Late Nagoya Type 99

[Midmichigun]

Gents,
I have grabbed another rifle to restore! Or not.
Here is a late war transition/ last ditch rifle type 99 that I scored at a gunshop. Bubba worked on this one a bit... but first some photos.

The top rifle is the one that I just scored. As you see, the fore end has been cut, and the nose cap is missing. Bubba also messed with the upper handguard, and was carved back.
One saving grace is a partial "grind" on the Mum...

Here is the arsenal mark.

Rear and front sights...



End of fore end


What is interesting, is that bubba didn't remove the barrel before cutting on the stock. I do have light (but safe) cut marks on the barrel from a hack saw.

As you can see, the stock was modified forward of the barrel band. This allows me to actually cut the stock further back, to create a "duffel cut" situation (with sourced end cap). If I make a new fore end.

However, with the heavy sanding of the stock, it will be tough to take it back to "military". However, the stock appears to have some light water damage that should be repaired.


This is not the roughest last ditch or transition rifle by any means... Here are some random photos...






What is interesting, is that the bolt matches the receiver.

Now if you go back to the rifle on the bottom of the top photo, I repaired the stock on that one. The duffel cut section and top cover and end cap were missing. So this is a do able restoration... or beginning of a nice sporter (since 7.7 can't normally be found).

Information

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[burb1989]

It'll be tough if you're trying to make it a matching rifle though. Remember the bayonet lug would have a number that matched the receiver too so it might not ever be a matching numbered gun. How much did you pay for it if you don't mind me asking?

[Midmichigun]

Burb,
I got it for about $90.00. I was sorta bummed since they "required" me to buy a trigger lock. And tried to make me buy a gun sleeve/ case.

The $100.00 mark is where I see non matching lightly bubba'd arisakas go for around here....Maybe more. I have to say that the supply is drying up a bit it seems.

As the dealer mentioned, many in this price range end up on eBay or gun broker as parts. since it is border line on restoration... Customized... Or parts...

[mil-surp60]

Correct me if i am wrong , but that is not a nagoya marking on rifle ,looks like a kokura last ditch, and be careful with those last ditch rifles if you plan to fire it, could be dangerous in the least. I do not think nagoya was making last ditchers in fact, i could be wrong.They made the earlier 99s and 38's, I own 3, 2 nagoya earlys and an early kokura.the kokura has the same markings on the top rifle. Pretty sure that is a kokura last ditch, but im not an expert just a novice please correct me if i am wrong someone lol i need to know ya know lol.

[Midmichigun]

Mil Surp,
I am looking at the following website:
http://www.castle-thunder.com/arsenal.htm
It says that they made rifles up to 1945 including Type 99 long rifles.

The kokura are "three stacked" cannon balls.

Hopefully an expert will clarify if the website is in error....

This does have strong rifling in it. But it doesn't have a chrome bolt face or bore.....

[mil-surp60]

yep, is a nagoya my bad. I stand corrected sir,seems i had it backwards , why i say i am no expert thanx man. Now i know

[Aragorn243]

No such thing as a "last ditch" Japanese rifle. There are substitute standard rifles which do not have all the bells and whistles that the earlier rifles have and as the war progresses, the bells got smaller and the whistles quieter but one thing that did not happen is a dangerous rifle. If it has the mum, it's as safe as any early rifle.

The confusion occurred most likely because Japan unlike most other nations, used training rifles which weren't real rifles. Well, a few of them were, old, worn out, etc but a lot of them were just put together out of whatever materials they could find and they looked like rifles. A GI not knowing that would take the training rifle home as a prize and attempt to shoot it which very probably would result in disaster.

The Arisaka action is one of the strongest ever made and that mum on the receiver means it was accepted into the military as a fully functional and safe rifle.

[burb1989]

well $90 isn't terrible but it is not that good either. even if you get a whole new stock and bayonet lug it will still be a mismatched rifle with a not so perfect mum it would be worth probably around $150-$200 at the very best.

[Salt Flat]

Midmich, I thnk that at the price you got it for it is definetly worth restoring. The matching bolt and lightly ground Mum are getting hard to come by. Looks like the only extra cost will be for a bayonet lug//band and a little bit of wood. Cool!
Salt Flat

[Aragorn243]

Arasakas in my area are a tough rifle to predict price wise. $90 isn't bad no matter how you look at it but I've seen complete rifles sell for less here. Depends on condition, style, type, etc. The least I've seen a military configuration rifle go for is about $70 and for a fully sporterized one maybe $50. A year ago, the late war models were not bringing much but now they are often more than the standard issue. Prices will continue to go up as people overcome their prejudice against these rifles.