Where and when was this Type 99 made?

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The term "Last Ditch" is a phrase coined by US collectors over the years to identify with the late Type 99 rifles where the deletion of parts through the production period included:

front sight guards
cleaning rod
pinned bayonet lug instead of screwed on
shortened handguard
rear peep sight
cylindrical bolt handle
wooden butt plate
And in some series, the elimination of machining of dust cover grooves in the receiver, sling swivels, hole drilled through stock for rope sling and the just overall lack of finishing the metal and wood.

The Japanese used the term "Substitute Standard" in '43 when the Arsenals started making changes in first eliminating the mono-pod, chrome lined bores, sliding dust covers and Anti-Aircraft wings on the rear sights. They used Substitute Standard the entire war for the standard type 99 rifles, no matter what late features evolved to.
There were other manufactured 99 designs by the Navy and small rifle makers which did have markings applied to the receiver tops that translate to "Special", "Special Type 99" and "Emergency", that were made very late in the war.

Information

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