Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com

[cwbrel]

Soliciting opinions here-

Of those mismatches around, how many do you feel are the result of field repair, etc. and how many are due to later 'restorations'?
_________________
Curtis

It's been referred to as an addiction. I can live with that.

[gwsiii]

In Muratas, 30's early 38s and 44s, after a certain point, I believe they quit renumbering parts to match. I don't think this is true of the series guns. They were numbered to match, and should match. Exceptions possibly being those items with un-numbered bolts that may have been from field repair kits or may have been experimental.

I have 1 un-numbered 38 bolt with an odd firing pin, 2 un-numbered 99 bolts that were not in un-numbered weapons. Seems like a Nambu repair kit surfaced with many un-numbered parts, I have a 1930 dated Type 14 with large un-numbered Trigger Guard that Jim indicated was likely a field retro-fit from a kit, and a few un-numbered late Type 14 mags which may have been from a kit, or just not numbered at the factory.

I think a rifle armorer's kit was reported in BANZAI many years ago with un-numbered parts or bolts in it. I think all 99s should match. Why repair, when you can pick one up off the ground. I've had several Veterans tell me different policies for disarming in the field and bringing weapons back that could easily lead to mismatched bolts. In the field in an unsecured area, the rifle went one way, bolt went another way and move on down the line. Going home, 6.5 bolts in one barrel, 7.7 bolts in another as they board ship, you retrieved your bolt when leaving the ship. If you wanted to take the time, you could wait until they called your number or rummage through at the end and just grab a bolt.
A Veteran that spoke to us at the Blevin's get together indicated he had no problems with his weapon until the last segment of the train ride home, the conductor wouldn't let him carry it on the train, finally he convinced the conductor to hold the bolt, and give it back to him when he got back to Alabama.

I've heard several different stories. These are most prevelant. Just my 2% though. 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!

[cwbrel]

I had heard the story about the shipboard transport system. I also just ran across a story from Feb 1987 in Banzai about them being removed to prevent infiltrators from using them. I hadn't read about the armor's kit - guess I haven't gotten to it yet.

I was just thinking about a picture from the Pacific of a GI (or Marine) with piles of M-1 Garands stripping them down to sort usability of parts. I can't help but think that some exchange of parts would have occurred on Guadalcanal, especially during the later months as everything would be in short supply, or perhaps the Philippines where the Japanese would have a significant supply of forces over a longer time.

I looking at the T38 book (ignoring the imports, especially Chinese), it looks like the later manufactured rifles are more likely to be matching than earlier ones. This does fit with part swapping outside of arsenal refurbishing. Since there seems to be a history of using such 'scavenged' parts, if there was any record or evidence of this.
_________________
Curtis

It's been referred to as an addiction. I can live with that.