Arisaka Rifle - Type 99

[avenger]

My dad stopped by this past summer and learned about my WW2 collecting. I'd not shown him anything from my collection, just talked about it. This time, he got to see most of it. This year for Christmas, he surprised me with this little number.

I did a little research on these, and I "think" I've identified most of what it is. I believe this to be a type 99 Arisaka, manufactured by Toyo Kogyo sometime probably around 1940, in series 31. It shows a serial number of 3787. I've found matching numbers in a few other places on the rifle, as "787" (shown below also). There is one character before the series symbol that I can't identify though, and am hoping someone might help me with that one. I'll notate it below.

Since it still has the chrysanthemum (symbol of the emperor) I presume this must have been a battlefield capture. The bore is clean as a mirror, also has the monopod and AA sights. Quite a Christmas this year!


















Here's the symbol I couldn't identify:

[MAP]

That is a beauty. Great Dad! Your quite lucky. I'll see what I can find on the mark once I get my reference book in front of me (I think it is the proof/inspection stamp, but don't remember for sure) but sure others will be around before I get to it

M

[Martin C]

Very Nice rifle! Love the mum! Thanks for sharing.

Mart

[Geoff Ward]

WoW! I don't think you could find a nicer example! Even more special because I bet your father did some homework to find you a nice one especially if he doesn't know militaria.Odds would be near impossible to just luck up on one in that condition let alone with all the bells and whistles! Congrats! Geoff P.S. I am available for adoption if you are in need of a sibling,I am very inexpensive to feed as I live on Ramen noodles so I can afford relics! Regards,Geoff

[ghp95134]

I don't know anything about Arisaka rifles, but based on what you've said, and what I see:

The kanji you cannot identify is eithr
廣 or 寅.

廣 = Hiro/broad and might allude to an inspector's name (e.g., Hirota 廣田);
寅 = Tiger -- this is the astrological kanji for tiger, usually written as 虎. Either year of the tiger or Hour of the tiger .... or something else that I cannot fathom. By the way, Tiger years in that era (just in case) were:
13 February 1926 to 1 February 1927 (Fire Tiger)
31 January 1938 to 18 February 1939 (Earth Tiger)

Time-wise, the Hour of the Tiger was 3~5am.

The kana on your rifle is ケ "ke" within a circle.

(ケ)

According to this site, the circle-ke is an identifier for Series 31.

Toyo Kogyo (1939-1945) had series 30~35, with each producing 0-99,999 rifles (except #35)

Toyo Kogyo Series:
30 0-99,999
31 0-99,999
32 0-99,999
33 0-99,999
34 0-99,999
35 0-57,000

So Series 30 had a max of 99,999 + your Series 32 SN 3787 = 103,786th rifle produced at TK (I would guess).


I hope that I have not muddled up anything; and, that someone knowledgeable, will step up to correct any errors I have created.

--Guy

[avenger]

WoW! I don't think you could find a nicer example! Even more special because I bet your father did some homework to find you a nice one especially if he doesn't know militaria.Odds would be near impossible to just luck up on one in that condition let alone with all the bells and whistles! Congrats! Geoff P.S. I am available for adoption if you are in need of a sibling,I am very inexpensive to feed as I live on Ramen noodles so I can afford relics! Regards,Geoff

Ha! I don't believe my parents are accepting applications right now, but I'm sure they'll keep you in mind.

Thanks for the feedback, from all!

廣 = Hiro/broad and might allude to an inspector's name (e.g., Hirota 廣田);


--Guy

I think this is the symbol. I hadn't thought about an inspection mark. I don't know if that would be it or not, but it's certainly the best theory I've seen so far. Curious to hear more, but I think you may be on to something. Thanks for the translations!

Now I need to find some ammo and take it out to the local range. I hear that might be a little tricky to find though. Need to check with my "sources"

[Geoff Ward]

Check the ammo you use to make sure it is Non-Corrosive and clean the weapon immediately after use.You don't want to damage that beautiful bore! G.

[MAP]

As I noted, and Guy suggests, this is an inspection mark. I could not find examples last night but there are similar inspection marks on the arisaka bayonets as well as the nambu pistols.

[ghp95134]

As I noted, and Guy suggests, this is an inspection mark. I could not find examples last night but there are similar inspection marks on the arisaka bayonets as well as the nambu pistols.

I saw one last night while searching ... same 31 series with similar mark -- but it was not clear enough to matter. It still looked either like "tiger" or "Hiro" ... hey ... maybe Hiroshima -- or is that totally out of the picture? Nagoya used the "Na" stamp. ???


--Guy

[AZPhil]

Now that is an AWESOME DAD!!!!Great looking type 99. Looks all matching and with the matching bolt dust cover to boot! That is a beaut!!!!
Congrats
Semper Fi
Phil