Japanese Rifle

[Ron C.]

I never did really collect Japanese rifles, but I used to pick one up now and then just because they were military guns, which was all I was able to afford, or liked really, when I was a "gun collector". I kept a couple just to have examples of Japanese weapons, but really know nothing about them. I think this one is the standard rifle......I guess not very good shape......but it has almost all of the crest, just has an X across it. I think it is a 7.7 mm, but I never would try to shoot it....looks like it may not be very good. Can you tell me what it is, and where or when it was made from these quick snapshots? I can take better ones later when I get to the point that I can find my stuff again.....had to pack away most of my lenses etc..

Thanks,
Ron

[Edokko]

5th series Type 99 rifle in 7.7mm made at the Nagoya Toriimatsu arsenal. If the bolt is matching to the serial number and no issues with the integrity of the receiver and barrel (corrosion, holes etc), you can shoot the heck out of it and not worry about a thing. These Arisakas are real tough babies and probably the toughest standard military bolt action rifle ever made.

[Ron C.]

5th series Type 99 rifle in 7.7mm made at the Nagoya Toriimatsu arsenal. If the bolt is matching to the serial number and no issues with the integrity of the receiver and barrel (corrosion, holes etc), you can shoot the heck out of it and not worry about a thing. These Arisakas are real tough babies and probably the toughest standard military bolt action rifle ever made.

Thank you very much Edokko. I suppose Arisaka is the make, or maybe the design? It does have all matching numbers and the action actually seems smooth and solid........looks a lot better on the inside of the rifle, even though it looks rough outside........actually the Garands and Carbines are not what you would call works of art either. As I recall the bore was spotless.......looked almost like it was chrome to me. 5th series huh....was that at the end of the war, or about when was the rifle made? Is this one of the ones I have heard called a "last ditch" rifle. I really don't know anything about Japanese stuff......even though I did sometimes pick it up if I ran into it........never found much of it though. People just didn't seem to want it. I think I may have paid $15 to $20 for this one, but at that time a German k98 would cost $30-$40. I guit actively collecting stuff around 1985, but I really quit collecting guns around the mid-60s when the gun control act came in and people were afraid to sell them.

Thanks,
Ron

[EMSMIT2]

Nice captured rifle. The GI put a X over the chrysanthemum.

Eddie

[Jamz]

Hi:
The inner barrel is chrome I believe. John

[BryanD]

I do not believe that the Japanese chromed the inner barrels of their military rifles.

[FightenIrish35]

Bryan,"Early"War models were produced with a chrome inner barrel....as materials shortened and the war went on they did away with this. I forget the year they stoped but without a book or references in front of me Id venture to say later 43 threw 44 time period.

Ron,as others have stated you have one hell of a Arisaka Rifle. I like that a GI or a Japanese soldier only slight/started to erase the mum.I love this characteristic!! You have a solid example for this model!! Congrats!

[Edokko]

The name "Arisaka" is a collector's convenience as these rifles were never officially named Arisaka rifles by the Japanese military. The name derives from Gen. Nariakira Arisaka from the turn of the century era, the designer of the Type 30 rifle and carbine, and his name kind of stuck to all post-Murata Japanese rifles over the years. Type 30, Type 35, Type 38, Type 97, Type 99, Type 2... all of 'em rolled into "Arisakas" ! As an info of interest to y'all, the Type 35, and the all-famous Type 38 rifle design of which all the subsequent Japanese rifles followed in design, was actually the creation of Gen. Kijiro Nambu, the same inventor who came up with the Nambu pistols and the Nambu LMGs.

Your rifle is officially the "Type 99 short rifle" made in Nagoya Toriimatsu arsenal at around probably late 1941 to 1942. The Toriimatsu arsenal made these Type 99s from the no-series all the way upto partial of the 12th series, each series consisiting of blocks of 100,000 rifles (except the no-series which was a 99,999 rifles block, and the 12th series which ended very early in production due to the surrender and hence very rare and valuable).
All the Type 99 long rifles and early to mid era Type 99 short rifles were made with chrome plating on the barrel bore to prevent corrosion and wear, quite the innovation at that time.
Your 5th series is not last ditch but one of the early transtional variations when they started eliminating things like the monopod. It's a nice solid piece and with all the part numbers matching to the gun is well worth taking it for a spin at the local range.

[Ron C.]

Edokko,

Thanks again. That was a very concise but detailed post. At last I finally know something about the weapon after all the years I have owned it.

Ron

[Smokeshow]

If I was you as long as you had the rifle checked by a gunsmith I would not hesitate to shoot it. The Arisaka is a very well made rifle and has one of the strongest actions of all bolt rifles. I have shot mine as well on occasion with sucess and they are fun to shoot! Good looking rifle!

[3cavman]

Nice collection of rifles, I would fire all of them enjoy