Nagoya Arsenal Type 99 Rifle (Probably 8th Series but Not Marked) w/Painted Markings

[jmoore]

Having been given a reminder by this thread:

Type 38 Arisaka Short Rifle with Kanji

it seemed like a good time to do a photo shoot of this rifle.





As noted above, it is not series marked but seems to have features of both 7th and 8th series. Given the serial number, it seems probable that it's an 8th series rather than a 7th, as an early-ish 7th would like have several features not found on this example.













Additionally, it has these markings painted under the the front band:




Have been slowly getting the crud off of it, but there is some surface corrosion due to years of neglect. No range time, yet, but the bore looks to be servicable, so it may see action one of these days.

Information

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[jmoore]

a few more detail shots:


Note the browning of the area where the mum was removed. The rifle probably wasn't oiled from soon after WWII until circa 2003! Dust encrusted as well.


Of note here are the rough upper tang and the big ol' knot on the comb.


A small inspection stamp is noticable in the front face of the fore end. Did not see it until cropping the photos.

The bolt assembly numbers match the last three digits of the serial number. But the interesting thing here is the fracture in the firing pin. Looks like a manufacturing defect. Created either during milling of the slot or in heat treat.





No bolt face wear aside from the follower mark. Probably never made it to the field.

[Midmichigun]

Nice.... real nice! Can't get enough Arisaka rifles!!
Thanks for sharing!!

[Claven2]

Nice find, though I suspect it's more likely a 7th series since by the end of the 7th they had gone to the short handguard on most rifles.

[jmoore]

...I suspect it's more likely a 7th series since by the end of the 7th they had gone to the short handguard on most rifles.

I have not discounted the possibility, but according to Honeycutt's book, the fixed rear sight and the guardless front sight don't show up until very late in the seventh series, roughly in the 90,000 range. The lack of grasping grooves in the fore end is noted as showing up somewhere in the middle of the 7th series. Could it be that the knot in the butt delayed the stock assembly installation a bit? (Set aside as "reject" until things became more dire, perhaps, at which point the series change had occurred.)

[Claven2]

Yes, that is possible, but a typical 8th would have a substitute standard stock with a large-diameter round recoil lug bolt, no grasping grooves, and most often the "Type 99" script has been eliminated, though there are exceptions to that.

It's also possible it's a 9th series Izawa with a light or mis-stamped nagoya sub-arsenal mark. Izawa 9th series rifles are often found with welded fixed sights but earlier pattern 2 piece stocks like yours.

Finally, it could be an early 8th series with a replacement stock.

[jmoore]

It's also possible it's a 9th series Izawa with a light or mis-stamped nagoya sub-arsenal mark. Izawa 9th series rifles are often found with welded fixed sights but earlier pattern 2 piece stocks like yours.

That does seem to fit well, with the exception of the "Type 99" marking that exists on the receiver ring and the lack of the "four pointed star" that ought to be behind the fighting fish symbol. But since the series mark is missing as well, maybe they were having a bad day. But Osaka wasn't bombed until quite late in the war, so...