Interesting Type 38, double zero SN prefix and odd mark on receiver

Hello,

I just came from a WWII veteran's house where I looked at two Arisakas, this T38 and a T38 carbine. I'll post another thread for the carbine because its worth looking at. Anyway, the pictures of this speak for themselves in describing the irregularities. From my own research, it seems that the 00 serial number prefix denotes removal from service, possibly for school purposes. Total number is: 002027510. Is As for the receiver markings, I have no idea. It appears as if there is an arsenal mark (or two) stamped over the mum (from http://www.radix.net/~bbrown/japanese_markings.html : "At various times, rifles were removed from military service and sold to other countries or transferred to Japanese schools as training weapons. Normally, the chrysanthemum on these rifles was overstamped with the Koishikawa (Tokyo) / Kokura Arsenal symbol or a ring of small circles to indicate that the rifle no longer belonged to the Imperial Japanese Army") and the mark directly below the mum is a new one to me. Something else related to being removed from service? Anyone know for sure? Thanks.

The stylised 'M' is the reserve rifle mark, also often found on the receiver bridge. and often found on school rifles such as yours.