Can you help me ID this rifle?

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I think it is WWI, but it is just a guess. Bolt action, unknown caliber. I do have the bayonet/scabbard that goes with this but didnt feel like digging it out. I believe it is all original, including the sling. There is some kind of tag attached to the sling, but it is unreadable.

IMG_3029.jpg


Just forward of the bolt, there is the following makers mark (?):

IMG_3030.jpg


Thanks in advance!
 
i believe you are correct in the time frame. it may even be early WW2. its probably chambered in the 7.62 nato round, whch is farily common round for this type of rifle. It appears to be an early SKS. Now one thing i would do is take it to a trusted gun smith, he can tell you more. im just not sure which area of the asian world its from, either Chinese or Japanese by the state of it, it may have even been used against our boys in the day.

where abouts in california are you
 
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I'm no expert and could easily be wrong, but that looks like a Japanese Model 99 rifle from WWII.
 
Ding,Ding,Ding...we have a winner! THANK YOU!!

Excuse me for a few minutes while I read that wikipage.
 
From wiki link:

...One of the final standing orders of the Imperial Army was to file off the Emperor's family chrysanthemum insignia, or mon, from each of the rifles, thereby preventing dishonor from having the symbol fall into surrender. Therefore, the value of one of the rifles to a collector is slightly higher if the insignia, referred to by collectors as a "mum", is intact, as this implies the rifle was captured on the battlefield prior to Japan's surrender.....

Thats pretty cool! I didnt know anything about this rifle, let alone this insignia tidbit!



Acquisition story:

My mom is a private in-home nurse and her patient recently died. As she was cleaning up his place, she called me in a panic, asking me to come over and "get rid of this thing, get it out of here!".

I got down there and discovered it wasnt loaded and I didnt even think it operable since I couldnt see down the barrel. I brought it home and gave it a good initial inspection, then started to clean it and noticed it was probably just packed in cosmoline (? not sure, but it was kinda yellowish, but more black). Sure enough I was able to run a bore snake through it and after a GREAT deal of cleaning, I could actually see a shine in the barrel when I put a light in there.

Thanks again!!
 
Originally Posted By: pottymouth
I'm no expert and could easily be wrong, but that looks like a Japanese Model 99 rifle from WWII.


Do you know how I could tell the difference between the 38 and the 99? I am going to do some research, but thought I might ask you first. I noticed the lettering below the mum is different than what is shown on wiki.
 
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The 38 will have the characters going vertically below the chrysanthemum, unlike the horizontal characters on the 99. They are also a smaller caliber (6.5 vs 7.7.)

I am nearly positive yours is a 99 and you are quite fortunate that the chrysanthemum is intact. Many were ground off or otherwise defaced after the war. That looks like a very nice example.

Also, keep in mind that Japanese metallurgy began to suffer as the war dragged on and later examples are considered unsafe to shoot by some. You'll need a real expert to help you out with vintage.
 
Originally Posted By: pottymouth
The 38 will have the characters going vertically below the chrysanthemum, unlike the horizontal characters on the 99. They are also a smaller caliber (6.5 vs 7.7.)

I am nearly positive yours is a 99 and you are quite fortunate that the chrysanthemum is intact. Many were ground off or otherwise defaced after the war. That looks like a very nice example.

Also, keep in mind that Japanese metallurgy began to suffer as the war dragged on and later examples are considered unsafe to shoot by some. You'll need a real expert to help you out with vintage.


Agreed, I too now believe it is a 99. I found this site, which is helpful:

http://www.radix.net/~bbrown/japanese_markings.html

The marking on my example is not matching any of the manufacturing marks listed on the above site. Mine is simply a circle with a raised dot in the middle. But I know much more than I did 20 minutes ago. Thanks!

I dont intend to fire it, but thanks for the warning!
 
Serial number and markings on left side of receiver:

IMG_3036.jpg


I was wrong, it is not just a raised dot. Back to my research...
 
That looks just like the 6.5 Arisaka rifle my dad had obtained, his was apparently a WWI sniper rifle. My dad's rifle was re-chambered for a 6.5 Roberts cartridge (NOT a .257 Roberts) and does have the lettering vertical as opposed to horizontal in your photo, and also has the chrysanthemum intact. Definitely true about the chrysanthemum usually being ground or filed off.
 
Series 7, Type 99 manufactured by Nagoya arsenal which was in existance between 1939 and 1945.

WWII it is.

Again, thanks to everyone for all your help. Any additional comments/corrections are warmly welcomed.

Cheers!
 
Heathenbrewing- thank you much for posting that link above! I was able to determine that my dad's rifle is a Type 38, among several other things.
 
Originally Posted By: Crashbox
Heathenbrewing- thank you much for posting that link above! I was able to determine that my dad's rifle is a Type 38, among several other things.


You are welcome sir.

That link was actually on this page which explains a bit about shooting and reloading the Type 99, but has links for the disassembly/reassembly of the 38:

http://www.surplusrifle.com/arisaka/index.asp

This may be of use as well:

http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewforum.php?f=175

Na Zdrowie!
 
Bayo pics:

IMG_3037.jpg


IMG_3038.jpg


Im not sure if this might be a Tokyo Arsenal prior to 1936 or Kokura Arsenal 1936-45. Any ideas? There is no serial number on the bayo that I can see.....does anyone know where they are typically located? Any other markings I should be looking for?
 
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