My vet bring-back Japanese Rifle

[Eric Doody]

rrobertscv,

Nice Type 99 (i.e., Model 1939) 7.7 mm short rifle.

Out of curiosity, did the Marine tell you how he acquired the rifle?

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[mandy333]

Mandy, is your rifle live or a dewat?

Greetings Josh: My rifle is live.All the best!
Regards
Zeke

[GHP]

Mandy - the mum is the crest of the Imperial Japanese Emperor (or family). It was stamped on all ordnance to show that it belonged to him. When the Japanese forces surrendered in 1945 the troops filed or ground the mum off to save face - to show that it wasn't the Emperor who was responsible for the surrender. Rifles with a mum intact is more likely to be one that was picked up after a battle, say Iwo Jima, Okinawa etc before the troops had time to file it off. These would be more desirable to a collector.
Josh - pretty sure it's Kokura - circle w/3 half circles

Here's a more in-depth explanation about defacing the chrysanthemums, with some citations. But first, here's an image of a stamp used to make the 16-petal mark (taken from the site mentioned).

[rrobertscv]

He just said he picked it up after going ashore and was able to pack it up and send it home.

[Josh Beckett]

You did pretty good Mandy.

rrobertscv, ask him every thing about when he captured it, where it was at, if it was just laying there, if it came off of a dead Japanese soldier or if it was traded for.

[Terry K.]

The mum isnt on pistols.

Hi All,
Josh,
Just to let you know, some pistols were marked with the mum. I saw a foreign made pistol with it years ago and wish I would have bought it ever since. It was a 9mm "Star ".
Yours,