Is this safe to shoot?

[ursavus.elemensis]

I'd like to ask for help identifying a rifle that my grandfather brought back from the war in the Pacific, and I would like to find out if the rifle is safe to shoot. I live in Lancaster County. Is there a gunsmith around this area who would be knowledgable and trustworthy in terms of going over this rifle and making sure that it is safe to shoot it?

The inside of the barrel looks pristine, but I do not know if it is "chromed". If it is chromed, does that mean that it was made with hardened steel and is safe to shoot?

My basic question is: Was this made too late in the war to be safe enough to shoot, and who can I trust to look at the rifle and give me an honest and informed answer?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Agent Ronin]

Well after doing some quick research.

I have identified that as a Japanese Arisaka Type 38 (6.5x50mm)

The numbers on the left side of the reciever mark it as.

Series: 24
Serial: 95,288
Arsenal: Kokura

Manufacture Date: ~1940

Most likely that mark on the center of the reciever was probably where the Imperial chrysanthemum mark existed. Those we're promptly removed from the captured rifles by US Forces...

Markings: http://www.radix.net/~bbrown/japanese_markings.html

[Jay5oh]

Hey I have one of those too...

ETA: Actually mines a type 99 per the above link.

[Agent Ronin]

Since the arsenal that manufactured that rifle only produced Type 38 rifles until 1940. THe metallurgy of the Arisaka rifles are GOOD until about 1942 where they began to sharply decline in quality.

http://www.surplusrifle.com/arisakatype38/index.asp

world of information about the Type 38 rifle, including how to strip and reassemble it.

Now that you know what type it is, when it was made, etc. Getting it to a qualified gunsmith to inspect is now a easier task.

A picture of the markings on the center of the reciever (close up) would aid greatly as that is where the Japanese wrote what type of rifle that is just for confirmation. Also, when holding the rifle from the stock end, the type markings are read right to left.


EDIT: as i stare at those pictures more, i am doubting the identification without reading the code itself. The Type99 and Type38 both had identical arsenal/serial number combinations for the Kokura Arsenal. If its a Type99 then the manufacture date is probably closer to 1944, so the importance of that center reciever mark now is very important.

[ursavus.elemensis]

I hope the Japanese letters / characters are legible in this photo. If not, I'll take another one and try to post it.

Someone on a Japanese rifle forum identified this as a type 99, but said that based on the series, there are many rifles made later in the war that fire just fine. So, maybe I'll be shooting a combat rifle sometime in the relatively near future.

I need a gunsmith in the Lancaster County area to check this out for me and let me know if it's intact and safe. any ideas?

[Little Joe]

Nice rifle, too bad the Mum got struck. Now good luck on finding 7.7 Jap ammo.

-Joe-

[Warners Surplus]

It appears to be a Japanese Arisaka Type 99 in cal. 7.7 Jap. It looks like it still has the anti-aircraft wings on the rear sight (2 arms that fold out with a notch in each) if so, the sight is worth as much as the rifle. Most of them were considered useless and the soldiers use to break them off. They also use to have a dust cover that slid over the action but most off them were scrapped as well.

The model you have is what was called a last ditch rifle. The round cap on the back of the bolt is the safety (push in and turn right) it locks the firing pin back.
On the earlier models the safety was one piece and looked like the Jap. chrisanthimum and the stocks were one piece. On the last ditch models the stock is usually several piece's glued and tacked together and the safety is made up of several piece's welded together.

Most of these rifle's are still shootable today but ammo is high priced and only made by Norma and Hornady.(usually around 30 bux a box) RCBS and LEE make reloading dies for them though.


Rich W.

[Agent Ronin]

Originally Posted by ursavus.elemensis

I hope the Japanese letters / characters are legible in this photo. If not, I'll take another one and try to post it.

Someone on a Japanese rifle forum identified this as a type 99, but said that based on the series, there are many rifles made later in the war that fire just fine. So, maybe I'll be shooting a combat rifle sometime in the relatively near future.

I need a gunsmith in the Lancaster County area to check this out for me and let me know if it's intact and safe. any ideas?

Yep, that clearly reads "Type 99" Now get yourself a box or two 7.7mm and bring ito life.

[Fragger]

Just a FWIW ... notice the difference of this type 38 vs your type 99.

[Shamu]

Some conflicting info here so I suspect mismatched parts.

Last ditch rifles did not have the aircraft sights, they also often had wooden butt plates. The monopod was also missing. Another major concern is the bolt, the end cap appears to be welded, this is often the case with last ditch rifles and MAY be indicative of inferior steel.

Try to look at the bolt end cap of an earlier version 99, you will see the difference.



The welded end on the bolt end cap is a bad sign. But then again, the bolt may not match the rifle.

Yet the author initially identified it as a 38, well, no 38's were last ditch. They preceded the 99. Personally I think it's a 99.

As for chroming that has little to do with the steel being hard or not. Chroming is a surface treatment for steel. Many steels can be chromed, whether hard or not. Bumpers on cars are chromed and that is junk steel.

If you can confidently identify the rifle as built before 1942 you have a good chance that it is safe to shoot. But....NOT BEFORE YOU HAVE THE HEAD SPACE CHECKED.....!

If it is a last ditch it may not safely stand up to the pressures of today's ammo because of poor steel quality which would be difficult to determine without metallurgical help.

A good link on headspace:
http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting...pace/index.asp