New limited run by S&T - Howa Type 64!

[Takoyaki]

Hello, this is Takoyaki. I have news about a new limited run gun by S&T. It's the Japanese Howa Type 64.

 

 

Small excerpt from Wikipedia:

The Howa Type 64 Battle Rifle, is a Japanese battle rifle used exclusively by the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the Japanese Coast Guard. It is a gas-operated, selective fire weapon which is chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO round and uses a detachable 20-round box magazine. The Type 64 was never exported due to Japan's strict anti-hardware export laws. It has been superseded by the more advanced Howa Type 89 from 1989 to 1990, but is still in service with all branches of the Self-Defense Forces and the Japanese Coast Guard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howa_Type_64

 

Excerpt from my friend, "Kenny-chan."

Echigoya predicts a release sometime around November. The rifle will be an AEG and not a GBBR like some predicted Maybe it's a Clone of the limited run Top Type 64. The rifle will weigh in around 3.26 kg just being 1.14 kg shy of the weight of the real rifle.
Aluminum alloy is used for construction of the receiver, outer barrel, front and rear sight. Steel will be used for the bipod and heat-shield. Real wood for the Hand guards and butt stock. The rifle will uses a 380 round hicap, no news on a mid cap. S&T does plan on releasing a scope mount for the type 64 and a unknown capacity spare magazine.

The Gearbox is a proprietary 8mm gearbox, no news if the internals are standard. Most likely it would be to ease manufacturering. The Shell and maybe the hopup and nozzle will be proprietary. So far only Mini battery is listed as compatible.
The price is predicted to be 52,650 yen ($530.258 CAD) it is probably unlikely to be released in North America. Looks like there will be a market for the Alice Type 64 magazine pouches.

 

Echigoya Website: http://echigoya-tokyo.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=9154

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[aznriptide859]

My lord that is one disproportionate rifle.

 

I kind of want one.

[jv83]

I wonder if its a copy of the old TOP one?

[Takoyaki]

Most likely it is.

[FireKnife]

See this is one of the few guns I didn'r really think anyone would bother to make .

 

It looks awful and about as effective as the Type 94 pistol.

 

Still TM did the Type 89 and that sold so surely S&T must see a market for this.

 

'FireKnife'

[Gunmane]

Sigh, I remember when I had a TM type 89 (why did I trade it away...).  Would honestly rather have TM do this.

 

This is one of those designs that just intrigues me, because it is from the time when not everything had to have stanag magazine use or similarity in shape.  Like aznriptide said, it's that disproportionate appearance that catches the eye.

[The Icon]

Can anyone say...Heavy Machine Gun?

[chaoslord800]

Hopefully these will hit HK stores and not be a Japan exclusive. I've been wanting to do a Cold War-Era JGSDF impression for quite some time!

[Horsem4n]

well, S&T is a hong kong based company, so i think thats a sure bet.

 

classic battle rifles are a 2nd love to classic SMGs in my book. will probably never pick one up though.

[Takoyaki]

Why are you guys calling this rifle a "disproportionate gun?" In what way is it disproportionate? I'm a little confused. :/

[Horsem4n]

in a pure visual stand point, the gun looks front heavy.

[kng6]

Doesn't look too disproportionate compared to the Type 89

[FireKnife]

Yes but the Type 89 isn't that well proportioned either.

 

Though given that these guns were designed for Japanese people and not us shovel handed Westerners maybe that is why it looks odd to us.

 

Saying that to me it does more look like it is made of bits rather than a complete gun system, with the odd gap here and there that they just covered up.

 

'FireKnife'

[Katotaka]

Looks more like short LOP than front heavy to me.

[ninja master of coffee]

I like it, it has an odd prototype or home made look to it. Also as horsem4n says, classic battle rifles are cool. Nice to see airsoft manufacturers making interesting stuff.

[kng6]

http://www8.wgcshop.com/wgc2008/main...&view_choice=b
After a limited release in Japan, WGC is now distributing the S&T Type 64 world wide.

US$ 389.00

Built Material: steel, zinc, aluminum, wood
Gear Box: Modified V3
Motor: Short Axle
Magazine: 380Rds
Length: 990mm
Barrel Length: /
Weight: 3240g
Battery: AK Type ( Not Included )
Muzzle Velocity: 380-400 FPS with 0.2g BBs (Canadian legal  )
Package Includes: Gun, Magazine, Manual

[NeoVeNoM]

I like it. maybe because I have 2 Type 89's.

But I do not like the "limited production run" especially when it has proprietary parts.

So I wonder about the parts support.

 

Also looks like a hicap. *sigh*

[chas]

I know it's a limited run and sales are likely to be  small since it's quite an obscure gun, but if it were sold for 200$, I'd buy it. Just saying. In case someone is listening. Someone from S&T.

[Habakure]

They'll release for $230, just to annoy you.

[Gunmane]

From what I saw from one of Mach's videos on it, the magazine is an abomination that can't retain bb's outside of being in the gun.

[kng6]

Pictures courtesy of my sister team from Taiwan. The S&T Type 64 has gone from limited run to slow export levels. Top Type 64 is on the Top (Pristine Air-force condition)
S&T is on the Bottom with the Electrical Type (Battered Army style)

[chas]

I hope they bring the Price down at some point: A King Arms FAL is 230$ and this model is jst so obscure. They have to realizee that (I hope).

 

Also, S&T: WHEN THE HELL IS THE STERLING GONNA BE AVAILABLE IN HK STORES!?!?!?

[Horsem4n]

im reviving this because i just bought one. evike has them for 308USD right now, but i bought a bone yard model for 250USD.

 

i wanted a classic, obscure battle rifle. since its a limited run though, hopefully it will always be obscure. 

 

save any proprietary parts ill need to keep it running.

 

edit: and i just realized im eating my words from earlier in the thread. if i wasn't too lazy to mod wood furniture to fit a CA FAL, i'd probably have done that instead.

 

ill actually get down to the nitty gritty on the internal compatibility of the gun. evike said that it uses a modified V3 (an S&T style V3 with a micro switch trigger no doubt), but ill let you guys know for those looking at using the rifle for impression reasons instead of just looking like a poor contractor with impeccable taste in rifles.

[Gunmane]

All I can say is see if you can whip up a fix to those mags.  Mach Sakai had a field day with showing how poor they are in quality.

 

As for being obscure, I kinda figured these would have sold out already to all the GATE fans. 

[Horsem4n]

i was thinking about modding FAL mags to fit they appear to have the feed port at the same spot. if not, i don't see why i couldn't figure it out.

 

>unaware of gate

 

but i guess i'll watch a couple episodes to see if its my cup of tea.

 

EDIT: watching Mach's video of it again, it appears that the magazine has too much tension and overpowers the little ramp thing that holds in the BBs. not really a big deal, id just wind it up to just before it's ready to burst and leave it. after a while it will stop doing that as the spring wears in.