This was a Japanese version of the Hotchkiss 6.5 mm Model 1900 machine gun, which had proved very successful during the Russo-Japanese War. The Japanese version was adopted by the Army in 1914 as the Type 3 Kikanhô (or Kikanjû) with the Navy following on 6 December 1916. The Navy designated this weapon as 3rd Year Type 6.5-mm Kihô (machine gun).
The Japanese version had a slightly modified ejector mechanism and additional cooling fins on the barrel and was chambered to use standard 6.5 mm Japanese rifle cartridges. Magazines were metal strips holding 30 rounds each.
This gun was considered to be both strong and reliable, its main drawback being that the cartridges had to be oiled before firing.
| Designation | 76.5 mm/115 3rd Year Type (Model 1914) Kihô |
|---|---|
| Ship Class Used On | Many ships from 1910s through 1930s |
| Date Of Design | 1914 |
| Date In Service | 1916 (naval version) |
| Gun Weight | 62 lbs. (28.1 kg) unloaded |
| Gun Length oa | 54 in (1.37 m) |
| Bore Length | 29.5 in (0.75 m) |
| Number Of Grooves | 4 LH twist |
| Length Of Rifling | N/A |
| Chamber Volume | N/A |
| Rate Of Fire | 400 to 500 rpm |
| Type | Fixed |
|---|---|
| Weight of Complete Round | N/A |
| Projectile Types and Weights | Solid bullet: 0.02 lbs. (9 gms) |
| Bursting Charge | N/A |
| Projectile Length | N/A |
| Propellant Charge | 0.07 oz (2.05 gms) |
| Muzzle Velocity | 2,428 fps (740 mps) |
| Working Pressure | N/A |
| Approximate Barrel Life | N/A |
| Ammunition stowage per gun | N/A |
The bullet was the standard 6.5 mm Type 38 (Model 1905) rifle cartridge, although with a reduced amount of propellant.
Data from:
- "World War II Fact Files: Machine-Guns" by Peter Chamberlain and Terry Gander
- "Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War" by Eric Lacroix and Linton Wells II
Special help from Paul Roome
- 10 May 2006
- Benchmark
- 27 May 2012
- Updated to latest template