Type 97 Sniper Rifle

Infobox Weapon
name=Type 97 rifle


caption=Type 97 rifle
origin=flag|Empire of Japan
type= sniper rifle
is_ranged=yes
service=1937-1945
used_by=Imperial Japanese Army
wars=Second Sino-Japanese War,
World War II
designer=
design_date=1937
manufacturer=Arisaka
production_date=1937-1945
number=
variants=
weight=3.95 kg
length=1280 mm (50.4 in)
part_length=797 mm (31.4 in)
crew=
cartridge=6.5x50mm Arisaka
caliber=
action=Bolt-action
rate=
velocity=2500 fps (762.1 m/s)
range=
max_range=
feed=5-round internal magazine, stripper clip loaded
sights=2.5x Telescopic sight

The Type 97 Sniper Rifle is a Japanese bolt-action rifle, based on the Type 38 Rifle. Following the standard practice of the time, it was adapted from an existing infantry rifle. The only difference between this rifle and the original Type 38 is that it had a lightened stock, a longer, bent bolt, a 2.5 power telescopic sight and a mid-band setup for a monopod, although later models has this deleted. The rifle entered service in 1937, or on the Imperial Japanese calendar, year 97 of the current Imperial era. When fired, the mild 6.5x50mm Arisaka cartridge gave off little flash or smoke and made counter-sniper activity difficult. The lack of flash and smoke comes from the length of the barrel; a 600 mm (23.5 inch) long barrel may allow cartridge propellant to fully burn and attain the optimum combination of accuracy and bullet velocity. The barrel of Type 97 Sniper Rifle was manufactured up to 797 mm (31.4 in) long, and is long enough to hide almost all the flash flames because the propellant is completely have been burned up before the bullet has left the muzzle.

Some professionals criticized Type 97 Sniper Rifle's stopping power. The physical mass of the 6.5mm Arisaka bullet was high, compared to its small amount of propellant. The barrel would give a certain friction to the bullet due to the length of travel. Meanwhile, in aerodynamics, a turbulence and drag force would be formed right after the tail of the bullet after it was fired. Both of these reasons caused the weakness to the cartridge. Though the long barrel and the design of the cartridge may have reduced the killing power, these two disadvantages were associated with very stable external ballistics and terminal ballistics to every round the Type 97 sniper rifle fired.

According to accounts from Chinese soldiers who fought against Japanese troops in China and Malaya during 1937–1945, if the bullet did not hit any of their arteries, main organs or bones, the wound would most of the time not be painful and bled little.

The Type 97 was manufactured at the Nagoya and Kokura Arsenals, with the bulk of them made in Nagoya.