Need help identifying

[dlewis23]

Hello,

I got this gun for my birthday from a friend and I need some help identifying it. He doesn't really know much about guns so its a long shot for him.

I think its a springfield but he was saying it uses 7.7 mm rounds but I always thought a springfield uses .30-06. But it also looks like a Japanese type 99 to me.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Alpo]

It's not a Springfield.

It's a Japanese Type 99 Arisaka. Japanese WW2 rifle. The caliber is 7.7mm Arisaka. The only ones that I am aware of that sell the ammo, here is in the states, is Norma. They call it 7.7 Jap.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/192...oint-box-of-20

About 2 dollars a shot.

[Alpo]

Power-wise, it's right in there with a 30/06, but it uses a slightly larger bullet - .312 versus .308.

[Alpo]

More thoughts.

If it has the chrysanthemum on the receiver, it will be worth more money. I'm not saying you should sell it, just letting you know. See mum at front of receiver?


Many of the guns in this country have had the mum ground off. So a gun that still has the mum is more valuable.

Also, if you remove the barrel band, in front of the receiver, you might find that the stock has been cut in two. This was done so that GIs could smuggle them into the country. If you take the barreled action out of the stock, the barreled action will fit in a GI duffel bag, but the stock is too long. They would cut the stock into two pieces, so it would be short enough to fit. They would make the cut underneath the band, so that when they put the gun back together, the band would hide the cut.

[Hammerslagger]

Some of these rifles have been modified (rechambered but not rebarreled) to .30-06 Springfield.

Shooting the wrong ammo in a high power rifle, can wreck the rifle and seriously injure of kill you or others, nearby. Old military rifles have sometimes been altered from their original caliber. Just because a round will chamber and fire, does not mean that it is the right ammo or safe.

You will be well advised and wise to have a competent gunsmith physically determine what cartridge this rifle is currently chambered for, and that its "headspace" is within safe limits before firing it!

[dlewis23]

Originally Posted by Alpo

More thoughts.

If it has the chrysanthemum on the receiver, it will be worth more money. I'm not saying you should sell it, just letting you know. See mum at front of receiver?

The mum is ground off. I noticed that a little bit after taking the pictures. I was like feeling it thinking something should be there.

Giving it a pretty good look over it doesn't look at all like the stock has been cut in two. But I will remove the barrel band to see if it was cut.

Thanks a ton for all the information. I really appreciate it. Overall was this gun pretty good? I remember watching some stuff on it but its been a while.

Thanks again.

[CHW2021]

A general fyi, the Arisaka is one of the strongest actions made in WW2. There were later "last ditch" rifles made that were unsafe, but the earlier guns were exceptional. The rifle also had a chromed bore and fairly decent sights.
You can look about for ammo and find companies other than Norme that have made ammo for the 7.7 Jap. Norma ammo is expensive, good ammo; but expensive.

[Detroit-1]

Your gun is a early Toyo Kogyo series 34. Is it matching? Do the last three numbers of the seriel number match the number on the bolt? More than likely the bore is not chromed. I have many so called last ditch rifles and if in good shape are fine to shoot. It was the shooting of training rifles with smooth bores and cast iron recievers with live ammo and not blanks that can lead to problems. Hornady also makes ammo at around 28.00 a box. When you shoot it let us know how she did.

[dlewis23]

Originally Posted by Detroit-1

Your gun is a early Toyo Kogyo series 34. Is it matching? Do the last three numbers of the seriel number match the number on the bolt? More than likely the bore is not chromed. I have many so called last ditch rifles and if in good shape are fine to shoot. It was the shooting of training rifles with smooth bores and cast iron recievers with live ammo and not blanks that can lead to problems. Hornady also makes ammo at around 28.00 a box. When you shoot it let us know how she did.

Yes the numbers on the bolt match the last 3 numbers on the serial number.

I saw the Hornady ammo but everywhere I look is sold out at the moment. Once I do get some I will update for sure on how she shoots.

[Jim K]

AFAIK, all the so-called "training rifles" (actually for use by high school and college students, not military trrainees) were in 6.5 caliber.

Also, the rifle pictured by Alpo is a Type 38; the Type 99 will have different markings and one gas escape port.

Jim

[Detroit-1]

Yes the Type 38 trainer were in 6.5. But it could have been the shooting of ball ammo in the guns made for blanks that made some GI's feel that all Arisaka's were unsafe to shoot. I'am sure ALPO knew that it was a Type 38 he was just trying to show what a mum looks like.

[KennyL1960]

I have an early series 34 Toyo Kogyo Type 99 serial number low 8,000. Unfortunately it has been sportered like so many but I intend to restore to as original appearing as I can since it has an intact mum. Is the full length upper hand guard, cleaning rod, wooden butt plate accurate for an 8,000 range serial number? I also have a Howa Jyuko series 9 serial # mid 58,000 and while you can make out the mum it has been chisled. Although the Howa hasn't been sportered it has the wrong stock, I believe it has a Toyo Kogyo stock but I don't think it is correct for my series 34.

Thanks
Kenny

[Fatstrat]

Originally Posted by Alpo

Power-wise, it's right in there with a 30/06, but it uses a slightly larger bullet - .312 versus .308.

Ballistically, the Japanese 7.7 is a twin of the British .303.

[WHSmithIV]

Also, if you remove the barrel band, in front of the receiver, you might find that the stock has been cut in two. This was done so that GIs could smuggle them into the country. If you take the barreled action out of the stock, the barreled action will fit in a GI duffel bag, but the stock is too long. They would cut the stock into two pieces, so it would be short enough to fit. They would make the cut underneath the band, so that when they put the gun back together, the band would hide the cut.

Thanks for this piece of info. It's an interesting historical piece of information that many of us may have never heard - I certainly hadn't !

[Buffalochip]

Originally Posted by dlewis23

Yes the numbers on the bolt match the last 3 numbers on the serial number.

I saw the Hornady ammo but everywhere I look is sold out at the moment. Once I do get some I will update for sure on how she shoots.

I have a Type 99 long rifle, c 1939, in excellent condition. I've fired it four times--twice at 25 yds just to see where it would hit and then twice at 100yds. Both times you could cover the 2-bullet spread with a half dollar--all four bullets hit the vertical lines passing through the bulleye with the top bullet about an inch below dead center. I cleaned it and put it away. That loooong barrel and peep site make for a very accurate weapon. In a pinch, if I ever need a deer gun, I wouldn't hesitate to use it.