Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com

[soldat251]

What is the correct proceedure for installing the dust cover? I know it can't be hard if you do it the right way, which so far I haven't found. Any help would be appreciated.

[gwsiii]

Make sure the rifle is unloaded.
1) try the dust cover by itself to see if it will fit. Remove the bolt. There are slots on each side of the receiver. Align the edges of the cover with the slots, and slide it on. If it goes on and off ok, it should fit fine with the bolt on. If its a little sticky, try cleaning the grooves with WD-40 and tooth picks. Practice sliding it on and off to familiarize yourself with the angle and position it needs to be in to go on. Also be comfortable with taking the bolt in and out of the rear of the action. I've removed a few thousand bolts, and I still have trouble getting them properly aligned with or without a dust cover.

2) with the bolt removed, and the handle pointing up, put the cover on the bolt, the bolt handle should fit through the large opening in the top of the dust cover.

3) take the bolt with cover (make sure the extractor is covering the right side locking lug-with bolt handle pointed straight up) and insert the bolt a little ways into the rear of the receiver (where you slid it out from originally) making sure the bolt locking lugs are aligned with the slots in the back on the inside of the receiver.

4) fit the dust cover into the grooves on each side of the receiver, and push the bolt and cover into the action using the handle, don't push on the safety, and don't pull the trigger. You may need to pull out on the bolt release to get the bolt into the back of the receiver.

5)If you made it this far, the bolt and properly aligned cover should slide over the receiver and close after depressing the follower.

If you're problem is that the cover won't fit over the bolt handle, you may have a repro dust cover that is a little small, in that case you need to decide if you really want to put a dust cover on in the first place. Personally, if there was no wear on the receiver from a dust cover, I wouldn't put one on. Let me know if you have any more questions. Trey
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[soldat251]

Will follow your instructions tonight when I have more time. It's an original, it has a maker's mark, sort of like a script y and a three digit serial number on the back lip. Will let you know how I make out.

[gwsiii]

Is it a script 'y' or the Nagoya 'ij' inspection mark? What are you putting it on? If you have trouble give me a call, I'll talk you through it. Email me for my phone#. Trey
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[soldat251]

Trey,
Success. Wasn't hard at all. Just had to align the bolt lugs and cover at the same time and it slid right on. Mark looks like the Kokura "ij". The 'i" isn't connected to the bottom of the "j". It came from Sarco for $13.50. Figured it would be a repo but nope lucked out.
It's going on a Kokora 24th series with short rod. SN# 47xx. I filled out one of your data sheets last May on it. All matching, except the dust cover, with beautiful full mum. Picked it up for $110. Had practically no bluing and light rust all over, looked like a junker. But I saw through the ugly. When I say the full mum, good wood and matching bolt, receiver, and upper band, I said to myself " I can do something with this rifle. Cleaned stock, metal, reblued entire rifle and got a cleaning rod and sling made by Mac McCurdy and wings from Rick Veal. Guess it's a $210 rifle now. But it's been a labor of love to restore it.

[gwsiii]

Glad it worked out for you. I'm still behind on keying in the data sheets. I'll get caught up eventually. Good Luck. Trey
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[DK]

Do Type 38 dust covers work on type 99's?

[gwsiii]

38 dust covers are longer than 99 dust covers. 38 covers run 6" and are usually too long to allow the bolt to close on a 99, or may cover the gas port. Any dust cover can rub the finish off the receiver, in the condition you're rifle is in, I wouldn't fool with it. It is doubtful the rifle ever had a dust cover. Trey
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[DK]

Thanks trey thats good to know!