old Japanese rifle from world war two

[bayala8]

Hi I got an old Japanese rifle from world war two. I am trying to find out what it’s worth, what it is, and what is says? Can anyone tell me about it.

It has one gas pressure hole on top.
It has matching serial number S10 on the bolt and left side of the gun.
It has Japanese writing all over it.
Carved into the stock there is writing in Japanese and I was able to translate the number and it says 1491 and that is placed under the stock and this number is painted in yellow on the back butt.
There is more Japanese writing carved into the stock and painted but have not been able to translate.
I can email picture

It also is a bolt action, cock on close, the tip of the stock is squared

Might be type 99 or 38.
I might try to sale this rifle should i clean it up and give it a blue finish.

every place i have taken it has said it is an unique rifle

this is a link to the pictures i have http://s1152.photobucket.com/albums/p484/bayala8/

[JLA]

Arisakas usually sell for around 250 bucks if they are clean and original. Sporterized ones even less than that, less than half that actually. even if they are nice.

[StoneChimney]

In order to bring maximum value, the chrysanthemum marking has to be intact. Most have been filed off. Please post pictures of the top of the front receiver ring, the left side of the action, and a good overall photo of the rifle.

[bayala8]

the pictures are up now

[JLA]

That one looks pretty rough. Prolly get about 100-150 bucks fair market for it.

[bayala8]

thank you
by any chance could you translate what is on it

[JLA]

I couldnt and i dont know anyone that is enthusiastic enough about jap arisakas to be able to do so.

[bayala8]

thank you resopding to my post and for the advice

[joncutt87]

Take pictures of all the markings, I can translate

[RJay]

Somehow double entry

[Helix_FR]

So far I'm confused why there are so few markings on it. Both the type 99 and 38 were heavily marked with what arsenal and year. From what I see there isn't much and it could possibly be a late type 38 training rifle. I have one hanging on my wall and it too lacks any stamping compared to my 99. John probably knows more than me though.

[joncutt87]

Especially the top of the chamber and left side of the receiver

[bayala8]

http://s1152.photobucket.com/albums/p484/bayala8/

those are all the markings that are on the gun.
just go to the link above , i took the best pictures i could. thank you

[joncutt87]

I've done a ton of 99/38 research

[RJay]

Those scratchings do not look like Japanese, in fact they don't look like a language. It looks more like someone had some time on their hands and a sharp knife. Individual Japanese soldiers did not deface the Emperor's weapons. That would be very disrespectful and showing disrespect to the Emperor could result in very severe punishment even death. Of course I could be wrong, been wrong before and I'm sure I will be again, but I really believe that those marks on the stock were done by an American GI with a bayonet.

[bayala8]

i took it to a world war two antquie shop and the guy there was lost. he said the samething about the marking that it had to few and he wouldnt give me a price he just told he would by it from me for 300

[joncutt87]

Do you have a .30-06 case lying around?

[bayala8]

well i know few of the marking and they are japanese its a number 1419 i think and that same number is paint in the butt of the stock. so i have no idea what the point of that was.

[joncutt87]

Looks like a school rifle, I might be interested in it

[bayala8]

naw i dont. what you see in the picture is the tarp that goes on a stretcher

[bayala8]

where you able to translate anything

[joncutt87]

I'm at work on my phone, when I get home i'll see what I can do

[bayala8]

thank you so much. for that

[Jim K]

After all that analysis, I am surprised no one except Joncutt recognized it as a training rifle. Those were made for what we would have called high school ROTC and were intended for firing blanks. While the bores are usually far too large for any pressure to build up, the firing of live ammo is definitely NOT recommended. Is "unique" only in that training rifles were made in small lots and there are many variations.

I think you will find that the top tang is cast* in one piece with the receiver, where the real rifles have the tang separate. Also, the barrel swell is either cast as part of the receiver or is a separate part into which the "barrel" (a piece of straight tubing) is screwed.

BTW, there is a difference in collector terms between "training rifle" and "school rifle"; the former were as I said, used at a high school level and only for firing blanks. The latter was any rifle used by a school (college level); those were obsolete but functional rifles turned over to colleges for military training.

Those guns have a moderate collector interest (I have three, all different) and bring around $100-150.

Again, do not fire that rifle!

*Those receivers were cast, since they were not expected to withstand any real pressure; that is probably what gave rise to the story that late Type 99's were cast, something I have never been able to verify.

Jim

[bayala8]

thank you