Rikugun Zoheisho 2 3 4 5 6
4027 5311 Tokyo Dai-ichi Rikugun Zoheisho 2 3 4 5 Seen on what looks like rifle 3469, last three are 469.
6211 10098 Takatiho Seisakusho KK 2 3 4 5 6 7
7861 12303 Tokyo Dai-ichi Rikugun Zoheisho 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
8215 No serial Tokyo Dai-ichi Rikugun Zoheisho 2 3 4 5 6
9632 10859 Nihon Taipuraitā KK 2 3
12548 11797 Tokyo Dai-ichi Rikugun Zoheisho 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Seen on what looks like rifle 9432, last three are 432.
14941 3?23 Tokyo Shibaura Denki KK 2 3 4 Hard to make out rifle serial. Second digit may be a 3 or 8.
15707 ? Tokyo Shibaura Denki KK 2 3 4 Seen on rifle 13605.
18278 ? Tokyo Kogata Kikai KK Seen on a Type 99 rifle, serial number 1468
25083 ? Nihon Kogaku Kogyo KK 2 3 4 5 Missing latch hardware and dovetail. Left side photo blurry, may have a rifle serial number.
26143 13466 Enomoto Kogaku Seiki Seisakusho 2 3
26522 6220 Nihon Taipuraitā KK 2 3 4 5 6 7 Seen on rifle 6214.



References

Walter, John. (2024). Sniping Rifles in the War Against Japan 1941-45. Osprey Publishing.


Allan, Francis C. & Soto, Victor A. (2015). Japanese Sniper Rifles of the Second World War. Lodestone Publications.



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