This is an example of a very rare early production Japanese Type 10 flare pistol with an arsenal installed rotating safety lever. In Fred Honeycutt Jr.'s book "Military Pistols Of Japan", a Type 10 flare pistol, serial number 403 has been identified with the safety lever (page 151). Because of the scarcity of early examples, neither the serial number range nor the number manufactured have yet been established, but they would probably be very limited and by far the rarest of all Type 10 flare pistols. The reason for adding the safety to this double action flare gun that took its major design features directly from the officially adopted "safety-less" Type 26 revolver remains a mystery. The left side of the frame has the Tokyo Arsenal marking and Japanese characters denoting "10th Year Type". The left side of the frame also has the safety lever. The frame has been machined to provide two recessed stops for the safety lever and there is no safety lever position identification. Fitted with grooved grips and a lanyard ring on the butt.

Very good. The pistol retains 80% original blue finish with some minor blistering. There is pitting with deep corrosion mostly on the right side of the barrel. The grips are good with some chipping around the screws and a few large chips missing, along with some minor dings. The action needs adjustment or inspection as the hammer will not cock.