Old Japanese Rifle

[161]

A guy gave my this rifle for helping him. I didn't think much about it until I tore it apart to clean it. It has no magazine. It's a single shot. Never seen a WWII gun single shot. It was suppose to be one a GI brought home. None of the markings have been ground like most. Who can tell me about this gun? I can take different pictures if needed.

Thanks

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[blpenn66502]

First thought is that it is a training rifle not a service rifle.

[junkbug]

It does not have real locking lugs or an extractor either, at least not a mauser claw type. I'll bet its smooth bore also. In all likelyhood its a training rifle meant to be fired with blanks, if fired at all.

[Japlmg]

Correct, it is a training rifle.
Gregg

[161]

Here are some more photos. I think you'er on to something with the blank gun. I know nothing about these rifles. But I see no locking lug except the one that is screwed onto the bolt. I assumed the action screws were missing but as you can see the stock was never drilled for them and the action has the holes plugged. There was rifling in the barrel at one time, just rust now. Didn't the Jap rifles have a bloosum or a rose on the top of the receiver that had to be ground off after their surrender?? This one doesn't have that. And yes I don't know how to spell bloosum.54745

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[possom813]

They Arisaka rifles had a 'mum' on top of the receiver, just in front of the chamber, IIRC.


I'm going with it being a Type 38, 6.5x50, converted into a trainer, hence the rifling. Trainers bear no mum, or evidence thereof, and are smoothbore from the get-go from what I've read.

That's my guess

[3006guns]

Some of the Japanese training rifles used worn, unservicible barrels or other parts however the receivers were usually made of cast iron with no 16 petal "mum" (symbol of the emporer). They will never have true serial number, only a two or three digit number stamped on the side of the receiver. The dead giveaway on most of them is that the rear stock (wrist) tangs are cast in one piece. They're two interlocking parts on the real gun.

I have a trainer in my rack that you'd swear was an actual rifle, it's that good. It has a large "do not fire" tag and a tie wrap holding the bolt open. Since some of these blew up when returning G.I.s tried to fire them, Japanese weapons in general had a false reputation for years of being junk. Far from it.

[3006guns]

Some of the Japanese training rifles used worn, unservicible barrels or other parts however the receivers were usually made of cast iron with no 16 petal "mum" (symbol of the emporer). They will never have true serial number, only a two or three digit number stamped on the side of the receiver. The dead giveaway on most of them is that the rear stock (wrist) tangs are cast in one piece. They're two interlocking parts on the real gun. Also, since your receiver has a "bottom" and no magazine, I'd say it was purpose built and is quite probably cast iron.

It would be of some interest to a collector. Do you have the stock?

I have a trainer in my rack that you'd swear was an actual rifle, it's that good. It has a large "do not fire" tag and a tie wrap holding the bolt open. Since some of these blew up when returning G.I.s tried to fire them, Japanese weapons in general had a false reputation for years of being junk. Far from it.

[161]

It's not really worth anything is it?? Just a wall hanger?

[3006guns]

First of all, I'm sorry about the double post..........not sure how I did that!

Sure it has some value, probably somewhere between $125-$175 if complete going by current prices for Japanese arms. I paid $125 for mine about ten years ago, but it was complete with a wooden sheath bayonet.......which is worth much more than the gun.

[161]

Some of you may cringe but i'm thing about making a lamp out of it.

[Ed in North Texas]

Standard "issue" weapons, including the Arisaka rifles, had the Imperial sign (a Chrysanthemum blossom) on the receiver. There was even a "mum" on the bow of Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) ships. The "mum" showed the weapon was the property of the Emperor and was "given" by the Emperor to the soldier/sailors. Not all weapons had the mum disfigured (ground/marked with chisel cuts, etc.), only those which were surrendered at the end of the war (and possibly not every single one of those). I have 2 type 38s with complete mum, they were GI captured. Some actual rifles were given to schools, usually when the rifles were considered not fit for further active service. These "training" rifles always had the mum disfigured, often by having the mum edges marked with circle punches, essentially taking the rifle out of service and showing that it was used for school training.

Ed