The Adam Park Project

Item Information:

Catalogue Number: 8/4/2019 Source: TAPP Archaeology Surveys Location: No8 Adam Park Report No: Report No.8 Artifact Type: Ammunition Production Date: 2011-02-17 00:00:00 Dimensions of Item: Base Dia 10.9mm Copyright with The Adam Park Project

Other Description:

To date the metal detecting surveys had unearthed a number of Japanese Type 38 bullets but the item that was picked up during the field walk across T4 at 8 Adam Park was the first Type 38 cartridge to be found. This is the first item recovered during a survey that suggests the presence of Japanese troops on the estate.

Historic Context:

The 6.5x50mm Semi-Rimmed (6.5x50SR) Japanese cartridge was adopted by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1897, along with the Type 30 Arisaka Infantry Rifle and Carbine. The new rifle and cartridge replaced the 8x52mm Murata round used in the Type 22 Murata Rifle. The Type 38 spitzer-bullet round fired a 9.0-gram (139 gr) bullet with a powder charge of 2.5 grams (39 gr) for a muzzle velocity of around 770 metres per second (2,500 ft/s). The round was criticized for being underpowered compared to other, more powerful American and European cartridges such as the .30-06, 303 British, 7.92x57mm Mauser,and 7.62x54mmR. Due to this reason, it was later replaced by the more powerful 7.7x58mm cartridge