I need a little advise

[Aragorn243]

Figured I'd look it up since I have the price guide. Peterson's price for a type 38 carbine in Very Good condition, which this may be, is $300 assuming matching numbers and intact mum. No rifle with a ground mum meets the excellent standard. Good condition is $175 assuming again, matching numbers and intact mum. A rifle can meet very good standards with a ground mum but must be near perfect in all other areas. Now he says there is no set percentage deduction for a ground mum or mismatched numbers but from personal experience at auctions, that ground mum knocks $60-$100 off that rifle.

I'm not trying to discourage you at all, just letting you know that you can probably, with a bit of patience, get a much better rifle for that price. I know what the bug feels like, been there and it's taken me a while to get over it and it's been paying off for me. I'm finding good rifles at good to excellent prices.

Information

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[HILLBILLY-06]

No rifle with a ground mum meets the excellent standard. Good condition is $175 assuming again, matching numbers and intact mum. A rifle can meet very good standards with a ground mum but must be near perfect in all other areas.

That Being said, why would anyone attempt to grind one? Or more important who would grind just that one place on a rifle? The other stamps just below it seem to be unground, so is there any reason to attempt this proceedure? I guess what I am asking is why would anyone ever do that?

[Patrick Chadwick]

That Being said, why would anyone attempt to grind one? Or more important who would grind just that one place on a rifle?

Apparently the Japanese did it themselves before surrendering weapons. The chrysanthemum symbol indicated that the weapon was the property of the emperor. If the weapon was to be handed over, then it had to be "de-emperored" to avoid foreigners handling the emperor's property. Or something like that. But since I have not been able to ask a Japanese soldier myself, I just accept what the books tell me!

[303Nut]

I once found a real nice T-99 at the LGS and he wanted just to much. It was on consignment and I told the shop salesman to give the owner a call and see if he would take the price I felt it's worth. He called and I walked out with a much better deal. That won't happen every time but worth a try.

[Geokop]

That is a really nice rifle. Does the floor plate match?
I also own a T38 Series Five Carbine. It has a ground mum, but has its original cleaning rod, and is complete, correct and matching including the floor plate and dust cover.....Paid $400 for it. It's a FUN rifle to shoot.

[NRA]

The Mum is the symbol of the Emperor , the rifle with a MUM is regarded as the property of the Emperor .
The aggreement upon surrender was that the Mums be defaced which would make the surrendered weapon nothing but a rifle , this would 'keep face' for the Japanese troops .
This was McCarther's idea in order to make the transition peacefull as possible , same goes for letting the Emperor Hiro Hito to live and not be inprisoned , also he had to make public apperances to show the Japanese that he was not a messanger from God and just a real person

[bearrowland]

I'd jump on that rifle. It looks really good from here!

[riceone]

Thats not a bad price this day and time for a rifle that looks to be that good. Price is determined by how bad one wantes to sell and how bad one wants it. They are not like Ford truck, if you don't take this one there is another down the block. If I needed a carbine I would pay that for it. Course its just me, but I value finish of wood, metal and matchine number over a mum. After all defacing of the mum is part of the history.

[Detroit-1]

Thats not a bad price this day and time for a rifle that looks to be that good. Price is determined by how bad one wantes to sell and how bad one wants it. They are not like Ford truck, if you don't take this one there is another down the block. If I needed a carbine I would pay that for it. Course its just me, but I value finish of wood, metal and matchine number over a mum. After all defacing of the mum is part of the history.

I agree. I would much rather have a matching but ground mum than a non matching with mum. That said I have found when trying to sell a rifle at a gun show most people, who don't know Japanese guns at all, all they care about is the mum.