What to do with 2 Arisakas?

[WardenWolf]

Thanks for posting, and sorry for the delay in getting back to you. As I thought, those aren't factory symbols. They're just generic marks that most of these guns have. The three concentric circles, without any additional mark, signify this is a Kokura Armory rifle. This confirms my previous assessment that it is a Series 23 rifle. It's an early-war example of the original Arisaka 99 design, before it was altered and simplified to speed manufacturing and reduce resource usage. Starting around 1943 or so, they began leaving off things like the antiaircraft sight wings and gradually expanding that to the monopod, dust cover, and other aspects until you are left with the infamous Last Ditch guns. This is an unaltered example of the design, and one of the last made before they started dropping features.

 

[Birdmang]

Thanks for the response and info!

 

[WardenWolf]

No problem. Glad I could help. Here's my 1940-41 Series 21 Kokura, which was a war bringback by my grandfather from Okinawa:







That rifle went through the entire Pacific war, being recovered in 1945, so it's not surprising it's a little beat up. It's still mechanically perfect and a great shooter, though. The chrome bore is still bright, with like-new rifling.

 

[ping]

Are not the type 99 toward the end of the war become pretty crude. I heard that they we not as well made as the type 38. I just happened to have come into the possession of a type 38 and had done some research. Nice rifles though. I reload for mine. Not that great at 200 yards as compared to the US rifles but fun to shoot.

 

[WardenWolf]

The end of war Type 99's, known as Last Ditch or Substitute Standard, were indeed very crude. However, the early model Type 99's were just as well made as the Type 38. In pressure tests done post-war, the Type 38 and Type 99 proved to be the two strongest rifles of the war. Indeed, the Type 38 was the only one they didn't manage to blow up. The last one to fail, though, was the Type 99.

 

[BrocLuno]

Does the OP want to collect military rifles? If not, I think selling them and using the money for another civilian rifle or handgun is the way to go. I'm currently sorting out the one my step-dad brought home at the end of the war. It's a "last ditch" so not very valuable, but it seems solid. The ones in your photos are pretty nice and they are all earlier models with anti-aircraft sights, so would be worth more. My guess is you could get $600~$800 for all three, maybe more? That would buy a nice used hunting rifle

OBTW - the sporterized ones are selling. I'm in a bid for a lovely one with custom stock and it's over $300 right now (more than I'll pay). Someone wants them if they were professionally built