Last Ditch Rifle

[PlaceOfBayonets]

Won this on gun broker. Bid what I figured it was max worth and won it for under. Not a high end example, mum is totally gone but it's neat to me being a low end collector

I pitty the guys who had to face the M1 with this crude thing. I don't know if it just needs oil or the bolt is really that hard to work. Very good rifling in the barrel. Finish is mostly gone.

The Rifles are sure a lot more easy to pick up then the helmets.....

Wilhelm

[PlaceOfBayonets]

Oh it's got the wooden buttplate too.

[PlaceOfBayonets]

numbers read 61625

[Banzi64]

I doubt anyone ever faced an m-1 with one of these from what I can tell they were never issued, and were set aside for the homeland defense when the allies invaded along with many other crude implements.

[Mike Rockhill]

Actually I believe some last ditch rifles did see use, quite possibly on Iwo and most probably on Okinawa. I have a pic in a book very clearly of an extremely clear later 7th series rifle on Iwo next to a dead Naval troop It had a short sight leaf, large recoil lug usually about 89k and up, last ditch started 94k. Another thing is I have seen a large number of last ditch 34th series rifles with okinawa related carvings. I usually ignore such things but having seen so many makes a pattern worht remembering. So this and the late rifle on Iwo lead me to believe that some substitute rifles saw combat. However most did not. Your rifle looks like a pretty decent 25th series kokura, nice catch even with out a mum. These are shootable IMO

[PlaceOfBayonets]

Interesting I did not know few of them saw issue outside of Japan. This one looks like it would shoot just fine though I am of the line of thought with this, why bother to fire it when I have three mausers to choose from

I'd guess the kick would be pretty good too like a 98k. And I don't like shooting my 98k.

W.

[Terry K.]

Hi All,
W.
Nice late rifle. I believe many more so called "last ditch" rifles were issuede to combat troops than most believe. I collect these and have many that show combat use. By the way, I have owned many K98's and the M-99's shoot as well or better than they do and hit as hard. Model 38's are real joys to shoot if you ever get a chance. Remember these rifles were improvements of the 98's and are really stronger.
Yours,
Terry

[Alan Smith]

For what it is worth, I have a "last ditch" Type 99 rifle as pictured above (i.e. wood butplate, rear "peep" sight, large disc in stock, etc.) that came from Okinawa. The rifle (made by the Jensen arsenal in Korea) along with the rifle's Jensen arsenal bayonet were a gift from a local vet, who removed it from a cave where Japanese toops had been killed during the battle for Okinawa. Thus, I believe this particular rifle to have seen combat (maybe not actually fired at U.S. troops - the Japanese may have simply been hiding in the cave - but it was recovered from a location where some ugly events transpired during the battle).

Interestingly - the mum has been defaced. When I questioned the vet about this, he had no recollection of the defacing. He (a retired FBI agent) was very clear on his story of the rifle's acquisition which - to him - was no big deal and simply a part of his service time overseas. The vet admitted (after I told him about mum defacing) that is is possible he may have been required to have the mum defaced prior to returning home with the souvenir rifle.