SHOT Show: Gearhead Gunsmiths Brings Back the Nambu Type 100        

Shot Show is such an amazing event.  It is awesome to see the entire firearms and firearms support industry get together over the course of a week.  It is an opportunity to show off the newest and greatest things coming our way.  It is so large that there are 13 miles of displays to see.  While most of the big boys have their booths on the main floor, the basement of Shot Show is where exciting things are happening.  This is where those small manufacturers or innovators are doing the work pushing the boundaries in firearms. Gearhead Gunsmiths are one of those companies with their Nambu Type 100 Clone.

The Type 100 is one of the rarest submachine guns from World War 2.  Originally designed by Japan in 1939 to be their answer to the German MP38 and later the MP40, it never went into production on the scale of its counterpart.  With only approximately 10,000 units ever produced, there are unfortunately few surviving examples left today.  In the United States, there are less than 20 known guns in the circulation whether in private hands or in museums.

Charles, owner of Gearhead Gunsmiths, has been working for years on developing a clone for the civilian market to allow collectors and enthusiasts a chance to own one of these rare weapons.  In 2026 he unveiled his Type 100 Clone to great fanfare.  We had an opportunity to take a peak at this clone and it features many ingenious innovations that allow us to use such an iconic weapon platform.

First off, the most amazing thing about this clone is its price point.  Charles is retailing these at only $1,250 which makes this one of the most affordable clones on the market.  This is something that we here at 2 If By Sea Tactical commend him for.  Many companies that make clones, unfortunately have price points that exclude the majority of us from ever obtaining them.  It is refreshing to meet a company like Gearhead that understands they can make more but want to spread their inventions with everyone instead of a select few.

Another ingenious tweak he made to this clone is utilizing common parts and magazines we can get from a multitude of sources.  The firing pin and trigger are AR-15 based and something that you and I can grab at any local gun store like 2 If By Sea Tactical.  This was done to make repairs easy to do and not dependent on his company for rare parts.  Another change to the design is the magazine.  With the Type 100 being so rare, magazines for it are almost impossible to find and when you do find them, they are insanely expensive.

Charles came up with a solution for this problem by incorporating PPS-43 magazines into the design.  This gives you the same rough look that the original Nambu magazines had but allows the user to obtain multiple magazines and at a relatively low cost. This change also allows the Type 100 to solve a bigger issue, the caliber.  The original guns were chambered in Japan’s pistol caliber of 8x22mm (or 8mm Nambu).  This is extremely hard to find in today’s world and expensive when you do.  By using the PPS-43 magazines, it allows Charles to rechamber the gun in the more common 9x19mm caliber.

This allows, again, the end user a great opportunity to use such an iconic weapon that previously, almost exclusively existed in the world of video games and movies.  There has been a lot of engineering Gearhead has had to figure out in order to bring this iconic weapon to the market.  From changing the gun from an open-bolt system to a U.S. legal closed-bolt system.  From converting the entire weapon platform into semi-auto.  Finally, the rechambering and updating certain features that allow for easy repairs, available ammunition, and widely circulated magazines.

This is why the basement of Shot Show is the best place in the entire show.  Because people like Charles are bring back to life rare and extinct guns that you and I could only dream of having.  The Type 100 Nambu is something we here at 2 If By Sea Tactical are looking forward to acquiring for the shooting pleasure of our Customers.  We cannot wait to add this to our rental guns along side the 1928A1 Thompson and soon to be released M3 Grease Gun.   

Here at 2 If By Sea Tactical we strive to bring you the best experience in the firearms world.  As we continue to grow the media arm of 2 If By Sea, make sure you keep tuning in to our Youtube Channel @2ifbyseatactical or on Rumble @2ifbyseatactical and right here at “The Patriot’s Almanac” to stay informed on the latest happenings in the firearm world! But we are not lawyers, so this isn't legal guidance.

Stay sharp, stay informed, and stay ready.