Contents. History The Arisaka rifle was designed by Colonel (有坂 成章; 1852–1915), who was later promoted to and also received the title of from, in 1907. Over the course of various wars several productions runs and variants were made, including the transition from the 6.5mm Type 38 cartridge to the larger 7.7mm Type 99, and the introduction of a paratrooper rifle that could be disassembled into two major parts for airborne operations. Tests on samples of Arisaka rifles conducted after the war showed that their bolts and receivers were constructed of 'similar to SAE steel grade No. 1085 with a carbon content of 0.80% to 0.90%, and a manganese content of 0.60% to 0.90%.'
During destructive tests, the Arisakas were shown to be stronger than the, and rifles. The Arisaka's were also one of the only guns of the era to use in its barrels, rather than the more traditional lands and grooves. Some of the early issue Type 99 rifles were fitted with a folding wire monopod intended to improve accuracy in the prone position. The rear sights also featured folding horizontal extensions to give a degree of lead suitable for firing against aircraft.
Near the end of World War II, last-ditch models were being made in various cost-cutting feature variations with the goal of cheaply bolstering the imperial armed forces; for example, the ovoid bulb-shaped bolt of earlier runs were replaced by a smaller and utilitarian cylindrical shape, the handguard on the barrel was omitted, and crude fixed sights were fitted. A Type 38 with its imperial seal intact The Arisaka bolt-action service rifle was used everywhere in the and the. Prior to World War II, Arisakas were used by the and, in and. The that fought in the were almost entirely armed with Type 30s and 38s. Many captured Arisaka rifles were employed by neighboring countries both during and after World War II, in places such as China, Thailand and Cambodia. However, after the Japanese surrender in the summer of 1945, manufacture of rifles and ammunition stopped abruptly, and the Arisaka quickly became obsolete. Since most Imperial Japanese Armory contents were thrown into Tokyo Harbor after the signing of the surrender, spare ammunition also became rare.
Additional ammunition was, however, produced in China for use in their captured rifles. A Type 99 with its imperial seal ground The imperial ownership seal, a 16-petal known as the stamped upon the top of the receiver in all official imperial-issue rifles, has often been defaced by filing, grinding, or stamping on surviving examples. There are conflicting claims that this was done on the orders of the Imperial Japanese Military prior to surrender, however it is generally accepted by most historians that the imperial chrysanthemums were ground off the rifles on the orders from General, the commander of occupation forces at that time. To date, no documentation from either Japanese or U.S. Forces has been found that required the defacing.
Most of the Arisakas with surviving insignia are in Japan, though there are a few remaining on samples taken as war trophies before the surrender, and those captured by Chinese forces. Some of the captured Sino Arisakas were later exported to the United States, examples including a number of rebarrelled and rechambered for the round. Some captured by the forces were also converted to fire the round. Many of the Chrysanthemum Seals were completely ground off, but some were merely defaced with a chisel, scratch or had the number '0' stamped repeatedly along the edges. The latter was usually done with rifles removed from Japanese military service (and thus no longer the emperor's property), including rifles given to schools or sold to other nations, such as the 's purchase of many Type 38s in World War I to free up rifles for their land forces. A very small run of Type 38 rifles was also manufactured for export to Mexico in 1910, with the Mexican coat of arms instead of the imperial chrysanthemum, though few arrived before the and the bulk remained in Japan until World War I, when they were sold to. Models Type 30.
Main article: Officially designated as Type 35 navy rifle. Design improvement based on the Type 30 for the by Major. Changes include tangent type rear sight, separate sliding bolt cover (as opposed to simultaneously moving ones on all other types after) of the same type later used on the, hook safety replaced with a large knob cocking piece to protect from gases in case of a blown primer, larger bolt handle knob, improved bolt head, gas port in bolt body, and improved chamber configuration for better cartridge feeding. Main article: Successor to the Type 38 rifle. Chambered in, later rimless variants of the Type 92 and 97 cartridges also usable. Designed in 1939, then produced and fielded from 1941 to 1945, the Type 99 was the most common Imperial Japanese service rifle of World War II and second most produced imperial rifle with 2,500,000 built. Significant changes are the improvement of the rear sight form transitioning from a V-notch type like those on a Type 38, to an aperture, the front sight blade was renewed to a triangular shape, chrome-lined barrels were used, and on earlier productions, the rear sight was equipped with anti-aircraft calipers.
Sub-variations included a long rifle (approximately only 38,000 made), and short rifle; former being 1258 mm in total and latter being 1118 mm. The short rifle also varied in quality from initial, intermediate, to last-ditch. Type 99 sniper rifle. Main article: The other sniper rifle of the Imperial Japanese Military.
Built on both the long and short models with the latter being higher in number. Chambered in, later rimless variants of the Type 92 and 97 cartridges also usable.
The larger, more powerful caliber allowed the ballistics to be less affected by windage at the cost of stronger recoil. Two different types of scopes were issued to the rifles: the Type 97 2.5X telescopic scope, or the Type 99 4X telescopic scope. Later productions of the Type 99 scope allowed for distance adjustment. Each scopes were issued with their respective holsters, and were often detached from the rifle and placed within them while advancing. By doctrine, snipers of the imperial military were selected by his skill in marksmanship and the caliber of the rifle he was assigned to corresponded with the ammunition of the company he was under.
Production began in May 1942. Total number made is approximately 10,000. Main article: Created simultaneously with the Type 30 rifle, this sword-type bayonet is compatible with all variants of the Arisaka rifle except for the Type 44 carbine. Twenty different variations exist, and is further categorized by early, mid, and late-war production phases. Also fixable on Type 96 and light machine guns. Type 35 bayonet The Type 35 bayonet was a slightly modified Type 30 bayonet made specifically for the Type 35 rifle.
The dimensions of the bayonet is almost exactly the same as the Type 30 bayonet. The only real difference between the two is the added addition of a sprung catch that hooks into the scabbard when not in use. About 8,400,000 were made. Type 44 Fixed permanently on the Type 44 carbine, this spike-type bayonet is foldable under the handguard and does not interfere with the barrel when deployed. Type 2 With the long length of the Type 30 bayonet unfit for concealing within a paratrooper's personal equipment set, this knife-type bayonet was created to address this issue. Twenty centimeters shorter than a Type 30, its total length is 32.3 cm. Used primarily with the Type 2 TERA rifle or the by the Imperial Military Airborne Divisions.
About 25,000 were made. Users.: Some captured at the during World War I.
I own an Arisaka Type 99 that my father-in-law brought home from WWII. If I am reading the symbology correctly, I believe that it is a series 20 made in the Kokura arsenal.
From what I have been able to google, series 20's were made at Kokura from 1939 through 1945. The serial number is 55897. Can anyone tell me based on this information what year this gun was made?
I know these rifles are not particularly valuable. Its currently detailed stripped. Torrent download kick ass.
I am refinishing the stock and reblueing the metal (not Bubba-rizing). My goal is to have it look like a cleaned-up version of a field grade weapon. When I bought a T99 a while back I did a lot of searching on the net about Arisaka's.
I'm certainly no expert on them. There are no difinitive records on dates or years of manufacture I've ever found. Considering we were at war and it was 'the enemy's rifle' that's not surprising. This site was a nice find. Mine turned out to be a Nagoya Arsenal - series 1 which would put it very early on the time table.
It's a terrific and strong shooter with my light reloads. Since there are no accurate records, the series symbols are only one clue as to 'about when' an Arisaka was made. Other clues are type of sights, quality of metal work,furniture, butt plate.lot's of things. Generally the later an Arisaka was made, the less likely I'd want to actually shoot it.
Metalurgy declined quickly around 1942 and there are plenty of 'Last Ditch' rifles around that are collector's items, but unsafe to fire. If I had a genuine WWII bring back, I'd leave it as-is. IMHO, it has more value in that. I own an Arisaka Type 99 that my father-in-law brought home from WWII. If I am reading the symbology correctly, I believe that it is a series 20 made in the Kokura arsenal. From what I have been able to google, series 20's were made at Kokura from 1939 through 1945.
The serial number is 55897. Can anyone tell me based on this information what year this gun was made? I know these rifles are not particularly valuable. Its currently detailed stripped.
I am refinishing the stock and reblueing the metal (not Bubba-rizing). My goal is to have it look like a cleaned-up version of a field grade weapon.
Hi, I picked up an interesting Type 99 that I would like to know more about. This particular rifle has a four digit serial number and Nagoya arsenal marking. There is one small Japanese character at the end. The serial numbers match on everything but the bolt. The mum is perfect. At first I thought this Type 99 was the typical G.I.
Mismatch, but saw something on the Internet that got my attention. It referenced a Type 99 Cavalry issue which seemed to share the same characteristics as the one I just bought. Serial number on the left side of the receiver with only one small character at the end. It also displayed all matching numbers with the exception of the mismatched bolt.
The length of my rifle is 44' The barrel is 25' I'm anxious to hear what you have to say. Thanks, Mike.
Mike, Your Japanese rifle is a standart issue Type 99.it's a fairly early version with the monopod band but no monopod.but with the 'anti-aircraft' sight, good quality manurfacturing & blueing, etc. (& has the cleaning rod, too!) The 'Type 44' carbine has a folding bayonet on the front end and the Type 38 Carbine (both called Cavalry carbines) is in 6.5 cal. (and looks like a small type 38 rifle). The small 'character' behind the serial number is the series marking.all Japanese rifles were made with these series markings.a quick search will identify which series yours is. (should be a fairly low series.) A big plus that the Mum is intact.but a big minus that the bolt is mismatched.but it appears to be the same 'quality' as the rifle itself so that saves it alittle.certianly still a 100% representative Japanese WW 2 service rifle. (All would match when originally left the factory) Search 'Arisaka rifle'/Japanese Type 99 rifle/ and similiar searches and you'll find a list of 'series' markings.
Hope this helps. Hi, I posted photos of my Arisaka Type 99 rifle the other day and asked about it possibly being a Cavalry series. Well I did a bit more research and discovered that there was indeed a Type 99 0 series model issued. I made the comparison with the one's I saw and mine matched. The 0 series has a serial number and arsenal marking, but no series character mark.
All visible serial numbers match with the exception of an unmatched bolt. The rear sling swivel contains two screws and has an oversized loop.
In addition, the Type 99 0 series should have the monopod type barrel band, but no monopod. I was surprised to see this information and thought it might be of interest.
For today’s Friday Field Strip, we’re looking at the Japanese Type 99, a rifle with more than meets the eye. The Type 99, commonly but somewhat erroneously called the “Arisaka”, is a rifle that was once widely known as a crude, last ditch weapon of the Japanese Empire, but which has since become well-respected among modern collectors and historians, with many even considering it to be the best bolt-action of the Second World War. The Type 99 was a development of Kijiro Nambu’s Type 38 rifle, shortened, and rechambered for Strangely, two other 7.7mm cartridges were in use with the Japanese armed forces at the time; in use with the Navy for aircraft machine guns, and in use with the IJA in their machine guns. The 7.7mm rifle round, however, was a distinct development, dating back to the Russo-Japanese War. In that conflict, Japanese soldiers observed that was giving lackluster terminal ballistics, especially at long ranges.
As a result, the IJA undertook to develop a more powerful round, of 7.7mm caliber. This project was shelved, however, when the experience of the Great War made it clear that new support weapons like the infantry mortar had greatly reduced the importance of long-range rifle fire, and while the IJA still desired a larger round than the 6.5mm, it was not considered worth the logistical upset. In 1923, the Great Kantō Earthquake devastated the Japanese capital, damaging the Itabashi powder plant and the Koishikawa arsenal. It was determined that the latter would be too costly to repair, and so the arsenal was moved to Kokura, more than 500 miles away. This essentially halted development of the project, and, with the exception of some testing in 1929, major progress would not again begin on a 7.7mm bore infantry rifle until 1938. By 1905, the Japanese had adopted a much more effective 139gr spitzer projectile for the 6.5mm cartridge, but the development of the 7.7mm continued; whether this was because it was perceived to give even greater effectiveness (by the 1930s, the Japanese were fighting Chinese opponents armed with Mausers in the larger German 7.9mm caliber) than the Type 38 spitzer round, or for some other reason is unknown to me.
The final 7.7x58mm rimless cartridge adopted with the Type 99 rifle fired a 182gr flat-based spitzer bullet of modest shape at an equally modest 2,400 ft/s muzzle velocity. As a final note, some source documents (in Japanese) regarding the development of 7.7mm ammunition if any bilingual readers are interested. Covers the changes made to the rifle from the Type 38; while I could restate them in my own words, the information would be identical: A set of guns, consisting of an infantry long rifle and a cavalry carbine, were developed together to share as many parts as possible, with the latter expected to take over the Type 44’s role.
Japanese Bayonet Value
These were further simplified into one pattern with a long and short barrel configuration. Both rifles were finished by the middle of 1939 but would not be approved until 1940, with short rifle production starting in 1941. Unlike the previous models named after the Meiji year, this was named from the start of the entire imperial calendar, 660 BC, making 1939 year 2599. The long rifle was quickly dismissed as unnecessary (we will cover it in detail separately some day) and, much like the Kar98K, the Type 99 short rifle in a cavalry configuration became the standard rifle of the IJA. While the Type 99 was mostly just a Type 38 chambered in 7.7x58mm there were some changes.
The ejector now passed through the left bolt lug entirely. The magazine floor plate was hinged to prevent its loss in the field. The front sight now featured the same sort of protectors found on Type 38 carbines. A chrome lined bore made for an incredibly strong, easily cleaned, fouling resistant barrel; perfect for island hopping and extended sojourns into wet jungle environments. The addition of a monopod was intended to assist with prone shooting in open environments and provide a resting rail of sorts on the bottom of the forestock to prevent gouging and cracking of the stock when resting on rocks and other hard, uneven surfaces.
The Type 30 bayonet was carried over yet again, this time mounted to a forward band with reinforcing tangs to improve strength. The resulting rifle was an improvement over Nambu’s Type 38, shortened and incorporating several novel features. These included a sliding, integrated dust cover, a folding monopod, and flip out anti-aircraft sights. Unfortunately, these three features have garnered a substantial amount of mockery and derision, but there is more to them than immediately meets the eye. To understand the first of these, we must turn to the five points Kijiro Nambu adhered to when developing the Type 38, the Type 99’s predecessor which also incorporated a dust cover:. The rifle must be easy to assemble and disassemble. The entire bolt assembly had to be simplified vs.
The Mauser by reducing the number of parts. The rifle had to be strong and continue to function in adverse conditions. The rifle should attain 100% reliability and freed from all mechanical failures. The rifle must have a dignified appearance, which will ensure that the users will not handle it carelessly or abuse it.
Animation of the Type 99’s mechanism. Image source: candrsenal.com The Japanese expected to fight in all conditions: In snow, on beaches, in saltwater spray, and in humid jungles.
In adverse conditions where debris permeates all mechanical devices, a sliding dust cover was not at all a silly idea, and indeed dust covers sealing mechanisms against debris ingress have become a common feature on modern weapons, including the AR-15, AK, and many others. There is a commonly-repeated idea that Japanese soldiers discarded the “useless” dust covers of their rifles, and that is why the covers are now rare on the US milsurp market. However, this idea makes less sense than it initially appears to. Firstly, far from being useless, the dust covers are very effective, sealing the action almost totally against dust and debris. Secondly, Japanese soldiers were famously harshly disciplined troops; examples exist of soldiers being savagely beaten by the order of their superiors for failing to adequately clean their weapons; would discarding an actual piece of the weapon really be so readily dismissed as trivial? Finally, the vast majority of earlier production rifles (before the dust covers were omitted from production for expediency reasons) appearing in photographs in the hands of Japanese troops retain their dust covers; evidently, Japanese soldiers did not so readily discard them.
A more plausible explanation for the absence of dust covers on rifles in circulation in the US was suggested by Othais of C&Rsenal: Most rifles with intact chrysanthemums have a mismatched bolt. A rifle captured with an intact mum would either have been captured off a dead body, or captured from a depot or forward base. The best way to render the weapons inoperable would have been to separate the bolts from the rifles, dumping the rifles in one pile, and the bolts in another. So when a USGI wanted to take the rifle home, he grabbed a rifle, grabbed a bolt, and went. Most dust covers were probably discarded by US troops bringing the rifles back home, or lost when the bolts were separated from the rifles’ receivers. The folding monopod, too, is a more worthwhile feature than many give it credit for.
Many post-war rifles would feature integrated folding bipods that gave the shooter some additional stability when firing; the Type 99’s monopod is a simpler and cheaper, though perhaps somewhat less steady, incarnation of the same philosophy. Further, the monopod acts as a kind of guard for the forward stock, protecting it from the volcanic rocks and other hard, rough surfaces that might otherwise gouge the wood.
For a rifle expected to be used anywhere, including on Pacific islands, this would be a welcome, if non-essential feature. Yes, in the Second World War they proved useless against the high-flying, fast-moving US aircraft that became common after 1942, but the sight was developed based on experience fighting Chinese forces, who in the 1930s fielded relatively primitive, fragile, slow-moving aircraft. Chinese pilots, too, tended to be inexperienced, and flew low reconnaissance missions that would make them reasonable targets for groups of infantry armed with rifles, firing salvos. Further, at least theoretically, Japanese infantry were issued which would have been very effective against the aircraft of the period. Finally, the Type 99 was one of the first rifles ever produced with a chrome-lined bore. While this feature was deleted in the late-war “economy” models, it truly was ahead of its time.
A chrome-lined bore is an almost invaluable feature in humid climates like the South Pacific, and its inclusion in the Type 99 greatly reduced the degree to which the rifles suffered from the wet and humidity. Indeed, the US would learn the value of a chrome-lined bore not once, but twice. Famously, the earliest M16s were issued without chrome-lined bores, which in the humid climate of Indochina caused undue problems with the design, and contributed to the poor reputation that would scar the AR-15 family for decades afterward, but earlier than that, US M1 Garand rifles rusted to ruin in the Pacific theater, too: Materials to clean and oil the small arms were much in demand. Cleaning and preserving (C&P) materials had been in short supply to begin with. Many of the M1 rifles had been issued without oil and thong cases.
Often when the men had the cases they simply threw them away to lighten the load they were carrying. By 3 December the shortage of gun oil, small individual containers for oil, brushes, cleaning rods, and other C&P items was serious enough to effect operations. A “luxury model” Type 99, complete with dust cover, monopod, anti-aircraft sights, and an intact mon. Image source: candrsenal.com For the production history of the Type 99, The Type 99 was produced by eight factories over the course of its service life.
These included Nagoya and Kokura in Japan, the Jinsen Arsenal in Korea, and Hoten (Mukden) in Manchuria. Subcontractors on the mainland were Izawa Jyuko, Howa Jukogyo, Tokyo Juki Kogyo, and Toyo Kogyo, whose markings will be displayed to the right of either Nagoya or Kokura on the rifle. We’ve included some images to help explain the arsenal markings you’ll find on the right side of an Arisaka Type 99 receiver and the estimatedyears these guns were produced at those factories. These figures were provided by Don Voigt, author of the excellent book The Japanese Type 99 Arisaka Japanese rifle production serials are set in blocks of 100,000 with numbers from 0 to 99,999 before the count starts over again.
Each time it rolled over a character was placed, in a circle, at the front of the serial to mark the change in series. These were from the phonetic Japanese alphabet. The order of this alphabet was taken from a pangram poem, Iroha. We’ve listed the alphabet in order in the attached image.
Most collectors to date have referred to this number method in terms of a “series” in which the first production run of 100,000 without a prefix are known as “Series 0.” We found this to be a bit confusing but not entirely important to ‘correct’ because serial prefix production was not universally linear, with blocks of serials given to individual factories. So rifles from Nagoya’s 11th run would be produced about the same time as rifles from Kokura’s 25th.
Ultimately, the Type 99 short rifle only served for about four years and never replaced the previous Type 38. The Japanese decision to enter WWII against the United States and Britain ultimately led to extreme production demands and shortages of raw materials. Put more and more pressure on Japan radical changes were made to speed manufacture of rifles from inferior materials. The Type 99 underwent adjustments in fits and spurts, ultimately transforming one of the greatest bolt actions made into one of the worst. The monopods were dropped early on, the aircraft wings later, cleaning rods were shortened and then ditched, chrome was done away with, wood fittings became rougher cut, metal quality diminished, finishing became nearly non existent, sling swivels became crude holes and slings became rope, adjustable rear sights became fixed holes and sight protectors were dropped, upper handguards were shortened, plumb shaped bolt handles became cylinders, and more.
The final product was crude and simple. Desain baju. With thousands of these on the mainland at the end of the war, it’s no wonder the U.S.
Soldiers brought home such a poor opinion of the rifle. But these “Last Ditch” Type 99s are so far removed from their original design they could almost be called another model entirely. One aspect of this increasing simplification of the rifle’s production that Othais made very clear to me in our conversation about the rifle is that while features were deleted, and the crudity of production was increased, one element never sacrificed was the quality of the steel used to make the weapons. All “last ditch” Type 99s are safe to fire (provided they are in good working order), and while the Japanese eventually did run low on high quality steel with which to make the rifles, their response was not to create and issue dangerous guns that would surely explode when fired, but to devise a different rifle entirely, the “Naval Special Rifle”, which locked a high quality steel bolt to a high quality steel barrel, set in a cast iron receiver, thus saving on valuable materials. These are a distinct pattern of rifle to the Type 99. A “last ditch” late model Type 99. Note the extremely simple sights, barrel-shaped bolt handle, and lack of a top front handguard.
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Image source: candrsenal.com Type 99 production ended with the cessation of hostilities in 1945, when its service life for all intents and purposes ended as well. The rifles would soldier on other hands in later conflicts in the Pacific and Asia, but when the Japanese took up arms again in 1954 with the creation of the Self-Defense Force, it was not Type 99s that were issued, but surplus US M1 Garands. Overall, the Type 99 is an underrated and underappreciated rifle, which thanks to its sound design and chrome-lined bore is a strong contender for the title of “best bolt-action rifle of the war.” Paradoxically, the last-ditch late-war examples are also some of the worst bolt-actions of the war, and have contributed significantly to the rifle’s mediocre reputation among American milsurp enthusiasts. That, however, is beginning to change as appreciation grows for the fascinating and eminently collectible Type 99. A very big thank you to Othais, of C&Rsenal, who helped tremendously with ensuring the accuracy of the information presented in this article.
I learned a lot about the Type 99 by talking to him, and it’s well worth your time to pay and a visit, where you too can learn all sorts of cool things. All his images and videos in this article were used with permission. Is available at this link here. Also, contains some period information on the rifle.
Anyone wishing to read the markings on their Type 99 should consult. Great video and accurate information.
I have been collecting Type 99’s for years now, and currently own 30 or so (including substitute 99’s), and I can honestly say they have been the most fun to collect and research over the years. I can also add that they are generally the most pure WWII rifle that can be found today without being rebuilt/ reissued, etc. Believe it or not, more Arisaka’s were surrendered/ captured post WWII with the matching dust cover than we have been led to believe (tales of the gun signified this claim). It was in fact the most common part to loose while removing bolts post war. There were many Japanese soldiers that fought their entire service with a dust cover attached to their rifle.
If we really think about it, how much louder is the dust cover rattling in the receivers linear travel than the bolt cycling itself? The arisaka action is almost unique in itself to not call it a Mauser derivative. The 2 biggest mauser-esque features include 2 frontal locking lugs with an interrupted lug for the ejector, and the mauser-style claw extractor. The Type 99’s locking lugs had slightly more bearing surface than Mauser 98’s bolt lugs. It is also important to note Type 99’s did not have a formal “safety lug” per se, however, the bolt handle did in fact recess into the receiver a small amount (Type 38”s had a higher Receiver bridge behind the bolt handle).
Both Type 38’s and 99’s also inhibit a more supported chamber than most manually operated military rifles of that time. Again, great video and information as always.
What I really enjoy about TFB is the enthusiasm the authors have about the subjects they write an article about, especially when little knowledge exists. We all have our preferred interests and backgrounds, however, to enjoy and appreciate the mechanics/ history of the multitude of firearms there has to be one thing present; enthusiasm.
The Japanese Arisaka can be an information black hole, with as much suspense and urban legend as there is truth. Ian has also done a pretty good job at covering the arisaka(s) history. Even the desperation rifles had chrome bores.
At least the two given to me by a friend. The bores looked horrible. Then I put a couple patches down the bores. Wow, I was pleased to see both bores were perfect. In the book, “Shots Fired in Anger” the writer said several of his men not only picked up Japanese 6.5mm rifles they used them instead of the M1s. It appears that Col. John George may have had the bore issues referred to in the article.
He said his men liked the light weight 6.5mm rifles over the M1 rifle and carbines. I’d still like to find a nice 6.5mm Japanese rifle-carbine.
The bolt disassembles easily. Take a new Vanguard, and take it apart, it mimics the Japanese 6.5s and 7.7s. Man, I wish my Type 99 was awesome. I bought the rifle sans bolt for $45, all covered with rust and looking like crap. No matter says I, I will buy a $100 bolt online and it will probably still run fine. No, apparently with a mismatched bolt and heavy rust it will not run fine Sometimes it locked up and I had to beat it open and closed, making my Mosin Nagant seem to run as smooth as silk in comparison. It even failed to fire a few times, apparently not cocking when I ran the bolt.
(The bolt is in good condition, it obviously has to do with the other components.) My plan is to A) Shoot my Mosin and Lee-Enfield more, and B) Try cleaning the Arisaka out some more and see if that helps.
Midway Village Museum has a permanent collection of nearly 150,000 artifacts. Within the walls of the museum are untold stories of amazing relics. In honor of our upcoming WWII Days event, we’d like to share a piece of history with our readers. In our weaponry collection, we have a Japanese Arisaka Type 99 bolt action infantry rifle from WWII, brought back by Everett Charles Sarver. Before continuing with this story, let’s get some more background on Mr.
Sarver and why this particular weapon is one of the best bolt action rifles to have been produced. Everett Charles “Son” Sarver was born on April 24, 1916 to Everett Alexander and Lauretta Sarver. He and his father, Everett Alexander, began a livestock hauling business that evolved from Everett Alexander’s garbage hauling job from Camp Grant. Sarver & Son began circa 1934, and by 1941, E.C.
Had taken over the business; it became E.C. Sarver Livestock Trucking. Sarver owned and operated this trucking company before he entered the Navy. Minotaur He was drafted into the Navy in 1944 during WWII and served until 1946 in the Pacific on the U.S.S. Everett was the U.S.S. Minotaur’s mailman and the Captain’s Talker (he relayed orders via an intercom system to stations beyond the bridge). As mailman, he would go in a small boat from ship to shore to pick up mail and “other illicit things.” It is believed that this is how he acquired an Arisaka Type 99 bolt action rifle and bayonet.
The Type 99 rifle was created as a result of Imperial Japan’s fast track to modernization, called the Meiji Restoration (1868-1912). During that time, Japan was quickly assimilating Western technologies and improving upon them in order to become a colonial power. Before WWII, Japan had already started taking over territories in China and had defeated Russia to claim land in Manchuria and Korea. As Japan’s power grew, their military spread into other parts of Asia, leading to the Second Japanese-Russo War and later, WWII. The Type 99 rifle and its predecessors, the Type 30 and Type 38, were created by Nariakira Arisaka during these conflicts.
The type 99 came in four versions: the Type 99 short rifle (a standard infantry rifle), the Type 99 long rifle (limited production), a Takedown Type 2 Paratrooper rifle, and the Type 99 sniper rifle. The standard infantry rifle had a monopod as well as an anti-aircraft rear sight meant to take down low flying lightly armored bombers. Arisaka rifle evolution (from top to bottom): 1. Type 38 carbine 4.
Type 44 carbine 5. Type “I” model 6. Type 99 (earlier model) 7. Type 99 (later model) The Type 99 rifle was basically an improved version of Type 38, but with the increased firepower of a 7.7mm cartridge (the 38 used a 6.5mm cartridge). The 99 could chamber a 5 round stripper clip. It had a quick-release bolt and a safety measure built in so that the spent cartridges would fly away from the soldier.
It also had a chrome lined bore for easier cleaning. Although it had the heavier firepower, it also had a strong kickback due to its lighter stock.
Type 99 Arisaka Serial Numbers
The Type 99 came with its own bayonet in the form of a long slender blade, often grooved to reduce weight. The Type 99 was a strong and solid weapon and one of the best bolt action rifles of its time. The Type 99 was produced by 8 factories over the course of its service. These included Nagoya and Kokura in Japan, the Jinsen Arsenal in Korea, and Hoten (Mukden) in Manchuria. There were also subcontractors throughout mainland Japan producing these rifles. The rifles were produced in series of 100,000 with its numbering being 0 to 99,000 before the count would start over.
Arisaka Type 99 Stock Replacement
The Type 99 rifle was only manufactured from 1939 to 1945. As the war progressed and pressure increased for Japan to manufacture more weaponry, the quality of these weapons decreased. At the end of WWII a batch of “last ditch” rifles were produced and they are known for their crude and simple design. Most of the weaponry collected from Japan after WWII had any significant symbols/insignia removed or defaced by the Japanese before they were handed over.
The Type 99 rifle in particular had its Imperial Chrysanthemum blossom ‘ mon’ (a Japanese emblem used to identify an individual or family) removed before being turned over. One theory behind this act is that it would have been disrespectful to the Emperor if his ‘ mon’ was allowed to remain upon a weapon handed over the enemy. Any rifles with the ‘ mon’ still intact indicate that they were taken before the surrender by Chinese, British, or American soldiers. Arisaka Type 99 Bolt Action Rifle from Midway Village Museum’s permanent collection Above is an image of the Type 99 bolt action infantry rifle in our collection. Its arsenal mark and serial number, 3976, indicate that it was part of the 31 st series of rifles manufactured by Toyo Kogyo under contract to Kokura Arsenal.
It was most likely manufactured during 1942-1943. The story of Mr.
Sarver bringing this rifle back with him during WWII is supported by the Chrysanthemum ‘ mon’ still being intact on this rifle. If the rifle had been handed over after the war, the ‘ mon’ would no longer be present or fully intact. The writing below the ‘ mon’ is ‘ kyu-kyu-shiku’ which roughly translates to Type 99, meaning that the rifle is a Type 99. Our rifle has a flip up anti-aircraft rear sight, monopod, and is made from better quality materials than the ‘last ditch’ rifles at the end of the war.
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