Help with new type 99 purchase

[stjohns]

I just purchased a Type 99 rifle for 150.00. Chrome lined bore is excellent. Metal has a few rust spots but is in good condition. Stock has some dings but in very good condition. Ground "Mum" but very clear "type 99" markings. Bolt ia a mismatch but has egg shape handle and knurled saftey knob with notch indicator. Bayonet stud is matching. According to web site http://www.radix/~.net/~bbrown/japan...-markings.htm1 the rifle is a Nagoya 3 series with a S/N of 26134. Issues: missing cleaning rod(brass catch under ft stock), rear sight has provision for anti-aircraft leaf but was either removed or not installed, one sight screw missing, Cupped edge buttplate has a large brass screw, band for monopod but missing. Would appreciate your opinon about practicality of restoring to original as issued condition. I would like to at-least find a cleaning rod, sight screw and replace butt screw.

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[Detroit-1]

If it were me I would sell the gun and find one that is matching with the aircraft sights and cleaning rod. Your gun no matter what you do will always be non- matching. I have bought many both early and late Arisakas that were matching with sights and rod for 150.00 to 225.00

[Aragorn243]

I have bought many both early and late Arisakas that were matching with sights and rod for 150.00 to 225.00

I'd love to shop where you buy. Complete Arisakas with matching numbers and mum are $400+ where I live. Since the movie Pacific came out, prices have gone up high and fast for good rifles.

A 3rd series Nagoya should have everything. Practicality of restoring it is what you want to get out of it. It won't likely be cost efficient but it can bring personal enjoyment. Reproduction parts can be purchased from SARCO reasonably, they have the cleaning rods, dust covers and monopods. The monopod bracket/ring and bayonet lug/ring and rear sight can probably be found on ebay.

$150 for a rifle that's missing the minor parts is probably a bit high By the time you outfit it with everything you need, you'll have more into it than you can get back out. I paid $90 for one that had everything but monopod, dust cover, cleaning rod and aircraft sights. I put another $100 into it getting those odds and ends but I'm very happy with the end product. Pictures should be on the restoration thread under $90 Auction Rifle I think. I don't have $400+ right now so that's the direction I went.

[Detroit-1]

I did not say that the 150.00 to 225.00 early guns would be complete with dust covers and monopod but the cleaning rods and sights would be there. Plus the parts are real not fakes. If you buy a later series you can get a complete matching, but ground mum, gun for 150.00 to 225.00. A non-matching gun with fake parts will never be worth mutch. I still say you are better off getting a matching gun and put real parts on it when you can. In years to come it will be worth a lot more.

[Aragorn243]

I can get matching number Type 99's with ground mums for less than $125, seems they need the mum to get any higher than that here as that is the first requirement for a complete rifle. Without the mum, the matching bolt doesn't mean that much.

As for real parts, not much point putting $200 into a monopod and dust cover without having a rifle with a mum.

[Detroit-1]

To most collecters of Japanese guns being matching is worth more than a mum. Of cource having both is great but if a gun only has one matching is better.

[Aragorn243]

You are of course entitled to your opinion. I do not share it.

My experience with sales of these rifles and perusing through various price guides shows the exact opposite, the mum is the most visible and thus obvious/noticable defect to the rifle if it is either ground or struck. Price guides make note to take a substantial deduction for a missing mum, a deduction greater than that for a mis-matched bolt. Having tried for two years to purchase a type 99 with an intact mum, I've found that the mum tends to increase the value of the rifle in the eyes of the seller by about 200%. Thus a rifle with a ground mum that sells for $100 will thus be sold for $300 with the mum.

You can of course find a bolt for a rifle that is mismatched. They only put the last three digits on the bolt, you can't ever restore a mum once it's been ground off. That is the chief difference.

[jmoore]

Issues: missing cleaning rod(brass catch under ft stock), rear sight has provision for anti-aircraft leaf but was either removed or not installed, one sight screw missing, Cupped edge buttplate has a large brass screw, band for monopod but missing. Would appreciate your opinon about practicality of restoring to original as issued condition. I would like to at-least find a cleaning rod, sight screw and replace butt screw.

About the only easily replacable part of the lot would be the buttplate screw, and that's not 100%. Otherwise you ARE going to be stuck buying either reproduction parts or a parts rifle, which would likely cost as much or more as the rifle you have if it has the parts you want. Fix the buttplate screw, and possibly the "brass" catch for the cleaning rod! Ought not be any brass in an Arisaka- except ammo.

[stjohns]

Thanks to all. I thought the small metal square with small brass square on top located on ft. bottom of stock was part of the rod catch. The only other Japanese gun that I own is a Type 38 carbine that has about a 3.5" rectangler strip of metal on stock bottom behind bayonet stud and I thought was part of the rod catch. when I depress it I can remove the rod. You can also depress the small square on the 99. Think I will just try to locate a rod, rear sight screw and butt screw. What length rod for a 99 with 26" barrel.

[Aragorn243]

The little square that you can depress should be the rod catch but it should be steel, not brass. Series 3 rifle should have the 23 3/4 inch cleaning rod.