TERA rifle

Bolt-action rifle

The TERA rifles (Japanese: 挺進落下傘小銃／挺身落下傘小銃, romanized: Teishin Rakkasan Shoujuu) were special Japanese takedown rifles developed for paratroopers of the Imperial Japanese Army. All designs were capable of either being broken down or folded into two parts and easily assembled or disassembled.

Variants

Type 100

The Type 100 was modified from the Type 99 rifle.^[1] The rifle was designed to break in half by pulling a tab on the bottom of the rifle and turning the front half. The idea for the rifle to break down came from the German Karabiner 98k Abnehmbarer Lauf rifle. The bolt handle was also detachable. The rifle was not put into mass production due to the two halves loosening after use.

Type 1

• Type 1: Based on the Type 38 carbine. Replicating the mechanism of the Karabiner 98k Klappschaft Variant, it was not separated but folded. The Type 1 was not introduced because its folding mechanism was not reliable enough.

Type 2

• Type 2: Based on the Type 99 rifle. Common production variant. Separated into two parts: stock and action, and barrel and sights.

References

1. Voigt (2010). p.159

Bibliography

• Voigt, Don (2010). The Japanese Type 99 Arisaka Rifle. Eva, AL: Lodestone Publications. ISBN 978-0-9801826-8-2.