What is this??

[nhetzer]

Hello all, I'm completely new to Japanese rifles so bare with me. Long story short, I bought two barreled actions from a guy for a whopping $5 each. Since I like project guns, why not? I bought a couple of type 99 bolts only to discover that one didn't fit.
I did a little reading and realized that the Japanese characters on one actually said "99 type" or something akin to that. The one the bolt doesn't fit into has no marking except for the mum. Also, there's a groove in the bottom of the barrel. Is this a type 38 or 44? How can I tell?

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.

[browningautorifle]

You could post some pics and we'll try to help...

[nhetzer]

Here are a few pics of the only features on the barreled action I have.


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[browningautorifle]

Nice mum marking, the pic is too close for me to be able to tell anything. I'm sure there will be someone along momentarily that will know...

[Patrick Chadwick]

The 2 circles inside a larger circle form the Nagoya Arsenal marking.

The symbol in front of the number is a Kana character indicating the series. I cannot identify it from your photo, but at the top of the forum you will find a "sticky" with a link to a site* that shows all the series markings, and then you can identify it yourself.

*Markings on Japanese Arisaka Rifles and Bayonets of World War II

Patrick


Single gas vent hole - but T38s had 2 relief holes - so not a T38. Missing Type marking means it could be a late T99 or derivative thereof. When you can identify the series, that will also tell you which type of rifle it was.

[nhetzer]

I got to digging through my old posts and apparently I asked some of these same questions. I put them on a shelf for awhile and forgot all about it. But I can tell you (from my earlier forgotten research) that the action in question is a series 10. The barrel length is the same as the type 99 (either 23 1/4 inches or 25 inches depending on where the measurement is supposed to be taken. I've attached a pic). But the thing is that none of the type 99 bolts I have will fit it. It slides in ok from the rear but it will not seat fully into the receiver which is an indication to me that it's a different caliber. So based on that, does that lead anyone to a conclusion?

[Patrick Chadwick]

So based on that, does that lead anyone to a conclusion?

Yes, you should measure the chamber carefully, in case it has been altered! If you have other 99s, make a comparative measurement of the length of the knoxform (the root of the barrel). If it is shorter than on the other 99s (for instance, by one turn of the barrel screw thread) then you can be certain that someone has been playing with it.

Patrick

[vintage hunter]

Could you post a picture of the action with the bolt in as far as it will go? In the meantime you can try this, if it isn't already completely strip the bolt and reciever and try the fit. If it goes assemble one part at a time until you find what's binding the bolt. I ran into the same problem a couple years ago while assembling a T38 carbine from a collection of parts for a shooter, I had 3 bolts known to be T38 and all 3 would bind about 2/3 the way in the reciever. Turns out, in my particular case, the ejector needed stoning a little and all was well. Patrick is right about determining chamber dimentions before firing but it should have nothing to do with the bolt not closing if empty.

[nhetzer]

Sorry, here's the pic of the measurement. I'll get the bolt pic tomorrow.


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