Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com

[Francis C. Allan]

I had promised to post some photos of this restoration after I completed it. Sorry the project took so long. The rifle was in a bit worse shape than I thought. It had four cracks in the stock rather than the one I noted when I obtained it.

The rifle is serial number 3654 and thus fits into the first group of 27th Series rifles completed by Tokyo Juki under the Nagoya contract. Basically this variation used stocks oriignally manufactured for rifles with early features - three-screw front bands, metal buttplates, etc. Tokyo Juki then modified these early stocks to work with the metal of Substitute Type 99s. That is why they are so interesting and why I have been looking for one for many years.

When located this example was in terrible shape with a T-38-type metal buttplate nailed over the wood buttplate and the top of the wood buttplate cuttaway to accomodate the metal plate. The stock was heavily stained with oil and grease that somehow got under the urushi and stained the stock, but luckily not the handguard.

I had to strip the stock, treat the naked stock with Easy Off oven cleaner (twice) to get the oil & grease out, repair the cracks, stain the stock to match the color in the barrel channel (which had not been affected by the problems), and finish the stock with a very thin coat of shellac to mimic the urushi. The later two steps had to match the finish on my other 27th Series T-99, serial number 6987

I neglected to take "before" photos but the finished product should give you the idea.

I was able to pry off the damaged wood buttplate and replace it with one of Steve Schaefer's reproductions, which included nearly perfect nails. Some observations are interesting; The original buttplate was only nailed on - not glued and nailed. Further, all three of the orignal nails have slightly different lengths. The insertion of the wood dowel to fill the rear sling swivel forward screw hole missed the hole and was placed slightly further to the rear accomplishing nothing!

The photos tell the story better than I can discribe. I'll split the photos in a couple of messages.

Frank








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Francis C. Allan
20Courtney Place
Palm Coast, FL 32137

(386) 445-4225

[Francis C. Allan]

Here are some more photos including overall views of the finished product.

Note in the previous messages's photos that the two wood dowls in the forestock filling the holes for the three-screw front band cutout were inserted from each side, rather than one dowl going all the way through.

Frank








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Francis C. Allan
20Courtney Place
Palm Coast, FL 32137

(386) 445-4225

[gwsiii]

Frank, looks good. I've got a 3 digit needing similar treatment. On my 'to do' list. I envy the talent involved.

I've got an 'M' marked 28th series Type 38 project. Bobby Blevins and Jim Langley helped me out with part of it, Now I just have to 'put' everything together. I'll try to remember to post before/after pics. The arsenal mark is rotate off center. Can't have that...

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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]

Dear Trey;

That M-marked T-38 looks like a good project. Nice clean receiver.

Please do post before and after pictures when you can.

Frank
_________________
Francis C. Allan
20Courtney Place
Palm Coast, FL 32137

(386) 445-4225