Some photos of my WW2 collection

[Kilroy Was Here]

QUOTE: ak474me: " Also one of the type 99s i have has the box that the GI shipped it home in with the shipping tag still on it. It has a bayonet with it and hard canvas frog. The gun has a full mum and is packed in cosmoline although i wiped a little of it off"

The other type 99 which is pictured on this thread has a strange Japanese kanji lettering on it. I did have it sort of translated and it may be a Japenese soldiers name. But i did not htink they would defile because they believed the gun was property of the emperor.

Hello AK, please show the rifle sent back and the shipping crate, I would like to see it very much.

Here is a translation of what your Arisaka says, that is stamped in the wood on right side. I thought I knew already, but wanted to make sure, so emailed a friend, and very knowledgeable person/collector in this field. She is a very big Japanese collector, and nice person. I hope this info helps you.
Regards, Steve

"The rifle does seem to have been used as a trainer. The characters should be read top to bottom with the muzzle held upwards. The first two are Higashigawa, a common place name. The fourth (last) one means school (-ko). The third one is fuku, which means auxiliary, or vice (e.g. as in vice-president, vice-chairman, etc.). Usually the character before -ko is a short form for the type of school (e.g. high school). I have not heard of a type of school that uses this character in the designation, but then I am not an expert on the pre-war Japanese educational system. One possibility, and it is just a guess, is that the fuku may be short for "fuku-kan", which means adjutant, or aide-de-camp (an officer assigned to be a general's assistant). So that would be a school to train adjutants, a very specialized type of military school. But that is just speculation--I have no idea whether such a school existed, or whether this fuku was intended to be short for that term even if such a school existed. It's the best theory I can come up with, though"

[ak474me]

QUOTE: ak474me: " Also one of the type 99s i have has the box that the GI shipped it home in with the shipping tag still on it. It has a bayonet with it and hard canvas frog. The gun has a full mum and is packed in cosmoline although i wiped a little of it off"

The other type 99 which is pictured on this thread has a strange Japanese kanji lettering on it. I did have it sort of translated and it may be a Japenese soldiers name. But i did not htink they would defile because they believed the gun was property of the emperor.

Hello AK, please show the rifle sent back and the shipping crate, I would like to see it very much.

Here is a translation of what your Arisaka says, that is stamped in the wood on right side. I thought I knew already, but wanted to make sure, so emailed a friend, and very knowledgeable person/collector in this field. She is a very big Japanese collector, and nice person. I hope this info helps you.
Regards, Steve

"The rifle does seem to have been used as a trainer. The characters should be read top to bottom with the muzzle held upwards. The first two are Higashigawa, a common place name. The fourth (last) one means school (-ko). The third one is fuku, which means auxiliary, or vice (e.g. as in vice-president, vice-chairman, etc.). Usually the character before -ko is a short form for the type of school (e.g. high school). I have not heard of a type of school that uses this character in the designation, but then I am not an expert on the pre-war Japanese educational system. One possibility, and it is just a guess, is that the fuku may be short for "fuku-kan", which means adjutant, or aide-de-camp (an officer assigned to be a general's assistant). So that would be a school to train adjutants, a very specialized type of military school. But that is just speculation--I have no idea whether such a school existed, or whether this fuku was intended to be short for that term even if such a school existed. It's the best theory I can come up with, though"

Thanks so much Steve,

I think you are right about the carving. Two days ago a lady, who i bought some Japanese military stuff from on Ebay, who lives in Japan tought it was the name you gave and thought it was a school rifle. Although the picture i sent her was not clear and she could not make out one of the characters. I thought most school training rifles were old junkers but what you said about it being school to train adjutants might be right as i think they would have better rifles. So, it all make a little more sense now. Thanks again

You have a nice collection yourself and I like the looks of your femaru and Rand. i still need to get a Femaru and a luger. I have a Swiss luger but i would like to get a nazi marked on as well. Your type 26 pistol looks in great shape. I have one that is an older one but it has a little play in the cylinder, so i am looking for some parts for it. But i also have an original holster for it. Do you have many ww2 rifles? My switch and steel is in the 1056000 serial range. I also have a norwegian 1911 as well. I will also get you some pictures of the type 99 sent home rifle and box tomorrow. thanks again
Sean

[Kilroy Was Here]

Hi Sean, yes a trianing rifle. The theory about better rifles for officer training schoools might be correct. Maybe a move Advanced Arisaka member might now more. There are a couple other Japanese websites that could help.

I have other rifles too, like yours shown, M1A1, Garand, 03A4, and other WW2 longarms & the 2 Arisaka's. I have collected mostly Pistols and their holsters. It took me longer to find a couple holsters, than the pistol. I still am looking for a fair price T94 canvas holster.

As far as your Type26 revolver, I do not think it is broken, or needs parts. Let me guess, you think the cylnider does not lock up properly? You think there is something wrong with the cylinder stop, or some other part that has to do with locking of the cylinder?? Am I Correct??

If so, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, and it was designed that way.

The Type 26 is the one of poorest designs I have ever seen in many years of shooting and collecting military weapons, and I think is one of the most dangerous to the soldier using it.

With the pistol in your right hand, just holding in your hand looking at it, you can take your other hand, and spin the cylinder. The revolver cylinder does not lock up in place.
Imagine you are soldier, you have only 6 rounds of ammo, and it is in your T26. You confront an enemy attacker, you shoot twice and hit him once in the arm or somwhere else where he keeps coming. While you are scuffling around palm trees and shrubs etc, if the revolver cylinder brushes against an object, it will move out of place and sequence, and you will not be sure if there is a good round in chamber, because you have already shot 2 of them.

Stupid design. The only way you can know for sure you shoot rounds 1 through 6, would be to hold the trigger back all the way after each shot. It is right before & after firing a round, that that is the only time when the cylinder stop pops up into position, locking cylinder place.
Does any of my rambling make sense to you? If not, play around with the gun for a bit, and you will see what I am speaking of.

Let me know what you find. Regards, Steve

[Kilroy Was Here]

"My switch and steel is in the 1056000 serial range. I also have a norwegian 1911 as well. I will also get you some pictures of the type 99 sent home rifle and box tomorrow. thanks again"
Sean

Hi, forgot to mention it's US&S, Union Switch & Signal, not steel. : ) Steve

[ak474me]

"My switch and steel is in the 1056000 serial range. I also have a norwegian 1911 as well. I will also get you some pictures of the type 99 sent home rifle and box tomorrow. thanks again"
Sean

Hi, forgot to mention it's US&S, Union Switch & Signal, not steel. : ) Steve

I always do that and i know better as i always remember driving by the Union switch and signal plant in Swissvale going to Pirate games until they moved into Pittsburgh. I think an Italian company took them over now or something. thanks for the correction.

[Kilroy Was Here]

Sure, no problem. Well, what about the Type 26? Steve

[ak474me]

Sure, no problem. Well, what about the Type 26? Steve

Hey Steve,

I do i am able to spin like you say but the problem is that the cylinder spins both ways. I am not sure if it supposed to do that, the center part of the cylinder with the notches is worn. It looks like someone just spun it and spun it. Each little notche are worn down on each of the corners as they spin across the pin or whatever that piece is called. In fact, that piece has just a couple millimeters of it broken off and is worn down about a bit on the corner that hits the notches. So the notches sorta move right over it when it is spun the other way. When i compared the center part of the cylinder to other type 26 the notches or groves do not look so worn down as mine.

The gun right now is with my dad in the state of Washington and maybe i can have him send some pictures,but the type 26 is an awful design like you said. My dad got it for me for Christmas from a gentlemen whose father was in the merchant marine. THe gun is nice and was not aresnal refinished and has an original holster. We also got a type 38 carbine with bayonet. I will get some pictures of the type 99 that was sent home later today. thanks forall the great info and hope i was able to describe the type 26 issues alright.

sean

[Kilroy Was Here]

Hi Sean, it's supposed to do that. As I said the cylinder only locks in place when the trigger is fully in the rearward position, like just after you shoot a round, maybe I was not too clear on that.
When you get the pistol in your hands again, dry fire it and keep squeezing the trigger back, and check the cylinder to see if it is locked in position. Make sure you hold the hammer good, and do not let it snap down on an empty chamber, you might break the firing pin.

My suggestion would be to leave it alone as is either way, and keep as the bring back it is. Send a pic of the holster some time. I have one too with a shoulder strap I will post.

Let me know about the T26, I would like to know. I really do not think there is anything wrong with it. A lot of people think theirs is broken, just a stupid design.

Regards, Steve

[grndskeeper]

I picked-up a Type 38 Arisaka about 20 years ago, from an antique store in Ohio. I have no idea if the bolt matches the weapon (can't make-out the stampings), but it does have a metal bolt-cover that I was told by another collector is usually missing, AA sights and its firing pin (although the cleaning rod and strap are missing).

The interesting bit is that the Imperial Mum is intact, but purposely stamped-through with a very clear kana character that several websites suggest indicates the weapon was transferred from the IJA to a military school. I haven't checked (oddly enough no that I think of it) to see if the rifling is intact, or if the weapon was converted to smoothebore for training.

In addition the butt of the weapon seems to have some sort of odd circular branding that's worn-down, although I could be just trying to make something out of it (like seeing the image of the Virgin Mary in a piece of toast).

Nearest I can figure from the stampings I can read, the rifle was made in the Kokura Arsenal, between 1943 and 1945. I can't make-out the series stamping...I'll post pics of this rifle in hopes you guys can help me figure-out what the truth is

Cheers,
Mac.

[grndskeeper]

I need to amend that post:

The rifle was NOT made between 1943 and '45 at Kokura. Radix indicates the production run for Kokura of the Type 38 was from 1933-1940. Can anyone help me with these dates?

I also have a Type 30 bayonet with a hooked quillion. There are absolutely no markings on it at all, so I have no idea where or when it was made.