Type 99 Light Machine Gun captured by the 2/28 Battalion, AIF

The Type 99 light machine gun is an automatic gas operated weapon. All metal construction apart from the wooden butt, pistol grip and carry handle. The gas system utilises a long stroke piston located below the barrel. A manual gas regulator with five settings is attached to the barrel. The locking system features a tilting bolt locking block located in the receiver below the bolt and operated by an inclined surface on the gas piston rod. The barrel is heavily finned and can easily be removed for replacement or maintenance. A folding wood and metal carrying handle is attached to the barrel for easy barrel change. Feed is from a curved 30 round staggered box magazines inserted from the top of the receiver. The magazine housing is fitted with a top opening dust cover. Firing controls include a single trigger and a manual safety, located on the left side, in front of the trigger guard. Standard furniture includes a folding bipod attached to the gas block, a pistol grip and a wooden butt with a steel butt plate. The Type 99 light machine gun has a bayonet lug fitted to the barrel for fitting a standard Arisaka Type 30 infantry bayonet which can be attached to the gas block below the barrel. Standard sights are of the open type offset to the left to clear the overhead magazine and calibrated up to 1,500 meters. The weapon is complete with a muzzle flash hider and bipod. There is provision for a 2.5 x magnification telescopic sight to be attached. Markings - The action is stamped with the Kokura Arsenal cypher, the serial number and 19.3 (1944 March).

This gun was captured by the 2/28 Infantry Battalion in July 1945 in the Beaufort area of British North Borneo. The Type 96 light machine gun was one of the standard light machine guns used by the Japanese Army during the Second World War. The gun was based on the French Hotchkiss gas operating system. A bayonet could be attached to the piston tube under the barrel.