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Arisaka Type 38 Carbine

3K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  Zacher29 
#1 ·
I have an opportunity to buy an Arisaka Type 38 Carbine. The serial number is 112598 (yes, there is no 7th digit). It has no MUM and unless someone was a magician in removing it, it never had one. It has a small left side crack stretching back from the trigger guard above the stock seam but other than that the stock is in remarkable condition. It may have been sanded but there are no signs of dents or scratches anywhere and it is not sanded very much if sanded at all as it measures the same as another Type 38 that I have access to. The metal and bore are also in excellent condition. My question is - Why no MUM? Why is this low serial number different? I have an opportunity to buy it for around $200 but the missing MUM has me concerned - why is this Carbine different?
 
#4 ·
It would help to get some pics for sure. I doubt that this is some rare item but who knows. For $200 I'd buy it in the shape you described.
 
#5 ·
It's in a pawn shop but I know the guy and he will let me take pictures. I'll try to get some tomorrow. I stop by once a week to see what old stuff has arrived. He has 2 other Arisakas (99) but they are very average (been there quite a while) and my Type 99's are in fabulous shape. One of his Arisakas has a very good bayonet and metal sheath with it and the rig could go for about $265 if you're interested. The gun is 70% but the bayonet is 85%.
 
#12 ·
It's barely visible under a strong light. Someone went through a lot of effort to file, polish and re-blue. It does have the double concentric circle on the receiver which means it left the emperor's ownership at some point. This is a Tokyo arsenal gun with a very low serial number - 1906 or 7.
 
#13 ·
it could have been used by someone else, could have been a surrendered weapon at the end of the war, regardless, theyre nice rifles. I have on myself, the mum is intact on mine, but the problem is some idiot sporterized it, cut the stock down, bent the bolt handle to accomodate a scope, and filed the front sight down, then removed the scope long before I got it, so I can't hit the broad side of a barn with it, but it is a fun gun to shoot, and very light, would make a great pack rifle or what not.

The other issue is finding ammo for it, theyre hard to find, but theyre not so bad to reload. I bought a package of PPU brass from cabelas for it, and use 140 grain hornandy SSTs combined with 33 grains of IMR 3031, it shoots a nice consistent pattern with that combination (just about 2 feet high at 100 yards is all lol)

Hope you enjoy it, looks like a good find. :D
 
#15 ·
Well if I was here sooner, I would have told you to buy it as well. Ive never actually had the chance to handle one of these but at that price I wouldn't even hesitate to pick one up. Nice find.
 
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