Need Help with Arisaka

[tiltrotor22]

Can anyone help me identify the Arisaka I just got?
I know its a type 38, but the forend is different to what ive seen anywhere else.
It only has a spot for one barrel band, and the barrel barely sticks out past the wood and it has a single post front sight.

Also, if anyone does know anything about this, I am trying to locate the correct piece of missing wood and the barrel band. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[gyvel]

Offhand, it looks like someone cut the barrel back, and turned the end down to fit some kind of front sight, then chopped the stock accordingly. (The front sight almost looks like it came off a Carcano.)

Your rear sight indicates that this gun was once a full-length rifle. The only way you could make anything out of it now would be to rebarrel it, find an original stock and the original hardware, which, more than likely, would end up with you having more in the gun than it's worth.

It's a shame, too, since the chrysanthemum wasn't ground, most likely indicating that this was a battlefield pickup.

[Mike Irwin]

Yep, it has been modified.

[tiltrotor22]

What do you think I should do with it?
I do know its got matching serial numbers for the bolt and receiver. Maybe someone who has a defaced MUM is looking for a new one?

[tahunua001]

well, you could pay slightly more than the rifle is worth to fix it back up to specs.

you could pay slightly less to convert it to a faux type 38 carbine.

you could pay several times what it's worth to build a custom rifle out of it.

or

you could keep it as is and have fun with a messed up little carbine.

[tiltrotor22]

What do you mean by a "faux type 38 carbine"?

Does anyone make Carbine Stocks for this rifle?

I honestly dont mind spending a little more than its worth to return in to spec, but keeping it a carbine length would be alright as well.

[Blindstitch]

Depending where you are rebarreling might be an option. Here's one in wisconsin for $100.

http://www.armslist.com/posts/272230...p--mosin-91-30

or there's a barrel at Numrich for $75
http://www.gunpartscorp.com/Products/499790.htm

[Gunplummer]

A business called "THE GUN PARTS CORP." or "Numrich Arms" used to sell complete stock sets (Reproduction) for Arisakas. I used them and they usually need a little fitting. What you have, as others said, is the Type 38 long rifle that someone shortened the barrel and stock on. The rear sight is correct for a long rifle. It is very hard to locate a carbine rear sight assembly. If you hunt, the 6.5x50 is a great deer round.

[gyvel]

I've seen full-length Type 38 Arisaka stocks on eBay from time to time. If you want to restore it to it's original condition and have patience, you can do it a little at a time. If you do it selectively, you can end up with a quasi-authentic WWII souvenir. More than likely, the cost of the parts might exceed the value of the finished product at this time, but if you stretch it out over a period of time the impact on your wallet will be negligible, and, quite possibly, by the time the project is done, the value might exceed the cost of restoration as things are going up in value at an astronomical rate.

The fact that the mum is not ground gives it more value than the very common ground variety.

Alternatively, as you mentioned, you could sell it to someone who would like to "convert" their ground mum gun into an "authentic" battlefield pickup. (And you can be sure that there are unscrupulous dirtbags out there who will do just that and sell it as an authentic piece.)

[Blindstitch]

Out of curiosity how much do you guys think this rifle would be worth restored to original.

And if the poster is willing to comment how much he paid for it?

I bought a sporterized one for $125 and wouldn't hesitate buying another sporterized one for deer hunting after seeing how accurate it is. Of course if I had to rebarrel it that alone might exceed the value of the rifle.

[gyvel]

Out of curiosity how much do you guys think this rifle would be worth restored to original.

It depends; An original, unrestored non-ground rifle can bring $400.00+ in today's crazy market.

A "restored" gun would not have the value of an original, unless the seller didn't disclose that it wasn't original, and we all know that there are plenty of dirtbags out there who do that.

(And you know who you are.)

[Mosin-Marauder]

Try and get fingerprints off the gun and find the guy who did this.

[Blindstitch]

Mosin in 70 years anyone could have done it.

My sporter was bought in the mid 80's as a barrel action for $25 and several others were bought at the same time.

Unless the guy who started this thread paid around $100 for it I don't think it would be worth doing anything to it and just buy a nice model that this one once was.

Still can be a great sporter or gunsmithing project.

[Mosin-Marauder]

I know, blindstitch, I was joking.

[Blindstitch]

Perfect candidate for Mosin to practice gunsmithing on. Not bad to reload for either. 140 grain projectile, 31.2 grains of powder. The only thing I don't like is Privi brass balloons out pretty good vs Norma.

[Mosin-Marauder]

I certainly could work on it . Not sure what I could do about the barrel but I could work with the stock. All the stock would need is a good sanding and refinishing, my eyes may be failing me but is that a cracks just above the pistol grip?. Then you add a rear barrel band and you're got a nice little carbine you can put a sling on. I'd see about getting a
new front sight maybe. That one doesn't look to great. For the barrel band, here you go.

http://www.japanesemilitaryfirearmsp...e-Parts_c7.htm

Only upper hand guard I could find, I'd jump on it if I were you.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/201147691017?nav=SEARCH

[Gunplummer]

Not a crack, almost all arisaka stocks were two pieces glued together. An intact MUM on the t-38's does not mean a whole lot. I believe a bunch of 6.5's came in from China and most long 6.5's have the mum. I would check if all the serial numbers match before bothering with a restoration.

[Mosin-Marauder]

Sorry, I'm not very well versed in Arisaka's. Didn't know they were assembled in that fashion.

[gyvel]

An intact MUM on the t-38's does not mean a whole lot. I believe a bunch of 6.5's came in from China and most long 6.5's have the mum.

The ones that were imported from China looked like they were dragged through the sewers, and used to dig foxholes. In fact, the U.S. could have saved millions studying the pits on Chinese imports instead of sending a man to the moon.

Chinese junkers aside, an intact mum usually indicates that it was a battlefield pickup instead of a "here take one home from this pile" that occupation forces had available, with defaced mums.

I think this is one that was a bringback, but somewhere in the dim recesses of its past, the owner chopped it to make a more handy hunting gun out of it. When I was a kid, Jap rifles were nearly worthless, even less than Carcanos or French rifles.

[tiltrotor22]

Yea, it cost me $100 dollars. I didnt know anything about Arisakas either. I like the idea of sanding and re-finishing the wood and making a nice carbine out of it with a sling. Too bad I am not good at re-finishing wood.
All the serial numbers do match and it was made in Japan.
Thanks for the replies and ideas, keep 'em coming. I should have done my research before I got it, but as seeing so I have it I might as well do something with it.

[gyvel]

Yea, it cost me $100 dollars.

The good news is that you can probably double your investment by selling the parts off. I imagine that just the bare, stripped receiver would bring an easy hundred bucks. Since the bolt matches, if they were sold together, I would not think it unreasonable to expect $150.00+ to the right buyer.

Add a couple bucks each here and there for various screws, $25.00-30.00 for the trigger guard parts, $5-10 each for other miscellaneous parts, and you have your $200.00+.

[Mosin-Marauder]

Tiltrotor...ummm...This may seem like a crazy idea, but would you be interested in letting me sand and refinish your stock? I'd do it for free, you'd just have to ship it. It would give me a little more experience, and I'd enjoy doing it. You can look at my previous work here. (I started refinishing in Post #12)
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=550439

I probably wouldn't do a professional gunsmith job (because I'm not) but I don't think I'd screw it up either. As I said, I could only do work on the stock, so you'd have all the metal parts with you while I'm doing it to do what you wish, as I don't do metal parts. I would refinish it with tru-oil, as many or as little coats as you'd prefer. Anyway, I should stop rambling, just tell me if you'you'd like me too. Thanks.

[gyvel]

You know, it dawned on me tiltrotor that if you wanted to rebarrel, you could find a broken Type 38 stock and graft the necessary piece to the forearm. Some old gunsmith might even have just a cut off piece from an Arisaka that was sporterized.

Yours was cut forward of where the lower band goes, so you could very carefully at 90 degrees cut the stock at that point or maybe 1/4" forward of the step (better) then glue the missing piece from the broken stock at that point. The joint would be covered by the barrel band, and thus, invisible. I have used this technique on some guns that had "barracks bag cuts" with great success. I reinforced them with small pieces of dowel on either side of the cleaning rod channel that fit into corresponding holes in the replacement extension, then glued with strong epoxy.

The barrel would be the big nut $$ wise, but the rest of the parts would not be too much.

[tiltrotor22]

I like all the ideas. It gives me hope for this rifle. Mosin-Marauder, if you really want to re-finish the stock I wouldnt have a problem sending it to you.
I will also check around for damaged stocks in case I would want to return it to full length. The carbine length it is right now does feel good while holding it. Would I need the upper wood piece and barrel band, or would a barrel band work without the wood piece?

[gyvel]

Would I need the upper wood piece and barrel band, or would a barrel band work without the wood piece?

As it is right now, you would need the upper handguard to use with a barrel band.