Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com

[ronin48]

The year was 1949, I was either 12 or 13, the Lee twins that lived a block u the street needed money and offered me the "Japanese" rifle their Uncle sent back from Okinawa for either $2.50 or $3.50, I "disremember. Cutting a large yard with a push mower, no gas engine, in those days was a $.50 job so even $2.50 was a lot of "sweat equity."

I already had a Remington M 11 16 gauge auto shotgun and a Remington 7-shot .22, but now I had a real rifle. I remember the night I accidentally disassembled the bolt, "OH, I broke it!" Well, may be I can get it back together, I did. When ever I smell that Japanese grease I think of that rifle. I wrote NRA and found it was a Type 99, 7.7mm rifle, "safe to shoot if early, not so if late." (BS).

After college I worked for Lockheed in Huntsville, AL on the Saturn V booster project, a minute cog in a major wheel. A co-worker was divorced and had his three kids, his oldest son who was 13 or 14 didn't seem to have an interest in anything so I gave him the rifle thinking it might spike his interest like it did mine. I have no idea whether he appreciated the gift, I heard some years later he had been killed in an automobile accident. That is one rifle I'd love to have back. Mo lata.
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Three million People, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us."
The War Inevitable, March 1775, Patrick Henry

[gwsiii]

I believe 'Alsaka' saw his first one in the trash in an alley behind a house. A Type 38.
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[ronin48]

Several years ago a fellow called about Banzai. In the conversation I asked him how he got started collecting Japanese Rifles. He was riding his bicycle to school and saw a rifle in the trash, he got it out in hid it in a nearby hedge. After school he stopped at the house, knocked on the door and asked the woman that answered if he could have the rifle. She said yes and gave him the bayonet that went with it. When he arrived home the neighbor was there talking to his Dad and when the kid showed his new acquisition the neighbor replied that he had an old Japanese rifle the kid could have and gave it to him. The first rifle was a good Type 2 and the neighbor's rifle was an excellent 38 carbine.
_________________
Three million People, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us."
The War Inevitable, March 1775, Patrick Henry