Arisaka Type 99: Buy or Pass?

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My gun shop called me to let me know they had an arisaka in the shop for me to check out. I stopped in and Im really impressed with what they had. Matching numbers type 99 with the dust cover and aircraft sights. Bluing is amazing and the stock is in really good shape, next to no damage. Of course the mum is gone and so is the monopod and bayonet but they are asking $170 out the door for it. Ive seen a lot worse sell for double at shows and on gunbroker right now. Being an avid WWII bolt action collector fanboy not owning a Japanese rifle Im thinking BUY! What do ya think. Keep in mind money is of course my biggest obsticle and I have to make sure its worth spending a lot of my reserve for a show Im going to on the 23rd this month.
 
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Is this a wallhanger or do you plan to actually shoot it?

Personally, for a measley $170 I think I'd buy it and hang it on the wall.


No, I'd get some brass and load some up and head to the range.
 
For that price, I wouldnt care if its a wallhanger or not, id get it as long as it fully checks out to be genuine and in the condition that you say it is.
 
If I were you, I'd wait and go to the show on the 23rd and then buy the one at the shop if you don't see something you like better at the show. Chances are pretty good that it won't sell in the next couple of weeks. But, it's still a chance you'd be taking. I don't know; I usually only buy guns that really speak to me.

My dad always said that when you're looking for a certain gun, you should have a really good mental image and idea of the gun you want, then you should save up and look for that gun until you find it. If you buy something less than what you really want, you'll just end up with 5 guns of the same type that you kind of like instead of one that is perfect. Kind of like what I did with my .22.
 
Good advice there.

I've bought a couple of things that due to limited range downunder, and a "permit to aquire" last for 2 months were what I thought was the best compromise...and found them to be a compromise.
 
Well I went back to the shop earlier this afternoon and checked it out a little harder and had to drop the cash down for it. Couldnt be happier with the rifle. This primo Type 99 may just be the shining star of my surplus collection at the moment. Hope to pick up a VZ.24 Mauser at the gun show in two weeks and then I can probably cool off on WWII for a while.
 
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Theres some photos of her. As you can see its in amazing condition and the stock is gorgeous. Even the finish on the wood is still great. The owner of the gun shop told me about the person who had owned it inherited it from their grandfather and just didnt want it and wanted to sell it at any price. Sucker got screwed. Works out for me though.
 
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The Arisaka is one of the strongest military bolt actions ever designed. Especially the 6.5mm action. Julian Hatcher and P.O. Ackley found that they were stronger than the p17 Enfield, Mauser 96&98, and the Springfield 1903. The only issues are usually late war ones made from poor materials.
 
I'd buy it. I paid more than that for mine and it it doesn't have the aircraft sights, but is in similar condition otherwise. Good luck finding ammo!
 
Originally Posted By: nwjones18
I'd buy it. I paid more than that for mine and it it doesn't have the aircraft sights, but is in similar condition otherwise. Good luck finding ammo!
Good luck finding ammo is right!!!! Went to a gun show a few days ago and not one person had it! Every show Ive been to before that had 7.7 Japanese but not this one. Of course the time I actually own the gun. They had the exact Mauser I wanted though. Too bad it sucked.
 
Originally Posted By: ammolab
Ammo for your 7.7 Arisaka is everywhere online...

You guys HAVE heard of the internet, right?


I suppose I should have been more specific. Good luck finding ammo that is in stock and not $45 per box Norma. I hadn't looked for it since April and at that point everyone was out of the Hornady, but now I see sportsman's guide has it in stock again.
 
Old Western Scrounger loads and sells it as well. Usually about 35 bucks a box. Its a good place for really hard to get ammo. If you think that is hard ammo to get, buy a Lebel or Berthier rifle and try to track down 8mm Lebel ammo, or like with my MAS 36, 7.5mm French ammo.
 
Originally Posted By: Robenstein
The Arisaka is one of the strongest military bolt actions ever designed. Especially the 6.5mm action. Julian Hatcher and P.O. Ackley found that they were stronger than the p17 Enfield, Mauser 96&98, and the Springfield 1903. The only issues are usually late war ones made from poor materials.


Yup.
I've heard horror stories of the wrong rounds being chambered and fired, with no damage to the weapon.
I have a t99 barreled action with AA sights AND complete MUM, but no bolt
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I know that in the old old days you could have the chamber reamed and shoot 30.06 out of em. Seen it mentioned in an old issue of American Rifleman in the late 40's when I was doing research.

Mind you its not ideal since you are shooting 7.62 slugs through a 7.7 bore.
 
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Originally Posted By: Robenstein
I know that in the old old days you could have the chamber reamed and shoot 30.06 out of em. Seen it mentioned in an old issue of American Rifleman in the late 40's when I was doing research.

Mind you its not ideal since you are shooting 7.62 slugs through a 7.7 bore.


Robenstien, where were you doing this research? Is there some online resource for old issues of AR?
 
I was looking through actual issues of it that were in the Iowa State University Library Storage facility. They have every issue going back to about 1947 there.

Doing research for my dissertation on small arms R&D and procurement programs through Vietnam.
 
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