Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com

[linx310]

Picked this up at a local gun shop for $95. Apparently a relative of a deceased older gentleman found it after he passed away.

The rifle has a shiny but slightly pitted bore. Some one has torn the anti-aircraft site off and took a small piece of the upper hand guard with it. The mono-pod and cleaning rod are also missing.

The mum has been ground off. This is common with these rifles though.










So did I do good? I know its missing some stuff but for $95 it looked like a good deal.

Can any one tell me more about it based on the markings i have posted?

[linx310]

Update: Ok i looked up the markings and i am confused.

I have Kokura Arsenal mark after the serial # but the series mark is a Series 9?

On the chart i have been looking at it shows that a series 9 wasn't produced by Kokura while another chart doesn't show any thing on the series 9 (its blank for who produced it).

[gwsiii]

You've got around $150 in parts, and that's just figuring a $100 stock, and a $50 bolt, so you did fine! The next question would be if the numbers on the bolt, firing pin, and safety match the last three digits of the serial number, if they do, you've got a matching gun, all the better.

If you'll clean off the the series mark with a little 0000 steel wool and wd-40, it will reveal itself to be an early Kokura 24th series rifle. It never had a monopod, it looks like someone cut off your rear sight ladder and slide, not sure if you can replace that easily you'll have to drive the pivot pin on the rear sight out, and install a new slide and pin, but, it will still clean up and look nice. It should have a chrome bore, (white ring around muzzle when cleaned) so you should be able to run a patch with solvent through it and it be good as new. Looks like the rifle has a lot of original cosmoline on interior parts (cosmoline in gas port on receiver) and was probably 'new' when brought back, just seen some rough times here in the states.

If the screws are not still staked, and easily removable, take it apart, making a note of which screws come from where, if a screw won't come out easily, leave it alone (they are very soft and the head will booger with a light slip of the screw driver) and put the others back in, you can clean it just fine without taking it apart. Clean the stock with wd40 and an old t-shirt, spray it, rub it down with gradually increasing pressure, repeat until no more dirt shows on the t-shirt (don't ever use anything abrasive on the wood). 0000 steel wool and wd-40 and another t-shirt on the metal, spray with wd-40, clean a little with steel wool, spray, wipe off with t-shirt, spray, clean a little, spray, wipe off. Several light cleaning work better than one heavy one. You'll slowly take off the surface rust and see the original finish. When complete, wipe off the wood one more time, and then put a light coat of oil on all exposed metal.

I think you'll be please with the results, and even without the complete rear sight, it should shoot well. I really like the chatter in the wrist area on the stocks of the later 23rd and 24th series rifles, give them lots of character. Let us know if you have any more questions, and be sure to download and print out a type 99 datasheet and send it in. Thanks for posting, Trey
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[linx310]

Ok I tried to take it apart but i notice the screws on the barrel band already had the heads buggered up a little so i didnt bother to go any further.

The parts appear to be all matching. The numbers match the last 3 digits of the serial number.

Here is a picture of the damage to the upper hand guard. It looks like some one just broke the sight off with out even removing the pin that held it in.

[gwsiii]

That's what it looks like, you'll drive out the horizontal pin below the peep sight. Trey
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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 wonder if that rear sight was battle damaged at the front/top. Note the damage to the wood in that area also. Just a thought.

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

(386) 445-4225

[linx310]

[DEFUC]

you done good