Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com

[jeb137]

My wife went to an auction and brought home what looks like a type 38 Rifle. It matches up with the pictures I can find. Only thing is that the markings are not they should be from what I'm reading on line. So I'm very confused.

The ONLY markings are:
between the flip up sight and the receiver, on where the barrel widens out to meet up with the receiver, it says NTK Toyko and a 5 digit serial number.
On the bolt lever, there is a 7

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Is this post war? any thoughts on this would be helpful.
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Always looking for USMC info & items from 1916 - 1920

[Garandshtr]

Do you have any pictures? Those are most helpful to the real experts on this forum (not me!). Pictures are best.
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Still trying to learn what I can, mainly about the Type 99 and Type 38. I have more curiosity than time, and more time than money.

[gwsiii]

Jeb137, welcome to the forum!

Sounds like a training rifle. Take a look at the Training Rifle Datasheet and please fill out a copy and mail to Chip Goddard (Seinen) for his research. He'll be able to tell you more about your rifle. It appears to be receiver variation F on the datasheet.

By the way, I need your bolt! Unfortunately, it probably wouldn't fit my rifle as even training rifles with exactly the same markings were hand fitted and parts seldom interchange. I have a Training rifle that is serial numbered 7 with a mismatched bolt.

Most trainers do not bring anywhere near what a production rifle will, but they are very collectable all in themselves, as well as the bayonets. For just a few hundred dollars you can build a nice collection of trainers. Most I see are in the $50 to $175 range (like rifles used to be) so they are still pretty cheap. I think the big heyday for training rifles like that was from the 20's through the start of the war, but Seinen could tell us for sure. Let us know if you need anything else. Trey
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[jeb137]

Thanks for all the info guys. I'm going to try and get some pictures tomorrow.

I tried to look up NTK and found a reference to sword makers for the japanese army. No mention of rifles.

And thanks for the welcome too.

Jon B
Newaygo MI
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Always looking for USMC info & items from 1916 - 1920

[jeb137]

These are the markings: (i'm having some "issues" trying to upload the pictures, I'll keep trying to post one of the bolt lever and one of the weapon itself.)


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Always looking for USMC info & items from 1916 - 1920

[jeb137]

The "7" on the bolt lever:


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Always looking for USMC info & items from 1916 - 1920

[jeb137]

I keep getting "bad response from server" message. I'll try and post the last picture later today. I know all the pictures are dark, but they are the best I could do. If you open the pictures I've posted you can at least read the markings.


Jon B
Newaygo MI
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Always looking for USMC info & items from 1916 - 1920

[gwsiii]

Jon, the picture server is a free server, with little or no technical support, it saves me several hundred $$$ a year, but can be very frustrating. Please be patient. Thanks for posting the pictures, you learn something every day, I assumed those markings would be on the receiver, not on the barrel. Thanks so much for teaching an old dog a new trick! Trey
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[gwsiii]

Picture server is now up, here are the brightened pictures, notice the Barrel is marked not the receiver. The rifle is considered a 38 style due to it having two gas ports in the receiver and the front end (barrel/bayonet lug) more resembles a Type 38.


the bolt is numbered on the left/up/open side


I checked last night, my #7 is matching, and a different manufacturer. I'll post some pictures later.
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[jeb137]

WOW did you clean up those pictures. YOUR AWSOME !! Thank you.

So, based on what has been said so far, what we have here is a Japanese Type 38 Training Rifle, Barrel marked.

Any idea when it was produced?

I'm sure she plans on selling it. I can not amagine her wanting to keep it. (personally, I perfer her unarmed.) If anyone is interested please let me know and I'll pass on your info to her. But only if you know how to ship a gun... I do not know how.





Again.. thanks for cleaning up those pictures.. They look READABLE.

Jon B
Newaygo MI
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Always looking for USMC info & items from 1916 - 1920

[gwsiii]

Here's my #7, of note is the receiver, see welded blob about where a mum would be on a production rifle.





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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[jeb137]

Thanks for sharing that. One thing I've just noticed is that ours also differs at the trigger guard. I have a piece that comes in from the plate under the stock below the belt. Is that unusual?

Jon B
Newaygo
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Always looking for USMC info & items from 1916 - 1920

[gwsiii]

There will be slight differences in manufacture across all Training Rifles, however, I can't picture what your trying to describe. There are differeces in triggerguards and floorplates. Some trainers are single shots and there is no floorplate, the triggerguard is just s solid piece from font to back. The variation is what makes trainers so collectable. Problem is very little reference material, and the overall crudeness/condition of most trainers. Trey
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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!

[jeb137]

gwsiii;

I''m not always clear on what I say (Just ask my wife, she shares that with me all the time...)

Hopefully you can see what I'm talking about. They say a picture tells a thousand words.

Jon B
Newaygo MI






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Always looking for USMC info & items from 1916 - 1920

[gwsiii]

That's just the floorplate release, that is normal configuration on 38s and Trainers, I thought you were talking about something else...The Russians added sheet metal clips to the triggerguards to prevent a gloved finger from accidentally depressing the floorplate release and unloading the rifle jam a gloved finger in the triggerguard and the floorplate/follower/spring and remaining ammo go flying out.
_________________
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!