WW 2 rifile
OK, so I got this rifile from my dad, who got it from his dad who was on Okinawa during WW2 (sixth division).
He brought this rifile home as a war prize. I plan on taking it to good gun smith for a through inspection and such but I was hoping I could get some info on it here from you experts. i will post pictures when I get the chance.
Description:
It is a rifile with a full wood stock that completley surrounds the barrel. it is a bolt action type with a internal magazine (not sure how much of what type of ammo it holds). the bolt is short, and straight out in the locked position and must be rotated 90 degrees to be opened. It has a solid metal butt plate that is smooth. Their are hand groves in the wood stock under the rear site.
The rear site is a flip up type with foldable "wings" and can be moved up and down 3-15 on the left side and 4-14 on the right side. the front side is a fixed blade/pyramid type with guards on both sides. It has a bayonet stud but the bayonet has been removed (I know the bayonet was given to the USMC SGT MAJ of Quantico during the 1980's as a gift from my grandfather for personally inviting him to a dinner with the SGTMAJ of the USMC during this time period.
the serial number is 75131 ahead of this number is what appears to be a number 7 inside of a circle and behind the number is three ovals overlaying each other as to look something like a trinity symbol, after that symbol is a circle with two horizontal lines that radiate inward from the sides.....this is all on the left side of the chamber sections.
on the foward (muzzle end) and top of the chamber section is three asian (im assuming "jap") characters the first two of which are the same. above them is a hole going into the chamber area with a flower design above that. the back of the bold is cut with a checkering that also appears to be similar to this flower design.
the magazine can be released from a slide switch that is housed inside of the trigger guard. the magazine is hinged.
the bolt and the inside firing pin housing both have the numbers 301 ingraved in them (thus i am assuming those two parts are matching).
there appear to be two attachment points for a sling that are mounted on the left side of the stock.
This rifile has a long and pretty neat story that makes this rifile specail to my family, so I am never going to sell it. I was wondering if I could get some info about it maybe and an ammo type...like i said, ill probably never shoot it, but regardless I do plan to get it checked out before trying anything like that...it may just become a nice wall/conversation piece.
any info would be great. When I can....I will try and get some pictures up.
He brought this rifile home as a war prize. I plan on taking it to good gun smith for a through inspection and such but I was hoping I could get some info on it here from you experts. i will post pictures when I get the chance.
Description:
It is a rifile with a full wood stock that completley surrounds the barrel. it is a bolt action type with a internal magazine (not sure how much of what type of ammo it holds). the bolt is short, and straight out in the locked position and must be rotated 90 degrees to be opened. It has a solid metal butt plate that is smooth. Their are hand groves in the wood stock under the rear site.
The rear site is a flip up type with foldable "wings" and can be moved up and down 3-15 on the left side and 4-14 on the right side. the front side is a fixed blade/pyramid type with guards on both sides. It has a bayonet stud but the bayonet has been removed (I know the bayonet was given to the USMC SGT MAJ of Quantico during the 1980's as a gift from my grandfather for personally inviting him to a dinner with the SGTMAJ of the USMC during this time period.
the serial number is 75131 ahead of this number is what appears to be a number 7 inside of a circle and behind the number is three ovals overlaying each other as to look something like a trinity symbol, after that symbol is a circle with two horizontal lines that radiate inward from the sides.....this is all on the left side of the chamber sections.
on the foward (muzzle end) and top of the chamber section is three asian (im assuming "jap") characters the first two of which are the same. above them is a hole going into the chamber area with a flower design above that. the back of the bold is cut with a checkering that also appears to be similar to this flower design.
the magazine can be released from a slide switch that is housed inside of the trigger guard. the magazine is hinged.
the bolt and the inside firing pin housing both have the numbers 301 ingraved in them (thus i am assuming those two parts are matching).
there appear to be two attachment points for a sling that are mounted on the left side of the stock.
This rifile has a long and pretty neat story that makes this rifile specail to my family, so I am never going to sell it. I was wondering if I could get some info about it maybe and an ammo type...like i said, ill probably never shoot it, but regardless I do plan to get it checked out before trying anything like that...it may just become a nice wall/conversation piece.
any info would be great. When I can....I will try and get some pictures up.
0
-
Sounds like a Japanese type 99 Arisaka in 7.7 Jap caliber. Toyo Kogyo Arsenal, Series #32.Would need good pics of markings to be sure. ESPECIALLY the ones before & after the serial number. All numbers should match the last 3 of serial on receiver. Check for number on bottom of bolt handle as well. Looking forward to helping more after pics. 0 -
This link should help you identify even more than you may wish to know about an Arisaka Rifle.
www.radix.net/~bbrown/japanese_markings.html
This can even date and tell you what year of mfg as well as lot number. One of the best!!
By the way, for those of you whom may have a Japanese bayonet or a rifle, this link can give you the complete history of Japanese bayonets as well as a rifle.
Good Luck in identification!0 -
+1 for the Arisaka 99. My Father was in the 6th Marines that landed on Okinawa. He was 17 years old, and thankfully he made it home with just minor shrapranel wounds. 0 -
Not a Jap firearms expert but the face the chrysanthemum flower on the receiver bridge wasn't defaced or ground off makes the rifle more valuable. 0 -
Irishkid, You've given good descriptive info, (with great history!), and responces have been right on target.
Those fold up wings on the sight are a basic clue to it being a Japanese Arisaka Type 99. Which it probably is, as Stevan1 points out. This sight is for lead-shooting at low-flying aircraft. No idea how effective they were, but interesting, to say the least. Monopods were also used, as well as a bolt cover.
Short rifle, long rifle, sniper, as well as a take-down model were the variations produced. Search around or give photos/more diminsions here to find which you have. Short rifle is most common. Internal magazine you asked about held 5 rimless cartridges fed through stripper clips, or singles by hand. 7.7x58mm Arisaka is the correct round, as their is also a semi-rimmed 7.7 machinegun which is not correct. The 7.7 rifle cartridge is close in power to the 30-06, and using close to, I believe, the same bullet weight and diameter as the .303 British round. It did the job intended for.
Radix is top notch, yet does not have rifle photos, (it does have pics of bayonets). Here's a web-site with photos:
> http://riceone1.com/id21.html <
which may show you which Type-99 version you have? And of course you can use google & google images, even wikipedia to find out more. You have enough info now to be merry on your way using the web... "Arisaka Type 99".
Th "flower" you mentioned is indeed that, being the Imperial Japanese chrysanthemum crest, "mum" for short. Many, (most), were defaced upon surrender of WW 2 Japan as a face-saving gesture for the Emperor. This marring, often done with a file, was from barely noticable scratches to total obscurring of the mum. Battlefield pic-ups, as your's sounds like, will have the mum intack, and are usually of more $$$ value. Oh, are official "bring-back" papers with the rifle? Real good, if so.
To end, not sure what you may find out from a gunsmith unless you do wish to shoot it, which equates into dollars to have it safety checked, (head-space being common). But most would be happy just to see and shoot the breeze about it. This latter, of course, should be free-of-charge, hah. Too, any gun shop can be a good place to find more info. If anything, proper preservation is now the key to this keepsake. A good gun oil, (I like Rem-oil), on all metal, and a pure wax for the stock will help. Keep it original, whatever you do, (meaning no stock-stripping, re-bluing, etc.) Lastly, myself having family militaria from the Civil War, sadly some with without much info about, do keep a good written record on all you know now and what you will find out about this treasure, so it all can be passed down the family line.
Best,
45er0 -
quote:Originally posted by v35
Not a Jap firearms expert but the face the chrysanthemum flower on the receiver bridge wasn't defaced or ground off makes the rifle more valuable.
ONLY if the numbers match. A mis-match, with or without MUM, commands the lowest value. IE: A ground MUM w/matching numbers is more desirable/valueable than a intact MUM mismatch.0 -
quote:Originally posted by 45er
Irishkid, You've given good descriptive info, (with great history!), and responces have been right on target.
Those fold up wings on the sight are a basic clue to it being a Japanese Arisaka Type 99. Which it probably is, as Stevan1 points out. This sight is for lead-shooting at low-flying aircraft. No idea how effective they were, but interesting, to say the least. Monopods were also used, as well as a bolt cover.
Short rifle, long rifle, sniper, as well as a take-down model were the variations produced. Search around or give photos/more diminsions here to find which you have. Short rifle is most common. Internal magazine you asked about held 5 rimless cartridges fed through stripper clips, or singles by hand. 7.7x58mm Arisaka is the correct round, as their is also a semi-rimmed 7.7 machinegun which is not correct. The 7.7 rifle cartridge is close in power to the 30-06, and using close to, I believe, the same bullet weight and diameter as the .303 British round. It did the job intended for.
Radix is top notch, yet does not have rifle photos, (it does have pics of bayonets). Here's a web-site with photos:
> http://riceone1.com/id21.html <
which may show you which Type-99 version you have? And of course you can use google & google images, even wikipedia to find out more. You have enough info now to be merry on your way using the web... "Arisaka Type 99".
Th "flower" you mentioned is indeed that, being the Imperial Japanese chrysanthemum crest, "mum" for short. Many, (most), were defaced upon surrender of WW 2 Japan as a face-saving gesture for the Emperor. This marring, often done with a file, was from barely noticable scratches to total obscurring of the mum. Battlefield pic-ups, as your's sounds like, will have the mum intack, and are usually of more $$$ value. Oh, are official "bring-back" papers with the rifle? Real good, if so.
To end, not sure what you may find out from a gunsmith unless you do wish to shoot it, which equates into dollars to have it safety checked, (head-space being common). But most would be happy just to see and shoot the breeze about it. This latter, of course, should be free-of-charge, hah. Too, any gun shop can be a good place to find more info. If anything, proper preservation is now the key to this keepsake. A good gun oil, (I like Rem-oil), on all metal, and a pure wax for the stock will help. Keep it original, whatever you do, (meaning no stock-stripping, re-bluing, etc.) Lastly, myself having family militaria from the Civil War, sadly some with without much info about, do keep a good written record on all you know now and what you will find out about this treasure, so it all can be passed down the family line.
Best,
45er
I kinda thought that my Radix link might be useful to some here on this forum. It really pinpoints which lot, arsenal, and what each symbol means and represents. Best ID papers I have ever found for Japanese rifles.0 -
Howdy Stevan1, by all means I agree. Please excuse my imperfect written wording about Radix not having photos... was meant not to down-play the truly high value of that site, if this is what you perhaps are referring to?
To assist Kidthatsirish's inquiry is why I included other places merely to specifically look for photos to aid in the basic ID'ing of the Arisaka's. I admired the time and enthusiasm he took to write out a very well description, so figurered he deserves an in-depth reply from as many as possible.
Anyways, my main purose here is to both help and to learn, and am not percfect. So well, shucks... no one bats 1,000 here or anywhere, and I'll be the first to admit that, especially with my hunt&peck fingers and dwindling brain cell capablities. Have observed too many who believe their knowledge is so vast that they become beyond learning or teachable. Sad thing, that. (not here, of course, ahem).
Anyways, I'll quit now, before this gets bounced over to and lost in the General Discussion forum. (I've yet to figure out the nuances of this place, ha). Yet, I think you desereved a reply, Stevan1, on this matter.
Cheers!
45er0 -
rather have a mismatch with mum any day! 0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
9 comments