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Need some expertise on this rifle. Believe it is 6.5 has an intact mum and dust cover along with bayonet and scabbard. No duffle cut or import marks.
What can you tell me about it?
The Japanese had two basic bolt action rifles, both were Arisaka's. The 6.5x50 Jap is an Arisaka type 38 and the 7.7x58 type 99. Yours was probably a GI bring-back because the chrysanthemum is intact. All Japanese weapons had a mum on them to show it was the property of the emperor. As a show of good will to the emperor, all captured Japanese weapons had the mum removed or defaced.
The type 38 has a strange type of rifling, IIRC it had three lands and the rifling was rounded. I had one that was sporterized and was able to locate years of manufacture and arsenal through an on-line search.
Some had airplane sights. On the rear sight there were two wings that pulled out to help judge lead on an airplane.
These were very strong actions, styled after the Mauser. PO Ackley tried and blew-up Mauser, Springfield, Enfield and others but never an Arisaka. Arisakas were not popular as sporters because of the large palm safety, the strange rifling and our prejudice. Ammo wasn't readily available after the war and some were re-chambered to 6.5x257 Roberts.
Go to Gunboards forum and look under the Weapons of the Rising Sun topic. There are a lot of knowledgeable people there and along with your excellent photos, you'll get your questions answered. I believe your rifle is worth a great deal, but I don't know.
I had a 7.7! It was a really a nice rifle. Impressive round, they just copied the British .303 but made it rimless and made the neck longer! Surprised it still had the dust cover, they usually got tossed away, they rattled and made it difficult to operate the bolt smoothly. Looks like it may have been drilled for sniper scope!
Another post-war re- chambering was the 06...Just ream the chamber for the 06 and leave the bore alone. I think the Arisakas had chrome bores, but that could be a false memory.
Gene L wrote: ↑Wed Aug 30, 2023 1:09 am
Another post-war re- chambering was the 06...Just ream the chamber for the 06 and leave the bore alone. I think the Arisakas had chrome bores, but that could be a false memory.
The Navy Arisakas had chrome lined bores. A lot got rechambered for .30-06 but the bore is .311 so the probably didn't shoot to good.
Does not look like he's done the 7.7 yet, which makes sense since his big project today has been covering WWI. The 7.7 is more or less a rimless .303 Brit.
WWJMBD?
I believe we should stand on Ceremony. . . while our friends handcuff the sanctimonious little prick and take him away.
Big Al1 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 9:50 pm
I had a 7.7! It was a really a nice rifle. Impressive round, they just copied the British .303 but made it rimless and made the neck longer! Surprised it still had the dust cover, they usually got tossed away, they rattled and made it difficult to operate the bolt smoothly. Looks like it may have been drilled for sniper scope!
What am I missing? you say drilled for a scope. The only holes I see are on top of the receiver and it is my understanding those are gas ports.
Freezer wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 10:58 pm
OK, this is a beautiful specimen, what is the rest of the story? Is it yours? Did it fall from the sky and into your hands?
BTW you suck!
Not much story I'm afraid. My brother got it from a guy that owed him some money. I got it from my brother.
So based on info here, it would seem this rifle was removed from service to ether be sold or sent to a school for a training weapon. This based on the fact the Mum is over stamped but I can't identify the characters.
Big Al1 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 9:50 pm
I had a 7.7! It was a really a nice rifle. Impressive round, they just copied the British .303 but made it rimless and made the neck longer! Surprised it still had the dust cover, they usually got tossed away, they rattled and made it difficult to operate the bolt smoothly. Looks like it may have been drilled for sniper scope!
What am I missing? you say drilled for a scope. The only holes I see are on top of the receiver and it is my understanding those are gas ports.
That's the way they mounted their scopes, kinda sideways to the way we would drill for one. I couldn't tell if the rear was drilled because of the dust cover. If they are not threaded then probably gas ports.
Big Al1 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 9:50 pm
I had a 7.7! It was a really a nice rifle. Impressive round, they just copied the British .303 but made it rimless and made the neck longer! Surprised it still had the dust cover, they usually got tossed away, they rattled and made it difficult to operate the bolt smoothly. Looks like it may have been drilled for sniper scope!
What am I missing? you say drilled for a scope. The only holes I see are on top of the receiver and it is my understanding those are gas ports.
That's the way they mounted their scopes, kinda sideways to the way we would drill for one. I couldn't tell if the rear was drilled because of the dust cover. If they are not threaded then probably gas ports.
Just checked, no other holes under the dust cover and the two on the receiver go in at about a 45 degree angle so safe to say gas ports I think.
Does not look like he's done the 7.7 yet, which makes sense since his big project to date has been covering WWI. The 7.7 is more or less a rimless .303 Brit.
WWJMBD?
I believe we should stand on Ceremony. . . while our friends handcuff the sanctimonious little prick and take him away.
Is that where it came from?