#60 • Japanese Murata Type 18 11x60mmR Murata Bolt-Action Rifle

Part of December 2025 Firepower Auction (timed auction by Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals)

High bid $275.00

Status: Sold

Category: Firearms

Manufacturer: Murata Type: Rifle Model: Type 18 Caliber: 11x60mmR Murata Barrel Length: 32" Optics: N/A ATF Form 4473 Required: No Log: 3399 Serial Number (S/N): 128791 Reference Number (Ref #): N/A Notes: This rifle is a Japanese Murata Type 18 single-shot bolt-action service rifle chambered in 11×60mmR Murata. It was manufactured at the Koishikawa Arsenal in Tokyo during the early Meiji period. Production period: Murata Type 18 rifles were produced approximately from 1885 through 1889. Serial number 128791 falls within this known production window. The Type 18 represents Japan’s first domestically designed and produced modern military rifle and marks a critical transition from traditional arms to Western-style bolt-action service rifles. The rifle operates via a single-shot bolt-action system and was originally intended for use with black powder 11×60mmR ammunition. Construction consists of a steel barrel, receiver, and bolt assembly paired with a full-length hardwood stock. Sighting equipment consists of fixed military iron sights. No provisions for optics are present, consistent with period military configuration. Condition is good for a rifle of this age. The metal surfaces show thinning of the original finish that has aged to a plum-brown patina, with scattered light to moderate pitting on the barrel, receiver, and bolt. The wood stock exhibits numerous handling scratches, small dings, and minor dents from service use but shows no cracks or major structural damage. The bore is dark with visible rifling. The Murata Type 18 is a rare and highly collectible early Japanese military rifle. Survivors in original, functional condition are scarce, particularly examples retaining matching components and intact stocks. This rifle represents an important artifact from Japan’s early industrial and military modernization during the Meiji era and is suitable for advanced collectors of 19th-century military firearms or East Asian military history. Please see the photographs for more details, or contact us at 907-570-7050 or email us at FFL@alaskapremierauctions.com / Admin@alaskapremierauctions.com to schedule an in-person preview of the firearm. ***All federal firearm background checks are conducted in-house, please allow pick-up times to reflect paperwork processing time (approx. 30-45 minutes).