[chubcobear]

My good friend's father recently passed and left her several long guns. One appears to be a Japanese made rifle (unknown caliber). Any help to identify and value this gun would be appreciated.

 

[chubcobear]

Please forgive the oversize photos. It was our first attempt at this. Thanks.

 

[woolleyworm]

It is an Arisaka. A clearer pic of the receiver by the mum will give the type#. It started out most likely as a 7.7Jap caliber, but you'd have to verify the chamber to know for sure. Not much collectors value since it's been sporterized, but should be a good hunting rifle and still worth $100-115 IMO. How's the muzzle end look?
It appears to be an earlier model. If you could post the serial number, I'm having a problem making it out clearly.

 

[chubcobear]

Thanks Wooley, the ser is 45557, and I had no idea what the caliber could be.
When I first saw the rifle, I thought that it had been a military rifle that had been cut and sporterized. We will try to get a better picture of receiver.

 

[deadin]

Also need the series mark just before the serial and the arsenal mark (Usually on the same side of the receiver.) in order to date properly.
Clear pics of all the marks will help. (Brace your camera on something when taking the pictures.)

 

[Buffalochip]

Single hole in receiver above the mum indicates a Type 99 even without the blurred stamping. Should be 7.7 unless altered. A shame it has been sporterized--intact mums are the exception.

 

[Jim K]

Another way to tell is that on the Type 99 the model number runs crossways; on the Type 38 the characters are one above the other.

Jim

 

[chubcobear]

Arisaka type 99, series 1? Not sporterized? Saw a picture of one on internet. What's a mum?
Her gun looks exactly like thishttp://cdn2.********.com/sites/********/uploads/posts/2012/06/14/433713_03_wwii_jap_arisaka_type_99_640.jpg

 

[RJay]

The Mum is the stylized chrysanthemum just to the rear of the pressure/gas relief hole. The " mum " is a royal symbol of the Emperor. Rifles that were captured in the field had the mum intact. rifles that were surrendered at the end of the war had the Mum removed or defaced. The Japanese used several types of rifles during their military reign. your rifle is a Type 99 ( or what is left of a Type 99 ). Yes, the stock has been sporterized, but the metal seems to be correct for the most part. That is the short version of a very long story, hope that helps.

 

[chubcobear]

Thanks RJay.