Pawnshop find , caliber was unknown

[Ferryboatcaptain]

Stopped in at one of the few pawn shops in my area and found this Japanese Type 99 . It was Sporterized with a Lyman Peepsight. Pawnshop did not know for sure what caliber it was. $131 out the door. Got it home and of course got on Google and was reading about how a lot of the rifles had been converted to 30-06 . Sure enough 30-06 dropped right in. Did a test fire and bolt opened perfectly and brass look great. Loaded up some Speer 180 grain round nose .311 bullets. Great rifle , Locks up like a bank vault. Chrome lined bore . Probably take it deer hunting this fall . FBC

[TNsailorman]

Looks like you got yourself a deer killer. The Arasaki rifles are about as strong as they come. I really like the chrome lined bores also. james

[Bazoo]

Pretty awesome score. Thanks for sharing that.

[pworley1]

Great find. Congratulations!

[Shawlerbrook]

Definitely a good find at a good price.

[bedbugbilly]

Looks like you wore the Lottery for the day! Congrats!

[kungfustyle]

Now that's a score!!!!! Great job!

[elmacgyver0]

It is a shame it was sporterised, With the Mum intact it would had have collector value. They don't make them anymore.
Anyway, you got a nice rifle, hope you enjoy it.

[WinchesterM1]

Yeah the intact mum means a WW2 vet more then likely brought it home from an island somewhere

[jakharath]

The intact mum is awesome!

[GregLaROCHE]

Congratulations! Good find. I have I have a stock 7.7. Unfortunately, the flower was ground off like many that were brought back as souvenirs.

[William Yanda]

Looks like a mum on the receiver. Does that indicate that the gun is a "bring back"? If it could tell stories.....

[WinchesterM1]

Yes when the Japanese surrendered, one of the conditions was to grind the mum off the rifles as signs of respect, so if you have one that still has the mum it’s about a 95% chance it was a bring back from the islands, unless some guy sent one home from the docks before grinding it. I’ve got 5 type 99s that all have mums and they all shoot good, all the way from pre war to LATE war last ditch rifles, I think they all shoot good

[Bull-Moose]

Great find.

[WinchesterM1]

Looks like a mum on the receiver. Does that indicate that the gun is a "bring back"? If it could tell stories.....

If you wanna hear stories I’ve got several, I have one I got off of a flamethrower in WW2 and he hit a bunker with it and then beat the Japanese to death with it, breaking the stock and leaving teeth marks, I’ve got one that has 60mm mortar fragments in the stock from a “very lucky hit” and I’ve got another last ditch that was taken off of Okinawa from a solider who only had a single shot left and missed…. When they searched his body he only had that one round that he fired


Crazy stories… all 5 of mine I got off of vets from the war

[Dutchman]

Somebody offered me some once-fired 7.7x58 brass. It looked a little funny until I set it next to a .30-06 and it became clear. Rifle was re-chambered and was fired with 7.7x58 ammo. Left the neck a little short but otherwise didn't seem too big a deal.

[ebb]

if you want to make a few bucks I could round it up to $150? Great find!!!!!!

[Wayne Smith]

If it had a 30-06 reamer run up the chamber, as was common, without setting back the barrel, you have an extra large chamber base. You will find that the brass expands and will not fit a 30-06 size die. First, a piece of scotch tape around the base of the cartridge before you chamber it centers it in the chamber so it will expand evenly. Second, get a size die that neck sizes and have fun reloading it.

[todd9.3x57]

hey!!!!! i have one too!!!!!!!! i bought at an auction 2 or 3 years ago for the great big price of $70-80(i think)

it is reamed out to '06 and the front sight was a rem-win-i-don't-what-it-is put on, Redfield aperture sight on the back and a whole lot dust (it was in the bore too). it also needed a aperture part(thing that does the peep sight). i cleaned it out and took it to my gunsmith to make sure it was alright to shoot and then i put her safe. i think that JES needs to rebore it......

[Larry Gibson]

Load those with .311/.312 jacketed bullets and they'll probably shoot just fine. Or with a 314299 or NOE 316299 and do as well with cast. 30-06 load data will be just the ticket.