Arisaka Type 99 Help

SteamDonkey · 12-01-2010, 09:19 PM

Hello, I’m new to the forum and not sure if this is the right place to post this question, but here it goes: my grandfather was in the pacific campaign in WW2. He brought an arisaka type 99 rifle back to the US. He re-chambered the rifle to a .300 savage. I’ve been doing some research on type 99 rifles and found the “mums” were ground off many of the rifles. The 99 passed down to me has no mum and it doesn’t appear to ever had one stamped (no evidence of grinding off the mum). Does anyone know why they wouldn’t stamp a mum on this rifle? I have found some info about the rifle, it was made by Nagoya Arsenal 1923-1945 the serial marking is a 5. Any info would be great thank you. pictures are posted

oscarmayer · 12-02-2010, 04:01 AM

just to venture a guess it did have a mum at one time and when it was re-chambered to 300 the smith did an excellent job of removing it. i think i see what is left of the stamping in the pictures you provided

SteamDonkey · 12-02-2010, 08:48 AM

I guess I can where the mum was at one time. From the research I have done It looks like my grandfather modified the rifle with a different stock and might have had the barrel re-blued(assuming that is why it is so hard to see where the mum actually was stamped). So can any experts confirm that the stock on it now is not the original, and are there kits to convert it back to its original glory, is it worth converting it back? Thanks for all the help

woolleyworm · 12-02-2010, 08:53 AM

No, it's not worth converting it back. It's a great sporter though; enjoy it for what it is and shoot the heck out of it. If you can find enough ammo to feed it, 300 SAV is not the easiest to find nowadays.

One question though, can you get a pic of the safety and a a couple more of the bolt/chamber areas. Thanks!

oscarmayer · 12-02-2010, 08:56 AM

yes it has been "sporterized" very common back in the day. the bolt has been modified as well. no value at all as far as a war collectable, but as a shooter maybe it might be worth 150.00 in my humble opinion, i'm honestly not sure about the caliber hunting rounds i know little if anything about. 223,30.06 and 308 yes beyond that i couldn't say if a 300 savage is worth while or not.

Helix_FR · 12-02-2010, 08:59 AM

Defiantly not a original condition stock. May be the original stock but not in original condition. The wrist have been relieved just forward of the comb, its been cut down at the foreend so your missing some hardware too and it has a recoil pad. The only way to get it back to original condition is to locate a uncut stock and the missing hardware (forward band with bayonet lug among the screws too). IMO its kinda a pointless effort. The gun will never be worth an original Type 99 b/c its been re-chambered to the 300 savage from the 7.7 Jap. You can have everything else historically correct but the 300 Sav stamp on the barrel is a sore thumb to the collector.

In addition: Woops, the bolt handle is bent down also. The original bolts stuck straight out. A new bolt would have to be located and then your going to run into issues with it being re chambered and a change in headspace.

SteamDonkey · 12-02-2010, 09:37 AM

Thanks for all the great info! I would never sell this rifle; it has sentimental value to me. I just liked the way the original type 99s looked, maybe I’ll just buy and original and enjoy the sporterized rifle the way it is. The serial numbers on the barrel and the serial numbers on the bolt match up, unfortunately I have missed placed the safety knob a few years ago (hopefully it is at my parents house somewhere) I do have the firing pin and spring though.

tankman · 12-02-2010, 09:56 AM

i would guess the bolt being bent was a personal preference of your gpa's. it would be annoying having it sticking out catching on everything. plus it makes it easier to cycle, thats probably the exact reason it is bent. just another thing that adds to the sentimentality. sale price usually can never compare to what its worth to you. awesome rifle.

oscarmayer · 12-02-2010, 10:00 AM

tankman said it best on the open market it is not worth much but considering the history of ownership to you it's priceless

Texxut · 12-06-2010, 10:41 AM

The picture of the left side, clearly shows a divot where the Mum used to be.
That's a rifle I'd hold on to and pass to one of your grandsons at some point.

gunplumber · 12-07-2010, 08:03 AM

A customer told me yesterday that the Jap Mil were ordered to destroy the Mum on their guns before capture and that the US forces were ordered by McArthur to destroy them also by grinding them off to show that the emperor was no longer in charge? I'm not sure how that would apply after the fact nor am I certain these statements are true. I do know that thousands of Mausers were treated the same way.

oscarmayer · 12-07-2010, 08:38 AM

the mums were removed by order of the military occupation leadership after the fall of japan

12-01-2010, 09:19 PM	#1
SteamDonkey Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 3	Arisaka Type 99 Help Hello, I’m new to the forum and not sure if this is the right place to post this question, but here it goes: my grandfather was in the pacific campaign in WW2. He brought an arisaka type 99 rifle back to the US. He re-chambered the rifle to a .300 savage. I’ve been doing some research on type 99 rifles and found the “mums” were ground off many of the rifles. The 99 passed down to me has no mum and it doesn’t appear to ever had one stamped (no evidence of grinding off the mum). Does anyone know why they wouldn’t stamp a mum on this rifle? I have found some info about the rifle, it was made by Nagoya Arsenal 1923-1945 the serial marking is a 5. Any info would be great thank you. pictures are posted Attached Images -->

12-02-2010, 04:01 AM	#2
oscarmayer Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Contributor Posts: 2,387	Re: Arisaka Type 99 Help just to venture a guess it did have a mum at one time and when it was re-chambered to 300 the smith did an excellent job of removing it. i think i see what is left of the stamping in the pictures you provided

12-02-2010, 08:48 AM	#3
SteamDonkey Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 3	Re: Arisaka Type 99 Help I guess I can where the mum was at one time. From the research I have done It looks like my grandfather modified the rifle with a different stock and might have had the barrel re-blued(assuming that is why it is so hard to see where the mum actually was stamped). So can any experts confirm that the stock on it now is not the original, and are there kits to convert it back to its original glory, is it worth converting it back? Thanks for all the help Attached Images

12-02-2010, 08:53 AM	#4
woolleyworm TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: SW Fort Worth Contributor Posts: 4,882	Re: Arisaka Type 99 Help No, it's not worth converting it back. It's a great sporter though; enjoy it for what it is and shoot the heck out of it. If you can find enough ammo to feed it, 300 SAV is not the easiest to find nowadays. One question though, can you get a pic of the safety and a a couple more of the bolt/chamber areas. Thanks! __________________ . What are you gonna do, talk the alien to death? -- (on Sigourney Weaver's worry about Guns in Aliens) "Safety is something that happens between your ears, not something you hold in your hands." "I carry a small gun to compensate for my huge Blue press." .

12-02-2010, 08:56 AM	#5
oscarmayer Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Contributor Posts: 2,387	Re: Arisaka Type 99 Help yes it has been "sporterized" very common back in the day. the bolt has been modified as well. no value at all as far as a war collectable, but as a shooter maybe it might be worth 150.00 in my humble opinion, i'm honestly not sure about the caliber hunting rounds i know little if anything about. 223,30.06 and 308 yes beyond that i couldn't say if a 300 savage is worth while or not.

12-02-2010, 08:59 AM	#6
Helix_FR TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Imperial, MO Posts: 3,617	Re: Arisaka Type 99 Help Defiantly not a original condition stock. May be the original stock but not in original condition. The wrist have been relieved just forward of the comb, its been cut down at the foreend so your missing some hardware too and it has a recoil pad. The only way to get it back to original condition is to locate a uncut stock and the missing hardware (forward band with bayonet lug among the screws too). IMO its kinda a pointless effort. The gun will never be worth an original Type 99 b/c its been re-chambered to the 300 savage from the 7.7 Jap. You can have everything else historically correct but the 300 Sav stamp on the barrel is a sore thumb to the collector. In addition: Woops, the bolt handle is bent down also. The original bolts stuck straight out. A new bolt would have to be located and then your going to run into issues with it being re chambered and a change in headspace. __________________ Only cowards shoot with their eyes closed.... helixgunsmith.com Last edited by Helix_FR; 12-02-2010 at 09:10 AM..

12-02-2010, 09:37 AM	#7
SteamDonkey Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 3	Re: Arisaka Type 99 Help Thanks for all the great info! I would never sell this rifle; it has sentimental value to me. I just liked the way the original type 99s looked, maybe I’ll just buy and original and enjoy the sporterized rifle the way it is. The serial numbers on the barrel and the serial numbers on the bolt match up, unfortunately I have missed placed the safety knob a few years ago (hopefully it is at my parents house somewhere) I do have the firing pin and spring though. Attached Images

12-02-2010, 09:56 AM	#8
tankman Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 25	Re: Arisaka Type 99 Help i would guess the bolt being bent was a personal preference of your gpa's. it would be annoying having it sticking out catching on everything. plus it makes it easier to cycle, thats probably the exact reason it is bent. just another thing that adds to the sentimentality. sale price usually can never compare to what its worth to you. awesome rifle. __________________ what do you feel when you kill a terrorist? recoil.

12-02-2010, 10:00 AM	#9
oscarmayer Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Contributor Posts: 2,387	Re: Arisaka Type 99 Help tankman said it best on the open market it is not worth much but considering the history of ownership to you it's priceless

12-06-2010, 10:41 AM	#10
Texxut V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Utah Posts: 264	Re: Arisaka Type 99 Help The picture of the left side, clearly shows a divot where the Mum used to be. That's a rifle I'd hold on to and pass to one of your grandsons at some point.

12-07-2010, 08:03 AM	#11
gunplumber V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 370	Re: Arisaka Type 99 Help A customer told me yesterday that the Jap Mil were ordered to destroy the Mum on their guns before capture and that the US forces were ordered by McArthur to destroy them also by grinding them off to show that the emperor was no longer in charge? I'm not sure how that would apply after the fact nor am I certain these statements are true. I do know that thousands of Mausers were treated the same way.

12-07-2010, 08:38 AM	#12
oscarmayer Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Contributor Posts: 2,387	Re: Arisaka Type 99 Help the mums were removed by order of the military occupation leadership after the fall of japan