Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com

[sandsnow]

I have a Japanese pistol my father brought home. japanese marks on barrell, though barely readable. I remember them being clearer.

at any rate it appears similar to one posted by Trey.

Any info would be appreciated. I was told years ago that pistols such as these were purchased for personal sidearms from the US but I don't remember why they did not have US manufacturers markings. OR I could have remembered it all wrong.

Thanks

[gwsiii]

I think its a Model 2, Smith & Wesson sold a lot of pistols to the Japanese in the mid-late 1800's, in the 1870's all firearms were required to be registered, so the markings usually translate to a year, location, and registration#. I'll get seinen and edokko to take a look at it. I could just collect Japanese marked foreign pistols if I had a little more money. They are very interesting. A higher resolution photo might help with the translation, 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!

[seinen]

Guys - apart from a couple of scattered numbers, the markings are too worn for me to read. Let's see what our Japanese linguist has to say about them, as I'd love to know.

C/

[Francis C. Allan]

Edokko is traveling to the Lakeland FL gun show this week end where I will finally meet him. I'll mention that this was posted today.

The photo is indeed not quite good enough. Perhaps a rubbing with tissue paper and #2 pencil would help highlight the markings?

Frank
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Francis C. Allan
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(386) 445-4225

[seinen]

Frank,

Please extend my best wishes to Takehito when you visit this weekend. Sure wish I could wrangle a trip down for business reasons.

I'm going to save the S & W No. 2 photo and see if I can manipulate it a little with my fancy software. Will post any positive results.

C/

[seinen]

Update......the first five characters (when read from right-to-left) read "Meiji 25 Year" (1892). The next two characters appear to be the numbers "1" and "2", but I can't read anything after that.

C/

[sandsnow]

Hi Guys

Thanks so much for the interest and response.

Do you have any suggestions for removing the tarnish?

I'm not too concerned, but would like to do it right. How about 0000 steel wool and CLP?

When I was a boy I broke the hammer. I cocked the hammer and stuffed a rag in there and then let the hammer fall on it by pulling the trigger. I was trying to clean out some dirt. If you look real close you will see a crack. Unfortunately it is broke completely in half. On one hand I was glad when I was a kid my Dad let me handle it and clean it. As an adult I wish he had supervised me a little closer.

[seinen]

[quote="sandsnow"]When I was a boy I broke the hammer. I cocked the hammer and stuffed a rag in there and then let the hammer fall on it by pulling the trigger. I was trying to clean out some dirt. If you look real close you will see a crack. Unfortunately it is broke completely in half. [/quote]

Aha......I was wondering about the odd shape of the hammer.

C/

[Edokko]

Hey guys ! even in Lakeland, the internet follows me !! I was at Fred Honeycutt's home today and drove over to Lakeland early eve and just came back from dinner with Doss and Ruth. a few hours ago
Frank, I'll be very very much looking forward to meeting you tomorrow !!!

I exmined the photos carefully, and see that Chip has done a great job of translating most of this difficult faded markings. Yes, it is indeed Meiji 25, followed by a character that is probably the right half of the Kanji "Kuma" which I would think means the prefecture Kumamoto, then as Chip read, the numbers 12. There seems to be one more Kanji underneath the 2 but I need a higher resolution focused photo to see what it is. Hope this helps.

Oh, and I would be extremely careful with the 0000 wool on this gun, if you are going to use it at all. Slowly and lightly with lots and lots of oil. On the tougher stains that does not give, don't pursue just give up on those.

[gwsiii]

Edokko, thanks for the translation! On older pistols, I'd probably use a 'big .45 Frontier Metal Cleaner' pad, the old smith & wesson finish is a little weak, several very light cleanings with 0000 steel wool and oil should be ok, but to be on the safe side, I'd lean towards the 'big .45 Frontier Metal Cleaner' pads. I'd buy a bunch, they really are worth it. I bought a totally brown rifle at a show for $100 a few years ago, got home and sat down with 6 of so my favorite cool-refreshing-beverages, a 'big .45' pad, paper towels, and wd-40 and went to work, a couple hours later, I had a pretty nice looking rifle that I took back to the show the next day. I turned down $250 from a person that didn't realize it was the same rifle he'd 'scoffed at' for $100 due to condition the day before. Trey
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[sandsnow]

Thanks!!!

You guys are great.

question:

If this was sold by S&W then why doesn't their name appear on it?

[seinen]

[quote="sandsnow"]You guys are great. If this was sold by S&W then why doesn't their name appear on it?[/quote]

I'd bet yours is S & W marked, however, the markings on my example are very finely stamped. Look along the flat ridge on top of the barrel. There may be a remnant still remaining.

C/

[gwsiii]

Here are 'new' pictures of my two, showing the 'highlighted' markings. The S&W markings are on the top barrel 'flat'. Trey

1 1/2 (gosh its pretty to see in person) I think the markings are 1872 Wakayama Prefecture # 460 or something like that



#2 Old Army I think its called, I think its 1872 as well but not sure. Can't find my notes or the old posts.....As usual.

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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[gwsiii]

On a side bar, I've always wondered if the location (side of the pistol) that the markings are on, indicate civilian, and military or police use, or is it just random. Trey
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[sandsnow]

Nice pistols. That's 3 different hammer types on the 3 in this thread. I haven't had a chance to get to the safe yet to check the top of barrel. Maybe tomorrow.