Help ID this old bolt action please

Arkhog · October 28, 2012, 12:40 PM

My son's girlfriend has an old bolt action hand-me-down that I can't identify. I have provided pics. Any thoughts would be welcome.

rjrivero · October 28, 2012, 12:54 PM

Arisaka?

coyota1 · October 28, 2012, 01:03 PM

It looks like a Japanese Arisaka type 99. That's my guess.

Arkhog · October 28, 2012, 01:12 PM

Sure looks like it is an Arisaka. Seems to favor the 99 and the 38 in some respects.

Hawg · October 28, 2012, 01:59 PM

Arisaka for sure. Looks like a type 99.

PetahW · October 28, 2012, 03:34 PM

It's definitely a Japanese Arisaka Rifle, and since it doesn't have a peep sight on the receiver bridge like a Type 99 should, AFAIK that would make it an earlier Type 38.

The large round knob on the rear of the bolt is the rotating safety - push in/fwd & turn with the heel of the hand, one way or the other, to take it on/off safe.

It looks like it's had the Japanese Royal Crest ( a Chrysanthemum) stamping ground off the front receiver ring, a sure sign of a war-surrendered weapon.

The chambering/bore should tell the tale - IIRC, the Type 38 was 6.5mm (.260") & the Type 99 was a 7.7mm (.310").

.

tahunua001 · October 28, 2012, 03:46 PM

Petah nailed it but also the japanese symbols on the top of the receiver that look like cursive "r"s are 9s so I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's a type 99 chambered in 7.7 but due to the rarity of ammo a lot were converted so you will definitely want to verify that with a gunsmith.

Gunplummer · October 28, 2012, 04:13 PM

It is a Type 99 7.7 and seems in nice shape. I would check to see if it has matching numbers. The fact that the wood is all there makes it more valuable than most. Not worth a fortune, but they are going up in value now.

Mk VII · October 28, 2012, 05:34 PM

Some of these guns were reamed out to accept .30-06 cartridges - not always marked to indicate it either. Careful now.

Arkhog · October 28, 2012, 09:10 PM

I don't have the gun. I handled it for a few minutes to take the pics. It had a great deal of surface and pitted rust. The bottom of the magazine was pitted badly.

It had a chrome lined barrel and was blued at one time. I don't think that this was a last ditch gun. The crest, as you can see, was removed. I doubt that the young lady that owns it will ever fire it. I did find it odd that the bolt face was polished and clean. It was if her grandfather left the gun dirty and rusty yet he made sure the bolt face was spotless.

tahunua001 · October 28, 2012, 09:39 PM

a number of old bolt guns are like that for some reason...my all parts matching enfield was improperly stored for a couple decades and is the most rusted out WWII era gun I've ever seen yet the bolt is still in great condition.

maybe it's the oils from the shooters hands seeping into the metal that protect it?

coyota1 · October 29, 2012, 01:29 AM

I would imagine this rifle saw some action by the condition it's in.

Geezerbiker · October 29, 2012, 12:04 PM

The decorative pattern on the rear of the bolt was one of the first luxuries to go in late production. This is clearly not a last ditch rifle and would likely be OK to shoot if she had it cleaned up and checked out.

Tony

October 28, 2012, 12:40 PM	#1
Arkhog Member Join Date: August 8, 2006 Location: Central Arkansas Posts: 99	Help ID this old bolt action please My son's girlfriend has an old bolt action hand-me-down that I can't identify. I have provided pics. Any thoughts would be welcome.

October 28, 2012, 01:12 PM	#4
Arkhog Member Join Date: August 8, 2006 Location: Central Arkansas Posts: 99	Thanks Sure looks like it is an Arisaka. Seems to favor the 99 and the 38 in some respects.

October 28, 2012, 03:34 PM	#6
PetahW Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 4,678	It's definitely a Japanese Arisaka Rifle, and since it doesn't have a peep sight on the receiver bridge like a Type 99 should, AFAIK that would make it an earlier Type 38. The large round knob on the rear of the bolt is the rotating safety - push in/fwd & turn with the heel of the hand, one way or the other, to take it on/off safe. It looks like it's had the Japanese Royal Crest ( a Chrysanthemum) stamping ground off the front receiver ring, a sure sign of a war-surrendered weapon. The chambering/bore should tell the tale - IIRC, the Type 38 was 6.5mm (.260") & the Type 99 was a 7.7mm (.310"). . Last edited by PetahW; October 28, 2012 at 03:39 PM.

October 28, 2012, 03:46 PM	#7
tahunua001 Senior Member Join Date: July 21, 2011 Location: Idaho Posts: 7,839	Petah nailed it but also the japanese symbols on the top of the receiver that look like cursive "r"s are 9s so I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's a type 99 chambered in 7.7 but due to the rarity of ammo a lot were converted so you will definitely want to verify that with a gunsmith. __________________ ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar. I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin

October 28, 2012, 09:10 PM	#10
Arkhog Member Join Date: August 8, 2006 Location: Central Arkansas Posts: 99	Type 99 I don't have the gun. I handled it for a few minutes to take the pics. It had a great deal of surface and pitted rust. The bottom of the magazine was pitted badly. It had a chrome lined barrel and was blued at one time. I don't think that this was a last ditch gun. The crest, as you can see, was removed. I doubt that the young lady that owns it will ever fire it. I did find it odd that the bolt face was polished and clean. It was if her grandfather left the gun dirty and rusty yet he made sure the bolt face was spotless.

October 28, 2012, 12:54 PM	#2
rjrivero Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2008 Location: NW Ohio Posts: 1,399	Arisaka?

October 28, 2012, 01:03 PM	#3
coyota1 Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2008 Location: West Michigan Posts: 663	It looks like a Japanese Arisaka type 99. That's my guess.

October 28, 2012, 01:59 PM	#5
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,190	Arisaka for sure. Looks like a type 99.

October 28, 2012, 04:13 PM	#8
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	It is a Type 99 7.7 and seems in nice shape. I would check to see if it has matching numbers. The fact that the wood is all there makes it more valuable than most. Not worth a fortune, but they are going up in value now.

October 28, 2012, 05:34 PM	#9
Mk VII Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2000 Location: England Posts: 455	Some of these guns were reamed out to accept .30-06 cartridges - not always marked to indicate it either. Careful now.

October 28, 2012, 09:39 PM	#11
tahunua001 Senior Member Join Date: July 21, 2011 Location: Idaho Posts: 7,839	a number of old bolt guns are like that for some reason...my all parts matching enfield was improperly stored for a couple decades and is the most rusted out WWII era gun I've ever seen yet the bolt is still in great condition. maybe it's the oils from the shooters hands seeping into the metal that protect it? __________________ ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar. I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin

October 29, 2012, 01:29 AM	#12
coyota1 Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2008 Location: West Michigan Posts: 663	I would imagine this rifle saw some action by the condition it's in.

October 29, 2012, 12:04 PM	#13
Geezerbiker Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2011 Location: Willamina, OR Posts: 1,908	The decorative pattern on the rear of the bolt was one of the first luxuries to go in late production. This is clearly not a last ditch rifle and would likely be OK to shoot if she had it cleaned up and checked out. Tony