Arisaka ID help?

[Skib]

Was hoping someone might be able help to ID this Arisaka I got from a buddy.




It appears to have no ID markings stamped into the metal
only markings in the bottom of the stock and a painted mark on the side.

(Sorry for the so-so phone pics)







The stock markings.

Sent this pic to a Japanese friend who told me it translates to "1078" and is also hand painted on the but.


Hard to get a clear shot with my phone but this is right above the 1078




Thanks in advance for any insight anyone might have.

Information

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[vintage hunter]

Need better pics to be certain but from what I can see it's a Type 38 trainer.

[burb1989]

Looks like a trainer to me. The definitive way to prove it is to see if it has a smooth bore or not. If it is indeed a trainer it will make for a nice display piece in your collection.

[Skib]

Yeah my phone is terrible, sorry haha

It does indeed have a smooth bore.
Guess that would explain the numbering burned into and painted on it.

Is there any way of dating it?
Its also missing the end cap/safety from the end of the bolt.
how hard is that to find for a trainer/38?

Sorry if some of these are common knowledge,
I know far more about old Japanese cars than their rifles haha

But it got offered to me for $100 and being a WW2 buff it was too cool to pass up

Ill see if I cant find something to get better pictures with.

[Skib]

sent this picture to a Japanese friend to see if he cant make it out.

[burb1989]

Well skib as far as dating it I'm not quite sure on that. Indeed the 1078 is something like a rack or inventory number which signified which rifle it was in a school or academy's inventory. The other inscription could be where the rifle was issued, either a high school or other trade school or academy. I have a type 38 like yours but it was a service rifle before being pulled from duty and was sent to a school for training. It can still shoot normal 6.5 but it is rather old (from what I could gather it was made sometime between 1905 and 1915) and it is a bolt mismatch so I didn't want to run the risk of something bad happening. Still for $100 you did great since that sling is probably worth more than you paid for the rifle and since you can't shoot it anyway IMHO just leave it as is and enjoy a great piece of history.

[Skib]

That was the plan, I didnt intend to fire it.
The bolt dose appear to match the rifle which is nice, both have a "19" stamp

Itl go in a shadow box or something on the wall along with the 1941 Nagant service revolver I have.

I love that it still has the hand painted ID number on it 70+ years later.


The ID help is much appreciated.

[303tom]

It`s a trainer !................

[browningautorifle]

So, as a trainer Tom, is it unrifled? Just for handling like the drill rifles of the past?

[AZPhil]

I have one like this one but mine is as described like the rifle member burb1989 mentioned. It has the ring of cirles going around the mum. (School rifle) It is fully functional and when I first got this(My first Milsurp rifle) I took it out several times shooting.
Semper Fi
Phil