My first Arisaka!

Had a Birthday weekend at Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot! Got to fire 4 mags out of an MP40 and 50rds out of a PKM! First machine guns I've fired. I also picked up my first Airsaka! Got a stellar deal on it. I cant wait to get her cleaned up. Has a great bore and strong rifling. It needs some TLC. From what I can tell, it's a 1942 Kokura manufacture?

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...db92ec2b-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...9b1ce31c-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...6793dbe8-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...3c6baa1a-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...d8043df5-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...afd1dc1b-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...75c27a4f-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...45a093b1-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...68cb609a-1.jpg

It's looking good... I think lots of them were OK.

Smooth safety knob, a bit distinctive. Curious as to how you established a date. Need to know the series number.

Congradulations. Looks ummolested with a nice aged red finish.
No attempt to hijack the thread but the thread made me recall somthing. While watching Dirty Harry last evening I noticed what I believe was an Arisaka on the wall in the electronics store where Harry was picking up some coms gear for his ransom drop.
Anyone ever noticed that?

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

Smooth safety knob, a bit distinctive. Curious as to how you established a date. Need to know the series number.

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I based it solely off of this, if it holds any weight. My rifle has the marking for Kokura after the serial number and the Japanese character for 1942. https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ef23931c-1.jpg

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Originally Posted by HOOKED ON HISTORY

Anyone ever noticed that?

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No, I remember the scene too...

Back to the current rifle, where were we?

Whats the story behind the saftey knobs?

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

Smooth safety knob, a bit distinctive. Curious as to how you established a date. Need to know the series number.

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I just took apart the bolt in like 2 minutes with no idea. What a fool proof design. I love it.https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...49f5cf3c-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...2674e79d-1.jpg

Missing the AA sights ,monopod , cleaning rod , and the wrong safety [ maybe the whole bolt ? , does the bolt body match ? ]

All numbers on bolt match.

The chart is probably as accurate as anything else out there. The characters aren't dates though, they are the series marks. The smooth safety is very late war so it isn't original to the rifle. It is missing the anti-aircraft wings which isn't unusual but if you want to replace them, expect to pay $60-$80. Repro cleaning rods are easy to get. Repro monopods also. Originals a lot harder and a LOT more expensive. Not necessary, especially the monopod. Dust cover another missing item, repros available, originals about $80. But this too is missing more often than present. Sounds like a lot of issues but not really. The vast majority of these are missing these items. Careful cleaning of the light rust on the metal and it should look great.

I don't consider missing monopods, dust covers, or cleaning rods a huge issue if the price was right. That is the exception, not the norm. The safety is strange though, my reference also suggests a knurled safety. If the safety has the last three of the serial on it my guess would be someone ground off the knurling.

A bigger thing though is that hole in the receiver to the left of the arsenal mark. Never seen that before and can't think why someone would put just one hole in it. Proceed with care on this one, I'd make sure that receiver is good, and also verify it hasn't been reamed out for .30-06 (should not chamber a .30-06 snap cap, DO NOT try this with a live round).

Hmm I assumed it was a gas port. Now I'm not confident in firing it.

When I get home I will find my Arisaka book and it details what would have been correct for each specific series.

Awesome. I would greatly appreciate that!

Hole is far enough back that it should not affect shooting the rifle but it is unusual. I'd ensure there aren't any more surprises before firing. A lot were converted to 30-06 but that wouldn't require a hole there.

I was wondering what this would have to do with rechambering. There is a hole on the underside of the stock as well. Would these possibly be odd ball drain holes? I will disassenble rifle 100% tonight and make sure the holes arent in the danger areas.

So the details for that series from Kokura is:
Method of matching parts: Last 3 digits of serial number
Front sight: Inverted 'V' with guards
Front barrel band: 3 screw type
Cleaning rod: Blued 23-3/4" long
Rear barrel band: Monopod type with monopod attached
Rear sight: adjustable with AA-sights
Safety: Knurled with notch safety indicator

Mine has the 3 screw front band, correct sights, and 3 digit nums on bolt. I wonder what the hell that hole is from? Whomever drilled it touched into the wood a bit. Its showing a lot of dust and grime in there, so it looks like the hole has existed for a while. What would make one think it has been rechambered/re barreled? Barrel looks pretty authentic.



---------- Post added at 01:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:44 PM ----------

Possibly someone tried to scope it at one point? Extra drain hole? I hope its not deactivated. Lol

The drain holes in the stock look correct as does the gas escape on the top of the receiver ring.

Is that hole threaded? My first thought was maybe someone started and never finished mounting a scope mount and never finished, or maybe even tried to somehow bubba an authentic sniper mount onto one. I'd also get it out of the stock and just make sure you have no holes in the action or other funny business below the wood line.

Did you take the bolt apart and check the number on the end of the safety knob? I still can't imagine that being correct for that rifle. Unless someone tried to polish it up while they were drilling extra holes in the receiver.

I can't find my Japnese Rifle book, been missing for about 2 months, starting to fear I left it somewhere. I do have a second one but it doesn't show the detail of the safety knob. I believe it should be grooved however.

The knob does not match. The bolt doesn't either. But not unexpected for what I paid. Great bore.



---------- Post added at 08:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:28 PM ----------

Some clean photos!https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...792cee49-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...de8a2421-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...d3a622c0-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...b146ff6a-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...217988af-1.jpg

OK, mystery solved. Late war bolt. Probably has a chrome bore which the early ones did so it should be in good shape.

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Originally Posted by LesPaui+sg=win

Some clean photos!

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Nice looking rifle now with some oil on it...

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Nice looking rifle now with some oil on it...

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I have never seen such a dry rifle! Im going to take care of the rust tonight.

Ballistol also works wonders on wood stocks!

Here are some chamber photos.https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...1da8d785-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...f10205b3-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...229c965b-1.jpg



---------- Post added at 03:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:40 PM ----------

Anyone have any tips on cleaning out that gunk in there?

Fires 100% fine!

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Originally Posted by LesPaui+sg=win

Fires 100% fine!

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Excellent. Nice photos BTW.

How'd it shoot for you?

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Originally Posted by cipherk98

How'd it shoot for you?

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Right on the money. Puts some hurting on my steel. Lol