Arisaka Type 99 "Last Ditch"

[Micro]

This is my Arisaka Type 99 "Last Ditch" rifle. This particular example was picked up by my grandfather's brother in Japan after the surrender. Apparently, there were piles of them for the soldiers to take. Other than 60+ years of closet wear and tear, I'm not sure this rifle was ever issued. The stock and metal finsih seem particularly good. He also picked up the bayonet. Both the bayonet and the rifle bear the Nagoya symbol.

I have two questions.

What "series" is this rifle?

And more pressing, the bolt is locked closed. This appears to be a rather common problem with these rifles. The bolt has about 1/8" of movement. There are no obvious welds holding it shut. I've tried the internet remedies to open the bolt - to no avail. Any suggestions?

Big pictures. So I am posting links.

Arisaka Type 99 1
Arisaka Type 99 2
Arisaka Type 99 3
Arisaka Type 99 4
Arisaka Type 99 5
Arisaka Type 99 6
Arisaka Type 99 7
Arisaka Type 99 8
Arisaka Type 99 9
Arisaka Type 99 10
Arisaka Type 99 11
Arisaka Type 99 12
Arisaka Type 99 13
Arisaka Type 99 14
Arisaka Type 99 15

 

[ijosef]

Awesome rifle! I like wooden buttplate held on with three nails. It's one of the most endearing features of the last of the Type 99 Arisakas. Crude workmanship born out of desperation in a losing war, but so much history. Does your rifle have a Chrysanthemum stamping anywhere?

Unfortunately I can't help you with your question. I think it might be gunsmith time.

 

[Oyeboten]

Undo the safety...


http://www.surplusrifle.com/arisaka/operations.asp


Becareful too...it might be loaded...

 

[Micro]

I can't disengage the safety.

The trigger appears to be in the fired position. I can't completely turn the safety with or without the trigger pulled back.

Something is engaged on this rifle and I can't figure out what it is.

I've come across this problem on the internet, but can't find a solution that works.

BTW, the Mum is about 50%. Someone took some whacks at it, but you can still see most of it, and 50% of it is undamaged.

 

[Micro]

Oyeboten, now that I look at the pics in that article, I'm thinking the safety may be installed wrong on my rifle.

The rounded groove on the saftey in your pictures is either straight up or to the left side of the rifle. On mine, it's on the right. I can't turn it any further right, and I can't turn it left because of the tab that sticks out (you can see it in my picture).

 

[Jim K]

I have tried to do that with mine and can't. The groove to the right is the disassembly position and the safety should come straight out. One thing mine did was allow the bolt to go in with the cocking piece in the uncocked position. Take a look at the right side of the bolt behind the rear receiver ring and see if you see a triangular shaped piece of steel. If you do, maybe I can help you figure out how to get the bolt out.

Jim

 

[logjam]

Take the heal of your hand and push hard on the big knob at the end of the bolt and turn it. Can't recall which way. They don't move easily. Course it may be broken. Those Last Ditch rifles were likely to break.

Indeed, it might be loaded and old Jap ammo can still go off.

That bayonet is not a last ditch bayonet. I have one, it's make a nice match to your rifle, which is maybe the best Last Ditch that I've ever seen. Last ditch bayonets were round with wood sheaths.

 

[Micro]

I fixed it.

I took the bolt-stop block off the left side of the receiver. This revealed a large hole where I could peer into the action. I found that whoever assembled the rifle last somehow managed to push the bolt into the receiver, with the cocking lug in the bolt lug channel! The cocking lug them popped up inside the hole covered by the bolt-stop block. I used a long, thing screwdriver to puch the cocking lug backwards. When I had it back as far as it would go, I pushed in the safety and it twisted. Then it, the spring and the firing pin popped completely out of the bolt. The bolt then came out as normal.

Then, for the first time in my memory, I was able to look down the bore of this rifle. I must say, the bore is spotless. Shiny and crisp. There bolt assembly is likewise pristine. The spring looks absolutely brand new.

After a quick wipedown, I reassembled the bolt. I made sure before placing the bolt back in the rifle that the cocking lug was pointing straight down, and the handle straight up. The bolt slid in and now the rifle works perfectly.

Here are some more pictures for those interested....

Thanks for all the kind help!

Type 99
Type 99
Safety ON
Safety OFF
Type 99


BTW, this is a potentially dangerous rifle. You can fire the gun with the bolt handle straight up - with the bolt unlocked in the receiver.

 

[Oyeboten]

Hi Micro,


Oh Good!!


I had one of these along time ago, never shot it, hardly ever even handled it...and I was trying to remember the take-down stuff, and, how your Bolt may even have been put in wrong somehow or had some debris in there messing with things...so...glad to hear you got it figured out...good going!


It sure looks nice...heck, looks 'Brand New'...

 

[rocky branch]

It is common for people to close the bolt and uncock it, jamming up the works.
Sometimes you have to take the action out of the stock to do this.
Common thinking is that most "Last ditch" pieces were never issued.
They are often found in unfired condition.
Some question firing the real late ones with the safety tacked on with a crude blob of weld.
These have a collectability of their own.
It was not so long ago that you could hardly give away a Japanese rifle.

 

[Slamfire]

A last ditch rifle is a very interesting artifact. Really shows how much stress the Nation of Japan was under in those last days. The Japanese hierarchy was sending out its best youth to crash planes into ships. Literally, the hierarchy was preparing to exterminate the Japanese people rather than lose face by surrendering. The guys who built these rifles were being primed to be one of the “100 million martyrs” who would die to stop the American Invasion.

A slogan from the times was something like "Japanese spiritual values will overcome American Materialism."

It was absolutely insane.

Knowing the times these were made, I would love to have one, but I would just clean it out and leave it alone.

It is probably save to shoot, but they are very rare, I would rather not put any wear on the piece.

Your bayonet is not a last ditch bayonet.

 

[Micro]

No plans to shoot it. I just wanted it to work. I'm quite satisfied with it now.