Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com

[FL70]

I've had this rifle for years, handed down from my father.

Given the photos below, can anyone give me any information on it? Thanks in advance.

[gwsiii]

That is a very nice rifle. It's a Tokyo Arsenal Type 38 (Model of 1905) Long Rifle. 6.5 Japanese caliber. It was the primary weapon of the Japanese military for almost 40 years, and used throughout the world by several other countries. It looks to be missing the Safety Knob and internal bolt parts possibly (firing pin/striker and spring). Please fill out a Type 38 Datasheet and send to Frank Allan, he'll be along later to fill in the particulars on your rifle. I think the later ones (1.8 Million to 2.3 million) are a little more interesting than most. I've got a 'subcollection' of the later no series rifles (translate to-I found another excuse to buy), Thanks for posting. Trey

The metal looks great and will clean up nicely with 0000 steel wool or nickel wool and light oil/wd40. Do the numbers on the bolt match the numbers on the serial number or bayonet lug or inside of the bolt release? The stock may have been lightly refinished or rubbed with steel wool, are the inspection marks on the underside (below the trigger and lower tang before the sling swivel) still there? Filling out a datasheet usually clears up the previous questions. Very nice old warhorse...Only thing wrong with it is that it isn't in my house
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[FL70]

Thanks! I'll fill out the form as best I can, but I'm not a 'gun guy' - my dad was. So some terms I don't understand/recognize. For example I don't know what a latch spring is or how to recognize a chrome bolt face.

[gwsiii]

there are numbers on the underside of the bolt handle (that turns up and down)


stock inspection marks are on the underside of the stock, towards your shoulder from the trigger guard.
Here is an inspection mark on a Nagoya Type 38


Here is an inspection mark on a Nagoya Type 99, that is the last screw in the lower tang that is attached to the trigger guard.


bayonet lug


bolt release,

here is a link to disassembly pictures, there are more natural angles than these, but this will work.
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[FL70]

OK, I took the whole thing apart (and put it back together!).

The numbers on the stock, receiver bottom, trigger, magazine, and bayonet lug all match - t153. The t actually being a Japanese character similar to a double-crossed lower case t. The bolt release and rear sight are also t153, but I couldn't get a focused photo of either.











The numbers on the bolt handle and floor plate do not match as seen below.





I also snapped shots of the marks inside the stock and under the receiver in case they were relevant.





My father passed away over 25 years ago so I'm not sure anyone knows the history of this rifle.

[gwsiii]

Pretty neat puzzle isn't it? Looks very nice, will clean up quite well. It is pretty common for bolts to be mismatched, as well as floorplates. They all have history, whether the actual history was passed along to us or not so we just appreciate them for what they are.
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[FL70]

Could you please elaborate on questions 10, 11, 14, 15, and 22-28? I'm not sure what I'm looking for in regards to these. Thanks.

[gwsiii]

strawed parts refers to the type finish, straw (honey colored) or blued (blue/black like the rest of the rifle) or polished (shiny like the bolt).

10 - Bolt Release spring finish, middle of the thing (bolt release) that you pull out to release the bolt so you can slide it out, yours should be strawed unless it has been reworked.

11 - Trigger finish - yours should be strawed unless it has been reworked

14, 15 - Front sight fasteners - F.S.
14 - how the front sight blad is attached, is it a screw with a slot on the side, a pin, or nothing visible.
15 - does whatever fastens the front sight stick out or is it flush with the front sight guard or sight itself.

22 - no, I think this was added due to a partially chrome bolt face on some Type 97 rifles (Nagoya, I think)
23 - no, some of the later Kokura series rifles have been reported with a chrome bore.
24 - bolt is polished/bright handle is sometimes blued \
25 - I didn't see a safety knob on your rifle in the picture
26 - rifling is probably 4 groove you'll see 4 cuts making the twist inside of the muzzle/barrel
27 - 6.5 x 50 Japanese most likely
28 - no I don't think your rifle is import marked. After 1968 the company importing rifles from foreign countries is required by law to stamp a mark on the weapon identifying it as a recent import.
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[Francis C. Allan]

I also agree that this rifle will clean up very nicely. I suggest using Bronze wool of the finest grade you can find. Coupled with some oil it will look very good indeed.

I beleive it was made in approximately March 1922 at the Tokyo Arsenal according to a projection I made as I wrote the book "The Type 38 Arisaka". It looks like it was later re-built by the Nagoya Army Arsenal.

A nice find in great condition.

Thanks for filling out the data sheet. Every report helps us learn more about the history of these weapons.

Frank
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Francis C. Allan
20Courtney Place
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(386) 445-4225

[DEFUC]

If you cant find brass wool, "nickle" wool works well too,I use the gun pads from "Big .45" but a couple guys have said they buy theirs in the cleaning supplies area of walmart,I personaly dont know which one they use tho...the tricks go gentle and slow,with some oil,lots of repeated steps VS a extended rigirous buffing