ADVICE which one: Japanese military bolt-action service rifle

[usabaker]

I don't have any Japanese military bolt-action service rifles in my collection. When they were plentiful I wasn't really interested. Now I feel that I should have at least two in my collection.
I do know that I want a type 44 carbine, for a long rifle, I don't know which rifle I should get.

In the forums opinion, what is the most desirable and what price range should I be looking in?

Thanks in Advance. Bill

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[mmppres]

Type 99 is a good place to start. They are reasonable an very good shooters.

[henry r]

do you plan to shoot them? if yes, do you want to deal with 1 or 2 more cartridges?

if you don't plan to shoot them or don't mind different cartridges, try a Type 99.

for desirability, to me, the type 99 would go type 99 sniper (I'll take a externally adjustable 4 power nagoya thanks), a paratrooper, type 99 long rifle, early type 99 short rifle with aircraft sights and monopod and so on.
a decent early matched type 99 short rifle with chrysanthinum, dust cover, monopod and aircraft sights would be a nice mediun of desirable/collectable yet not ridiculously expensive or stupidly hard to find.

I'm sure others with more knowledge will be along soon.

[bob q]

If you are only wanting two rifles , I would go one of two routes . A T-38 rifle , used most early battles and in places the whole war . A T-99 , later war battles , clearly different from the T-38 , early one have lots of cool features . There are still a lot out there for sale and $350.00 + should get a good one of either type . Or two T-99's , a very early rifle with all the goodies and a late crude rifle that shows how far they went .

[Aragorn243]

The rifles most commonly used are the Type 38 and the Type 99. Less common Type 38 carbines and Type 99 long rifles exist and the Type 99 goes from having all the bells and whistles to being a stripped down bare bones rifle. If you want the same caliber as the Type 44, you want the Type 38. Prices are all over the place depending on whether it matches, has a full mum and the arsenal that made it but nice functional examples can be commonly found in the $300 dollar range. Price goes up for additional features, etc.

[usabaker]

Thank you everyone! looks like the consensus is the Type 99

decent early matched type 99 short rifle with chrysanthinum, dust cover, monopod and aircraft sights

I saw one of these on GunBroker looked pretty cool; not sure if it had the dust cover it did have most of the other stuff.

---------- Post added at 07:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:27 PM ----------

Thanks everyone, look like the consensus is the Type 99 for the long rifle and the 38 rather than the 44, not sure why though so i'll have to look closer at these two.

[mmppres]

Look around the gun auctions an then the gun shows. I have had all the different models from nice collector grades to junk ones. But the average ones what I would call collector /shooter grade are in the 250 to 350 range. The come an go alot. Due your research an have fun looking.

[usabaker]

So here is an example that I found on Gunbroker, to help me gauge how much do rifles like this one go for.

WWII JAPANESE T99 ARISAKA RIFLE W/ MUM-1ST SERIES - Curios Relics at GunBroker.com : 796981244

Good condition WWII Japanese Type 99 Arisaka rifle in 7.7mm caliber that has a full untouched mum on the receiver and was manufactured as part of the 1st Series by Nagoya Arsenal. Rifle is NOT import marked and has nonmatching numbers. Metal finish is original blue with some turning brown and some light pitting throughout. Bore is about very good, mostly bright with strong rifling and a few dark areas. Stock has added varnish and shows some normal handling marks. Rifle is complete with correct original cleaning rod, anti-aircraft wings, and monopod

[Aragorn243]

I would steer clear of that one. It's a put together. There is no way that rifle was originally in that stock. The metal surface is all pitted and has been reblued. Bolt on the other hand looks like it's supposed to. Early Arisakas are very nicely done, smooth bright metal, etc. The original stock would be beat to crap with a metal finish like that. I'm not an expert on telling the difference but monopod is probably a reproduction. It does fit correctly and no extra bump on the wood I can see so it might be original. Just thinking odds are against it. As for the bore, It should be bright as these were chromed. I see no evidence the chrome is left and "dark spots" in a chromed barrel doesn't sound good. Stock has been varnished according to the seller so even that isn't correct.

It escapes me why anyone is bidding that one so high, it's a representative place holder until a nice one comes along. Considering with shipping it's already at $395 and there's going to be a transfer fee on top of that, there are a lot nicer rifles around for that kind of money that have mums, actual original finish and are matching.

[usabaker]

Considering with shipping it's already at $395 and there's going to be a transfer fee on top of that, there are a lot nicer rifles around for that kind of money that have mums, actual original finish and are matching.

Aragone, Thanks, the things you pointed out help a lot. I've been looking around town but the rifles I have found so far have been awful to me overpriced. Maybe its a time for a road trip to AZ gun show. San Diego no longer has Gunshows, the anti-gun team was able to get ours shut down.