Solid walnut stock on my T38 long

[A. F Medic]

I have a T 38 Koishikawa (based on rifle number 1978156) No series. Barrel and action match. All others 497. Scrubbed mum. No ears on front sight

Unusual thing to me is that it is not a spliced stock and appears to be solid walnut. Arsenal rebuild?













---------- Post added at 08:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:38 PM ----------

Sling is repro...

Information

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[vintage hunter]

I believe 497 is the assembly # and if the stock is original to the rest of the rifle it should be stamped in the barrel channel and on the bottom of the reciever just ahead of the mag well. BTW nice rifle, how does it shoot?

[A. F Medic]

Don't remember if the barrel channel has a number. Nothing by the mag well. Have not shot it for awhile and I usually just shoot it to get the feel.

My 38 appears heavier then my 99. Put a bayo on it and I wonder why the average 5ft 4in Japanese soldier did not have more problems with it in combat. Of course, his prime motivation was that it was the Emperor's rifle.....

[Patrick Chadwick]

Unusual thing to me is that it is not a spliced stock and appears to be solid walnut. Arsenal rebuild?

I know that the Arisakas were usually made with a 2-piece stock, but I doubt that anyone can guarantee that it was always so. Certainly my T38 /Nagoya 27th series) has a splendid one-piece stock and an excellent urushi finish (the real McCoy Japanese lacquer).
An overall view:

Attachment 26129

And a close-up:

Attachment 26130

Sceptics please note: I have not refinished this stock. That is how an undisturbed urushi finish should look.

Patrick

[A. F Medic]

Could the Japanese found some European walnut to use? Why one piece rather the two usual? Probably will never know. Thanks....