[3] Before producing local weapons, the early Imperial Japan Army had been relying on various imports since the time of the Boshin War, and especially on the French Chassepot, the British Snider-Enfield and the American Spencer repeating rifle.

[5] The Murata rifle was accurate and mechanically reliable, and was noted for functioning well in cold weather.

The Imperial Japanese Army was quick to recognize that the design of even the improved Type 22 version of the Murata rifle had many technical issues and flaws.

Following the combat experience of the First Sino-Japanese War, a decision was made to replace it with the Arisaka Type 30 rifle, which had been designed in 1898, and which also used the more modern smokeless powder.

However, due to insufficient production, many of the reserve infantry units sent to the front-lines during the latter stages of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905 continued to be equipped with the Murata Type 22 rifle.

[citation needed] Filipino revolutionaries were looking for a possible purchase of weapons and the Murata rifle from Japan was usually proposed.

[10] Andres Bonifacio and Mariano Ponce sought to acquire Murata rifles via the Japanese silviculturist Nakamura Yaroku [ja] to equip the Katipunan in order to match the firepower used by Spanish and American colonial forces in the Philippines.

[12] While never serving in combat during World War 2, many conscripts of the Japanese Volunteer Fighting Corps were equipped with these and many other antiquated firearms.

and its subsidiaries continued to manufacture equipment for handloading both brass and paper Murata cartridges well into the 20th century.