Arisaka 99s and their chrome lined bores

[tark]

I need a little help here from you Arisaka Collectors: I am currently engaged in a disagreement with a distinguished gentleman. He says all type 99s had chrome lined bores, including the substitute standard guns, right up until the end; I say the practice stopped when things went south for the Japanese later in the war.

I am no expert on the subject, but I know for an absolute fact that I have seen Type 99s at gun shows that did not have the chrome bores, or the chromed bolt face. These were NOT smoothbore training guns, they were rifled. They were invariably substitute standard guns, or out right last ditch guns.

To the distinguished gentleman who wanted a Source: "Small Arms of the World" ByW.H.B. Smith and Jeseph Smith. I quote:

"In 1943 a substitute type 99 was introduced which was made of inferior materials, without bolt cover and other features, AND WITHOUT CHROME PLATED BORES."

I rest my case.

 

[Nom de Forum]

My 10th Edition copy of "Small Arms of the World" has the same text. I checked a couple of other sources, "Military Small Arms of the 20th Century" by Ian V. Hogg and John Weeks, and "Bolt Action Rifles" by Frank de Haas. Neither of those mention a lack of chromed barrels in mid-war rifles but they do mention several manufacturing short cuts and rough finishes. I suspect that it is an omission by the authors rather than confirmation that chrome was still being applied. The reason given for the short cuts was shortage of critical materials and I suspect using chrome for barrel lining was far down on the priority list compared to chrome need for steel production used for other weapon components. Where are the Arisaka experts to confirm this?

 

[rule303]

I would not consider myself an expert, but I have owned several variations of later Type 99's that were not chrome lined.

 

[eastbank]

a lot of the last ditch japanese rifles had no chrome plated barrels. eastbank.

 

[Curator]

Japan's ability to import chromium was severely curtailed by the US Navy's efforts in the Pacific by mid-war 1943. While a few of the arsenals that were making the M99s continued to chrome plate rifle bores until supplies ran out most were not plated after 1943. Stock piles of previously chromed barrels made their way into production at various times making a "cut-off" date impossible to determine. I have inspected a #4 series Nagoya M99 without a chrome bore and a #6 that had a chrome lining. Neither my #7 series or the #8 series Nagoya M99s have chrome bores.

 

[tark]

I am still waiting for for my distinguished gentleman opponent to weigh in, here, but I don't think he will be able to put forth much of an argument. He is quite right about one thing, however. The substitute standard Arisakas are no more unsafe to fire than our substitute standard guns (03A3s) were. They were just built a little more economically. The "last ditch" guns are a fascinating part of history, but they are probably best left unfired.

 

[tark]

I guess its time to close this thread, since the opposition didn't show up for the debate.

 

[Acera]

I guess its time to close this thread, since the opposition didn't show up for the debate.

Sucks when that happens, LOL.

Got all spun up for nothing