I am looking for information / suggestions / tricks if it applies, etc. in regards to Type 99 7.7 Japanese Arisaka rifles.
First some background. I am old enough that when I was a kid, Arisakas were pretty much classified as “cheap crap” . . . . mainly by the fathers of my classmates and fellows that I knew who had been on the receiving end of them in the Pacific. When I was older, although I was a BP shooter, I accumulated five Arisakas along with some SMLEs and a P-17 – but I had no interest in them as far as shooting them and I didn’t reload at the time – so I sold them all (which I now regret). The Arisaka rifles I had were all Type 99 – I even had a really crude “last ditch” with a scorched stock from a flame thrower. A number of years later, I was given a 1905 Danzig GEW98 that a WWI veteran that I knew had brought back from France in 1919. I now greatly enjoy that rifle and shoot it with cast and reduced loads of Red Dot – a great shooter.
So . . . . my cousin called me the other day and he is in the process of settling his sister’s estate – she passed this past winter. He said that he wanted to give me the two rifles that his Dad, my uncle, brought back in WWII. It has been a number of years since I examined them – they hung over his fireplace for years. Both are Type 99 and I would class them as both as being higher quality 99s. One has the Mum and the other one is ground – both retain the dust covers and at least one has the aircraft sights as well as the monopod – both with original slings and bayonets and scabbards. I will get them later this summer when we get together.
I would like to have them checked over by a gunsmith I know, have headspace checked, etc. and then I would like to be able to reload reduced loads with cast for them. From my reading, bore sizes can vary so I will slug the bores and see what they are – if a stock mold will work, fine, and if not, then I’ll have one cut at Accurate to use. I’m not interested in pushing them hard – just being able to shoot light plinking loads out to 100 yards or so – the same as I do with the GEW98.
As the years have passed, I’m sure that the Arisaka rifles that were at one time “looked down upon” have gained popularity as a milsurp rifle to shoot. I will also add that, one, my attitude has changed, and two, the value that they have grown to have like many milsurp rifles does not really interest me – they are more of a “sentimental” thing since my uncle brought them back and I remember them over his fireplace from the time I was a kid – I’m very grateful that my cousin wants me to have them.
For those here who own and shoot an Arisaka – whether in original form or sporterized – I’d greatly appreciate any comments, suggestions, etc. that you many have about them – how your rifle shoots – what your bore/boolit size and weight is that you use and anything that a person needs to look out for. I’m basically starting out from scratch with these when I get them so any information will be helpful. While I will not know actual bore size until I get them and slug the bores – I do remember from when I looked at them a number of years ago that both had excellent looking bores – shiny and strong rifling.
Thanks for any information, suggestions, etc. – greatly appreciated!
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