Nambu Type 14 and Mauser 1914

[toro1]

I have a chance to pick up a Nambu Type 14 and a Mauser 1914 and was hoping someone here could provide some tips on what to look for on them as I have zero knowledge on these. I have not seen them yet, and do not know a price, but the seller is usually very fair on his prices so I think it will come down to whether I want to add them to the herd or not.

As I understand it the ammo for the Nambu (8mm) is tough to find and since I do not reload, that is a major strike against it.

The Mauser is chambered in 32ACP so that is a plus for it. The Mauser does have a holster with it, but it was cut by a previous owner so it sounds like it is effectively worthless.

TIA for any insight on what to look for.

[Yetiultimate]

I have a 1914 and it shoots well after I put in a new spring pack from Wolff. Commercial .32 is a little weak and doesn't cycle well. I reload a little hotter for my european .32s and find it much better.

[highpower]

The Nambu type 14 is more of a collector gun nowadays rather than a shooter. If all you are looking for is something to go bang with, you would be better off with the Mauser as you can still sort of get .32 auto.

The price of either gun will largely depend on condition. Nambu type 14's can be worth more if they were made in a small arsenal with limited production before WWII vs the more common late war guns.

I am not real conversant with Mauser 1914 guns, all I know is that they had a long production run having been made up until 1941. I suggest that instead of asking random people on internet forums what they think, that you take the time to do some real research and look for websites that specialize in the two pistols and form your own opinion.

I would suggest "Handguns of the World" for the Mauser and "Nambu World" for info on the type 14.

[Rogerbutthead]

I hear Type 14 Nambu's have weak firing pin springs and parts breakage occur at a rate that makes them appear a pain to shoot.

So yeah, my Nambu's have never been fired by me.

Actually, my Mauser 1910 and 1914 pistols have never been fired by me either.

I shoot my modern 1911's and other newer pistols, guess I am just a collector with the older stuff.

[toro1]

Thanks for the input and it sounds like the Nambu would be a safe queen which doesn't match what I am looking for as I like to shoot everything I have.

The Mauser might hold more promise but if it needs ammo that is hotter than normal off the shelf 32ACP, it might not be a good fit either.

Highpower, your points about doing research are valid and in parallel to asking here I was doing doing other research to educate myself. However, I believe augmenting research with first hand knowledge is always good.

[CAL.BAR]

I fired my Nambu a few times. It is a smooth shooter, but not terribly reliable. I can't get more than a few rounds through it at a time.
You CAN get 8mm ammo for it (probably near a buck a round)

[Cessnapilot89]

[Quiet]

Pre-pandemic, Steinel Ammo was offering new production 8x22mm Nambu 83gr FMJ ammo for $55 per 50 rounds.

[Rogerbutthead]

Probably most are sitting in collections until their present owners die.

Some of mine. Never shot by me.

[bigbossman]

I have had two Type 14's, and sold both. Ammo is hard to come by, and it is usually made from re-formed .40S&W brass so unreliable feeding issues are the norm. "original" 8mm Nambu is impossible to find, and reloading dies? Bend over and open your wallet........ wide.

The guns are odd and I would not consider them shooters, only collectibles. A few things of note:

1) Damn near every part is serialized, even the firing pin. If the gun you're considering does not have a serialized firing pin, it is likely a replacement and hurts the value. Which brings us to.....

2) The firing pins are notoriously weak and prone to breakage, especially if dry fired. Make sure your gun has an intact firing pin tip, and then examine the pin for a serial number. Both issues affect value. GPC used to have spare firing pins, but that was many years ago. Even then, they were about $60 each.

3) I'll be damned if I ever figured out a way to de-cock a Nambu 14 once it was cocked, save for firing the damn thing.

[bigbossman]

Pre-pandemic, Steinel Ammo was offering new production 8x22mm Nambu 83gr FMJ ammo for $55 per 50 rounds.

$22/20, and OOS.

https://www.steinelammo.com/product/8x22mm-nambu/

[toro1]

I was driving by my neighbors and he flagged me down to come in and check them out.

The Mauser was well worn, but an interesting piece especially with the holster. The current owner said he used some old Remington 32ACP (still had some) and it cycled flawlessly.

Attached to the Nambu was a card that was from the Office of Naval Intelligence. It stated that the firearm S/N XXXXXX was no longer of Military value and could be disposed of. Does this sound like some sort of bringback paperwork? I wasn't expecting to stop by and see them so didn't have a camera with me but will try to get a picture later. The Nambu also had a lanyard on it that looked vintage. I think I need to go back and spend some time with both guns and really look them over.

Cessna89, J&G Sales has 3 Nambus for sale. I know J&G are typically a little on the high side, but they do have some.

Thanks all for the ammo links. It sounds like as things loosen up a bit, I might be able to buy some if I ended up with the Nambu.

[Rogerbutthead]

..eh, sounds like some confiscated Nambu got taken from Navy lockup by some REMF with some pull. Guessing the guy who took it home didn't capture it by himself, but probably traded for it with a bottle of booze or some other swag.

[metalcruncher]

I have two Type 14s. A 1937 small trigger guard and a 1944 large trigger guard. There is a conversion found online on how to get the production date from the number stamped on the frame. Without a holster, they run $700-$800. Repo holsters can be found for $40 and are nice. Usually the original holster comes with a replacement firing pin. The achilles heel of the Type 14. Here are my two on different range days (yes, I fire them regularly).

IMG_50AC642C132F-1.jpg

IMG_FF18835F7695-1.jpg

The Type 14 is very easy to disassemble and clean. I've replaced springs in the large trigger guard. Wolff springs..two recoil and one firing pin spring. The springs in my small trigger guard are still good.

I don't reload and have a lot I've bought online. Steinel and Buffalo Arms are running 3+ months behind on their orders. Selway Armory had PCI 8mm ($40.99 for 50) a couple months ago. Keep checking daily using ammoseek.com or ammograb.com. 8mm Nambu is out there.

Type 14's are readily on Gunbroker. Here in Petaluma, Sportsmans Arms has two or three large trigger guards for sale.

Cool handgun. They get a lot of attention at the range.

[metalcruncher]

I've got a small collection of Mauser handguns. The 1914 and 1934 are very similar except for the 1934 serial number is in a recessed area where the 1914 (and 1910) have their serial number stamped directly on the slide.

Here's a summary of the different models:

IMG_9ECE26D946E2-1.jpg

The 1914 uses .32acp and that's getting harder to find. I'm regularly checking ammunition vendors every week because .32acp feeds a lot of my handguns. The 1914 are also easy to disassemble and clean. Careful of the wrap around wood grips. If they don't budge after the screws are removed, spray WD-40 around the edges so you don't crack the wood. Saddle soap will get rid of the solvent after they're off.

The one piece that can be missing from the Mausers is the disconnector. It will still cycle but you it's something you should check before you buy because the parts (1910 and 1914/34) are extremely hard to come by. And they may have to be fit (aka-filed) to your gun.

Here's a photo of some of my 1914s and 1934 mixed with others.

IMG_27224AC0928B-1.jpg

I have paid up to $400 for mine. I see now that they are running $500-$600. Seems a little high but I do enjoy them and they are a lot of fun to shoot.