Any WWII buffs that know Japanese rifles?

[Hunting Wife]

Ok...was talking to a friend the other night and he mentioned having gotten these from a relative. He doesn’t know anything about them, other than a grandfather picked them up during the war. They appear to be different calibers, looking at the bore diameter. Other than some Japanese marks on the top of the chamber and serial numbers, there aren’t really any markings. Both are in pretty tough shape. But neither of us know anything and I’m wondering if anyone might know some basic info. All I *think* I know is they are probably Arisaka?







The dark one has a separate sliding bolt cover and a flip up rear sight. The light one has some kind of peep sight.

 

[huronmtns]

Maybe this has some useful information.

Japanese Rifles of World War II

Even collectors of militaria view the Japanese rifles as being of a lower quality, but this isn’t quite true...

www.ammoland.com

 

[huronmtns]

A little more information on the marking.

Imperial Seal of Japan - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[WildWill]

I believe the longer one is a type 99 and the other a type 38. The 99 is a 7.7x58 the 38 is a 6.5. The flower mark that's been partially destroyed is a chrysanthemum which was the imperial seal of Japan. Before the surrender the Japanese soldiers were ordered to destroy the mark. In honor of the surrender agreement general MacArthur ordered US soldiers to do the same with captured rifles.

 

[HighWildFree]

Ariska Type 99. I have a few. Typically chambered in 7.7x58mm sometimes called 7.7 Jap

 

[Hunting Wife]

Thanks guys. Interesting...didn’t even recognize the chrysanthemum until I saw that posted here.

 

[WildWill]

Hard to see on the phone yesterday. Got better view now on the computer. The bottom is a 99. The top one appears to be a later war rifle. Late in the war the Japanese began cutting corners using cheaper stocks, not issuing dust covers, basic peep sights, and wooden not metal butt plates. The rifle that's chrysanthemum is halfheartedly scratched out was probably done by a US service men as the Japanese tended to do a better job at it.

 

[Walkathon]

Interesting rifles. My brother has one of each of the Arisaka rifles- same as you show above, two different calibers. Both have the chrysanthemum scratched, and both were brought back by a grandparent who served active duty in WWII. One was a Marine in the Pacific and one served in the Navy in the Pacific. My brother shoots both of them as my grandparents had brass and handed down loaded ammo when they passed. My brother still has the letter that the commander of the Navy ship typed up to allow my Grandpa to bring it back to the US.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Thanks for the historical background. That’s exactly what I was hoping to learn. Cool that some people still have ones that shoot. The light one definitely won’t shoot, but the dark one still seems functional. I imagine they were stored in a basement or barn somewhere for a long time though.

 

[JohnCushman]

I don't know anything about the rifles, but those are excellent crocs I have the same pair

 

[MO Betta]

The wikipedia articles on the type 99 and type 38 are actually pretty decent primers on the weapons if you want to travel a little down the rabbit hole about them.

 

[Hunting Wife]

I don't know anything about the rifles, but those are excellent crocs I have the same pair

Oh, are yours also surgically attached? I don’t know for sure, but I’d swear he just puts his other shoes on over those.

 

[antlerradar]

I am having a hard time looking at the rifles because I am distracted by an elk antler with cool looking kickers.

 

[JohnCushman]

Oh, are yours also surgically attached? I don’t know for sure, but I’d swear he just puts his other shoes on over those.

I either have crocs on or I'm barefoot

 

[Hunting Wife]

I am having a hard time looking at the rifles because I am distracted by an elk antler with cook looking kickers.

Unfortunately I don’t know the backstory on the antler.

 

[Losing_Sanity]

Seems I was told one time that those old Japanese 7.7 rifles had a rifling sleeve inserted in them of chromium or stainless steel or something. I don't remember for sure. Someone on here will probably know more about that.

 

[MO Betta]

Chrome lined barrels, think they were one of the first to do it. Pretty common in service rifles thereafter.

 

[Brian in Montana]

I don't know anything about Japanese rifles, but I do know a factoid about French army surplus rifles - the reason they are so valuable is they've never been fired and only been dropped once.

 

[RevJim]

My father fought the Japanese with MacArthur's Army. He and his friends called the 6.5 version the "Jap 25". They consider the carbine version a good War Trophy, and to use as a deer rifle someday. He had to "turn his in" and the Brass had a 'Drawing" for all. He ended up with a Cavalry sword. He was P.O.d ha.

He also said that the "longer barreled Jap 25" was used by many Jap snipers, and in the jungle, you could hardly tell where the shot came from. My uncle brought home a 7.7 Arisaka but it still had cosmoline in the bore. Pristine. He fought "both" Battles of Manilla, getting run out, then taking it back. Rough.