Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com

[Garandshtr]

Hello again! Looking for a little help with the new Type 38. Basically, the problem is the cleaning rod. How to get it out? It doesn't seem to have a lock/plunger arrangement like the Type 99, but it won't come out, either. Any ideas?

TIA
Mark

[gwsiii]

The front band is held on by a spring loaded catch, it looks like a flat piece of metal in line with the stock, push it in at the end closest to the front band, and pull out on the rod. It has a catch inside that locks in to the cut out in the rod. If it still won't budge, you'll have to work it loose with elbow grease and wd-40. If you don't have the long spring catch, you've got a trainer, and the rod likely has a sharp end that 'stabs' in inside of the stock through the cleaning rod hole. Trey
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[Garandshtr]

Excellent! Thanks Trey. That worked just as you say. I wasn't sure, but that long metal part behind the front band seemed to be involved, but I was pushing the wrong end, or not hard enough. So, pushing the end closest to the band released the rod.

many thanks,
Mark

[gwsiii]

Mark, I updated my explanation to clarify for the next person. Just in case you can't get the rod back in, it's ok to send it to me .
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[Garandshtr]

I'm sure it would find a good home with you, if I do. However, since I now know how to get it in and out, and it does stay in quite snugly, I'll just keep it for now. Is there a place to find the other cleaning parts issued to a Japanese soldier carrying this rifle? I don't see a little pocket to contain then, like US rifles have a stock cavity, so perhaps they were carried in the soldier's backpack? Probably something like that, I'm guessing.

Also, this is a mismatched rifle. Is there a place to check on serial numbers? How to tell what "series" the bolt and dust cover are?

thanks again,
Mark

[gwsiii]

The bolt number will probably be preceded by a hirigana character, rather than a katakana character in a circle (series ordered by the IROHA poem).
I don't believe you can get Type 38 bolts down to series based on the assembly numbers. You can group them as early and late, and by arsenal. But I don't think you can get them to a specific series. Be sure to fill out a Type 38 Datasheet for Frank when you get a chance. See ebay 290260784912 for a partial cleaning kit. Its missing wooden insert, brass tool, and brass jag tip and brush and those may be Type 44 rods worth over twice what the bid I placed on the kit was. Trey
_________________
Subscribe to BANZAI!
Fill out a Japanese Rifle Datasheet.
I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!