Buddy of mine got this rifle from his grandfather years ago and was curious as to what it is. Doesn't sound like he's too attached to it so a rough value would be appreciated as well.
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Buddy of mine got this rifle from his grandfather years ago and was curious as to what it is. Doesn't sound like he's too attached to it so a rough value would be appreciated as well.
Attachment 243454
Attachment 243455
Attachment 243456
"Luck don't live out here. Wolves don't kill the unlucky deer; they kill the weak ones..." Jeremy Renner in Wind River
I haven't seen one since I was a kid, but it sure reminds me of a WWII Japanese Ariska.
If it has a small chrysanthemum flower stamped on it, that would about confirm it.
If it is, don't expect to win very many benchrest competitions with it.
They cost about $2. to produce.
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I think you're right. Definitely an Ariska. Looks like it's in pretty rough shape and not worth much over $100.
"Luck don't live out here. Wolves don't kill the unlucky deer; they kill the weak ones..." Jeremy Renner in Wind River
That is your traditional Bubbasized Japanese. It also has Custom Hacksaw stock
I agree with those above. It looks like the last ditch 7.7's
I would say that it is a Japanese Type 38 Arisaka rifle. More than likely in 6.5x50 caliber. But they did make a Type 99 rifle in 7.7x58 caliber though. I can't tell for sure which caliber you have from the pics. Someone sporterized it by cutting down the stock and refinishing it. The simple crude rear sight makes it a late war issue when the Japanese were trying to simplify production. In any case the rifles are very strong and the cartridges they shoot are quite good and excellent for big game hunting. But one thought is you may need to get a chamber cast made to double check the caliber it uses. Right after the war, the bring back rifles didn't have ammunition for them, so people converted them to wildcat calibers like the 6.5x257 Roberts for example. Some people did convert the Type 99 7.7mm rifles to 30-06, but the slightly larger diameter chamber results in bulged cases when fired. The Chinese converted many rifles to fire the German 8x57 Mauser round too. The unaltered rifles with a Chrysanthemum symbol on top of the receiver command much higher prices than the ones with the mum ground off or defaced. Anyway I would venture that if the bore is good the sporterized one is probably a $200 to $300 dollar gun.
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Looks to be a type 99 "Last Ditch" rifle.
Got out my magnifying glass and looked closer and though it has a crummy safety, it is possible that it is not a last ditch.
I have not seen that rear sight before (course there are a lot of things I have not seen ).
Last edited by TCLouis; 06-14-2019 at 03:20 PM. Reason: Additional comment
Amendments
The Second there to protect the First!
Wood butt plate, peep sight, bolt handle shape(not contoured to teardrop shape), sure look like a late war production rifle type 99. james
I am not a Jap rifle guy, but some had chrome plated bores and held up very well. If you can figure out the caliber as discussed above, you'll have a nice deer gun.
Most definitely a late war 99 7.7x58mm Arisaka. If the bore and headspace are good and it’s pronounced fit by a qualified gunsmith; I’d shoot the cobwebs out of it. I’ve had two 99’s and they were good shooters.
The characters on the receiver identify the model. It is not necessary to know japanese--two identical characters stand for the digits '99' as in Model 99; two different characters for '38,' as in Model 38.
That is a Type 99 Arisaka. It was built later than 1943. I have a mid-war 1943 Type 99 that was made at Nagoya. Mine has a metal butt plate, it also still has a flip up rear sight (no anti aircraft side wings on my sight). The earlier bolts (beginning of the war) still had the safety knob welded on but they were machined/knurled, after welding. My 43' is not machined/knurled, it looks like your bolt in your picture.
The Japanese skimped on many aspects later in the war. As the war went on they approved more and more economizing. They did not however make a weak action. The latter rifles are very rough looking, but still strong and serviceable.
For what it's worth, my bore is one of the more oversized, it slugged at .316".
As far as worth goes, check out the eBay listings for “type 99 Arisaka”. A bubba gun can be worth more when broken down into parts.
JM
Last edited by JM7.7x58; 06-13-2019 at 01:16 AM.
Thanks for all of the great replies! The owner of the rifle is very pleased to learn that the old rifle his grandpa gave him was one he brought back from WWII.
"Luck don't live out here. Wolves don't kill the unlucky deer; they kill the weak ones..." Jeremy Renner in Wind River
SIL has a original bring back in good shape, it shoots great. You do have to find out what chamber it has, many were modded. Official modded have the ground off chys. but who knows. IIRC some will take 303 ammo which is more available than 7.7 jap stuff. Don't know what wood they used but much lighter than a garand.
Whatever!
That rear sight confirms it for me as a "last ditch" rifle. Very crude in it's finish, but that doesn't make it a bad get. My buddy has one and it is very accurate for an open sighter. Definitely one you can have a lot of fun with.
If it is deemed shootable you may be surprised what it will do with a trusty ol boolit.
Somewhere here a target is posted showing what my full military did with Ranch Dog Boolits at 50 yards.
That powder is long since off the market, but something to produce groups like that can be found
AND
That is with a trigger that makes a SKS trigger feel "Match Grade".
Amendments
The Second there to protect the First!
Do not try to shoot 303 Brit in that. The only similarity between 7.7 Jap and 303 British is the bullet diameter.
Look for ammo at ammoseek, but it aint cheap.
Some of the type 99's were built by using type38 parts
I started out with nothing and I still have most of it left.
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Looking for a Hensly &Gibbs #258 any thing from a two cavity to a 10cavityI found a new one from a member here
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |