The Type 99 rifle Arisaka or Type 99 short rifle (ä¹åä¹å¼çå°éKyÅ«jÅ«kyÅ«-shiki tan-shÅjÅ«) was a bolt-actionrifle of the Arisaka design used by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.
01-23-2010, 12:22 PM
I picked up the Arisaka today from the auction house. It's definitely a type 38, and thanks to Milsurp Collector's link, I was able to determine that it came from the Koishikawa Arsenal. It's number 664155 out of about 2,000,000 made between 1906 and 1935. I'm now convinced that the only reason no one else bid on it is because the safety was on, and they thought the action was locked up :D. Here's the pics:
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z182/tallship2/P1000085.jpg http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z182/tallship2/P1000087.jpg http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z182/tallship2/P1000089.jpg http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z182/tallship2/P1000093.jpg Couple of quick questions: What are the holes under the mum, and how do you get the bolt and cleaning rod out?
History[edit]During the Second Sino-Japanese War in the 1930s, the Japanese soon found that the 7.7mm cartridge being fired by their Type 92 heavy machine gun in China was superior to the 6.5Ã50mm cartridge of the Type 38 rifle, necessitating the development of a new weapon to replace the outclassed Type 38.[2] The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) developed the Type 99 based on the Type 38 rifle but with a caliber of 7.7mm. The Type 99 was produced at nine different arsenals. Seven arsenals were located in Japan, with the other two located at Mukden in China and Jinsen in Korea. The IJA had intended to completely replace the Type 38 with the Type 99 by the end of the war. However, the outbreak of the Pacific war never allowed the army to completely replace the Type 38 and so the IJA used both rifles during the war. As the war progressed, more and more cost saving steps were introduced in order to speed up production. Late war rifles are often called 'Last Ditch' or 'Substitute Standard' due to their crudeness of finish. They are generally as crude as the 1945 dated MauserK98k of Germany, or worse. The Type 99 was produced in four versions, the regular issue Type 99 Short Rifle, the Type 99 Long Rifle (a limited production variant), the takedown Type 2 Paratroop Rifle, and the Type 99 Sniper Rifle. The standard rifle also came with a wire monopod and an anti-aircraft sighting device. The Type 99 was the first mass-produced infantry rifle to have a chrome lined bore to ease cleaning. All of these features were abandoned by mid-war. Nomenclature note: In the West, Japanese equipment is commonly referred to as 'Type XX', rather than 'Model XX'. In the case of a firearm, 'Model' is a more accurate interpretation of the SHIKI (å¼) character, but the word 'Type' has become well-established by collectors for decades. Other users[edit]During the Korean War, approximately 126,500 short and 6,650 long Type 99 Rifles were re-chambered under American supervision at the Tokyo arsenal to fire the then-standard .30-06 Springfield cartridge. Apparently intended for the South Korean 'gendarmerie', few rifles appear to have been issued at the end of the war in 1953. These rifles were fitted with a lengthened magazine well and had a small notch cut in the top of the receiver to accommodate the .30-06 round's 1/3 inch greater length.[3] Accuracy suffered, due to the difference in cartridges, rifling rate and characteristics, but they were nonetheless functional. Conversions to both .30-06 and 7.62 NATO as well 7.62 Russian have also been performed by civilians, often along with sporterising modifications. After 1946, the Republic of China re-chambered large numbers of Type 99 rifles to fire the 8Ã57 IS cartridge.[1] Indonesian forces used a large number of Type 99 rifles in the fighting against the Dutch during the Indonesian National Revolution (1945â1949). The Royal Thai Army received Japanese rifles of all types after 1945 and converted some short Type 99 rifles to fire the U.S. .30-06 cartridge during the early 1950s.[3] Design[edit]
The Flip-up Anti-aircraft rear sights of a Type 99 rifle. The calipers on the sides are to determine the speed of the targeted aircraft.
To gain the superior hitting power of the larger 7.7mm cartridge, several caliber 6.5mm Type 38 rifles were modified for the new round. Although the tests proved satisfactory, the army decided that the added recoil and larger chambering for the 7.7mm cartridge would require an entirely new rifle for the cartridge.[2] It utilized a cock-on-closing action and an unusual safety mechanism, operated by pressing in the large knurled disk at the rear of the bolt with the palm of the hand and rotating it in a 1/8 clockwise turn, which is often misunderstood by Western shooters who are used to the Mauser's thumb lever safety. It featured a quick-release bolt and antiaircraft sights, as well as a sliding bolt cover and monopod. As a bolt-action rifle, the Type 99 was a very solid weapon, but as with all manually operated rifles used during World War II, they were in most close combat situations outclassed by semi-automatic rifles and submachine guns. The Type 99 is one of the strongest military bolt action rifles ever made,[4] but many late-war ('last ditch') rifles used lower quality parts, and a complete lack of finish, as well as shortcuts taken to ease production. The 'last ditch' rifles are usually distinguished by their crudeness: poorly finished stock, wood buttplate, very obvious tooling marks in the metal, rudimentary sights and an unfinished bolt knob and handle. Unlike its predecessors, however, a disadvantage of the Type 99 was its increased recoil due to the lighter weight combined with a heavier cartridge. In some cases, these rifles may actually be training rifles intended for firing cartridges with a wood projectile only. The training rifles were made of mild steel and were never intended for ball ammunition. It is possible that reports of Type 99 rifles blowing up were simply the results of soldiers testing captured weapons. Unaware that they were using drill rifles, they fired ball ammunition in them with poor results and possible injuries. It is possible that this may have unjustly led to the Arisaka having a reputation (at least for the last ditch rifles) for being of poor construction. ![]() The Type 99 can be fitted with a Type 30 bayonet. The Type 30 bayonet had a very long, slender blade, and was grooved to reduce weight. The early models featured a hooked quillion. These bayonets attached to a lug under the barrel and were further stabilized by a loop that fit around the muzzle. Unmounted, it handled like a machete. Variants[edit]Type 99 long rifleThe initial production rifle of the Type 99. Made only by Nagoya Arsenal and Toyo Kogyo under Kokura Arsenal supervision. Only about 38,000 were produced, 8,000 at Nagoya and 30,000 at Toyo Kogyo between summer of 1940 and spring of 1941 when production was switched to the much more common new Type 99 short rifle of which millions were made. Like the early Type 99 short rifles, these rifles were made with a monopod, anti-aircraft lead arms on the rear sight and a dust cover.[5] Gallery[edit]
Availability[edit]Though the Arisaka rifle has never been exported to the United States in great numbers, there are thousands availableâmost having been brought home by Marines and soldiers returning from the Pacific theater. In many cases, the imperial chrysanthemum atop the receiver has been defaced by the surrendering Japanese in order to preserve the Emperor's honor: the mark indicated that the rifle was the Emperor's personal property. Rifles with an intact chrysanthemum often bring a premium on the collector market, sometimes almost double the price for a like model defaced rifle. Many have been rechambered to more common calibers due to the relative scarcity of factory 7.7Ã58mm Arisaka; it is particularly suitable for this due to its robust action. Users[edit]
References[edit]
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Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Type_99_rifle&oldid=900836822'
(Redirected from Type 38 Rifle)
The Type 38 rifle (ä¸å «å¼æ©å µésanjÅ«hachi-shiki hoheijÅ«) was a bolt-action rifle that supplemented the Type 99 Japanese standard infantry rifle during the Second World War.[2] The design was adopted by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1905 (the 38th year of the Meiji period, hence 'Type 38') and served from then until the end of 1945.
History and development[edit]The Imperial Japanese Army introduced the Type 30 rifle in 1897. However, the weapon had numerous shortcomings, which were highlighted by combat experience in the early stages of the Russo-Japanese War. These included bursting cartridges, a poorly designed lock in which excess gunpowder tended to accumulate, burning the face of the shooter, frequent misfires, jamming, difficulty in cleaning, and cartridge extraction. Major Kijiro Nambu undertook a redesign of the Type 30, which was introduced in 1906. Nambu reduced the number of parts making up the Type 30's bolt from nine to six and at that same time simplified manufacture and disassembly of the bolt without the need for tools.[3] A dust cover was added because of experiences in the Russo-Japanese War that left rifles inoperable from dust.[4] The weapon was produced in several locations:
By 1940 more than three million Type 38s had been issued to the Imperial Japanese Army. However, shortcomings in the Type 38 design during the Second Sino-Japanese War led to the introduction of a further generation of rifles, designated the Type 99 rifle from 1939. This new rifle used the more powerful 7.7Ã58mm Arisaka cartridge already in use with the Type 92 heavy machine gun and the Type 97 light machine gun. However, not all units received the new weapon, and the mixture of types with incompatible cartridges led to considerable logistics issues during World War II. Description and variant types[edit]The Type 38 rifle used the 6.5Ã50mm Arisaka cartridge. This cartridge produces little recoil when fired. However, while on par with the Norwegian and Italian 6.5mm military cartridges of the time, the 6.5Ã50mm was not as powerful as several others in use by other nations. The Type 38 at 1,280 mm (50.4 in) was the longest rifle of the war, due to the emphasis on bayonet training for the Japanese soldier of the era, whose average height was 160 centimeters (5 ft 3 in).[7] The rifle was even longer when the 400 mm (15.75 inches) Type 30 bayonet was fixed. The Type 38 was fairly heavy, at about 4.25 kg. Post-war inspection of the Type 38 by the U.S. military and the National Rifle Association found that the Type 38's receiver was the strongest bolt action of any nation's[8] and capable of handling more powerful cartridges. Nomenclature note: In the West, Japanese equipment is commonly referred to as 'Type XX', rather than 'Model XX'. In the case of a firearm, 'Model' is a more accurate interpretation of the SHIKI (å¼) character, but the word 'Type' has become well-established by collectors for decades. Type 38 carbine[edit]Torrent dvd full audio latino full. Intended for use by cavalry, engineers, quartermasters and other non-frontline troops, the Type 38 carbine was introduced into service at the same time as the standard Type 38. Its barrel was 487 millimeters (19.2 in), overall length 966 millimeters (38.0 in), and weight 3.3 kilograms (7.3 lb). The rifle lacked a bayonet. It was produced in a number of locations:
Type 38 cavalry rifle[edit]In the late 1930s to the early 1940s, an unknown number of Type 38 rifles were converted into cavalry rifles at Nagoya Arsenal, that did all rebuilds of Type 38 and Type 44 rifles and carbines.[10] The barrels were shortened to 635 mm (25.0 in) from the standard 794 mm (31.3 in) barrel and the stock shortened to match the barrel while the handguard retained its original length.[11] The end result is a Type 38 which is similar in size to the Type 99 Arisaka. The designation as a 'cavalry rifle' is unusual as at that time the cavalry branch was in decline and it is far more likely these rifles were issued to second line troops instead.[12] There is no consistency to serial numbers or arsenal marks as the rifles were converted from existing stock. Although total production is unknown, it is estimated that approximately 100,000 were converted.[12] Type 44 carbine[edit]Similar to the Type 38 carbine from the middle band back. The cavalry carbine is almost entirely different from the middle band forward with an under-folding bayonet, metal nosecap, stacking hook to the left side of the nosecap and wide front sight guards. This model was introduced in 1911. There are three variations of this rifle. Each variation based entirely on the nosecap size and the spacing of the nosecap screws. They have a unique storage compartment in the buttstock for a cleaning rod. Type 97 sniper rifle[edit]As with the standard Type 38, but with a rifle scope with 2.5x magnification, introduced in 1937. The scope was offset to allow loading by stripper clip and bolt handle slightly bent down. Some 14,000 were produced. Chinese Six/Five infantry rifle[edit]Chinese copy of the Japanese Type 38 at the Taiyuan Arsenal in the very late 1920s to early 1930s for the warlord of Shansi province, General Yen Hsi-shan. The receiver is marked å äºæ¥æ§ or 'six-five rifle'. Estimated to have been 108,000 made.[13] ![]() Type 918 rifle[edit]These copies of the Type 38 rifles are believed to have been manufactured at the South Manchuria Army Arsenal (also known as the 918 Arsenal), but very little is known about them. Chinese sources state that these rifles were made in China for Japan, but for whom it is not known. It does not bear the Japanese Imperial Chrysanthemum, but instead has a heart symbol and under it written '918 Type' (ä¹ä¸å «å¼). It is also not known if these were made before or right after the surrender of Japanese forces. It has an under-folding bayonet similar to the Japanese Type 44. The 918 stamped on top of the receivers stands for the date of September 18, 1931; the date of the Mukden Incident.[14] North China Type 19 carbine[edit]A relatively crude copy of the Type 38 carbine that is believed to have been made mostly in the Chinese city of Tientsin and may have been intended for puppet troops. Unlike the other Type 19 that is a copy of the Type 30 carbine, but in 7.92Ã57mm Mauser, this Type 19 is chambered in the Japanese 6.5x50sr cartridge. Like the other Type 19, it also has a cherry blossom on the receiver and not the Japanese Imperial Chrysanthemum and also says 'North China Type 19' (åæ¯ä¸ä¹å¼). The 19 may mean the 19th year of Showa Era or 1944. The true military designation is unknown. Approximately 40,000 carbines are thought to have been produced.[15] Siamese Type 66 long rifle[edit]Siam (Thailand) ordered 50,000 Type 38 rifles in 1924 from the Tokyo Army Arsenal chambered in their Type 66 8x52r cartridge. The receiver is marked with the Siamese Charkra with 'Type 66' (à¹à¸à¸ à¹à¹) written under it. Not only was the caliber changed, but the sights, bayonet and cleaning rod are different than the Japanese version. Almost all parts, including screws cannot be interchanged with the Japanese Type 38.[16] Thai Type 83 rifle[edit]Unlike the Siamese Type 66 (à¹à¸à¸ à¹à¹), this rifle is a standard Japanese Type 38 in 6.5x50sr that was sent as aid from Japan to Thailand in 1940. These were taken straight from assembly lines at Nagoya and Kokura arsenals, after the Japanese Imperial Chrysanthemum was canceled out by zeros along the petals. In Thailand they called it the Type 83 (à¹à¸à¸ à¹à¹). These rifles were issued to second-line troops to free up rifles in their main caliber from front line duties for the Franco-Thai War.[17] Later in the 1950s, some of these rifles had their barrels and stocks cut down to short rifle length with many of those being rechambered for .30-06 Type 88 cartridge and becoming Type Type 83/88s (à¹à¸à¸ à¹à¹/à¹à¹).[18] Very few of these rifles were imported into the United States because of the Gun Control Act of 1968 restricting former military arms from entering the country.[19] Thai Type 91 police carbine[edit]Made after World War II, these carbines were made in Thailand at the Royal Thai Arsenals in Bangkok from Type 38 parts for a handy carbine for police. The stock and barrel was cut down. The stocks were cut out like a M1 carbine stock and used M1 carbine slings and oilers. Some bolts were turned down, some not. Some had the Royal Thai Police symbol stamped on the receiver with '91' (à¹à¹) stamped above it and some received the Siamese Charkra stamped on the receiver. They all retained their original Japanese caliber of 6.5x50sr.[20] Mexican Model 1913 rifle and carbine[edit]Ordered in mid 1913 from the Huerta government in the standard Mexican military caliber, 7Ã57mm Mauser, for 50,000 rifles and later for another 25,000 carbines from the Tokyo Artillery Arsenal. They were made to fit the Mexican Mauser model 1895, 1902 or 1910 bayonets. In early 1914 the first 10,000-15,000 rifles arrived in Mexico, but the Japanese suspended, probably because Huerta had fled the country in mid-1914 and feared they would not be paid for the rest. In late 1914 or early 1915 Imperial Russia, desperate for arms, bought the remainder left in Japan which was either 35,400 or 60,000 rifles and carbines. The first few thousand rifles had three interlocking circles on the receiver, the rest had the Mexican crest under 'Republica Mexicana'.[21] Estonian KL .303[edit]Estonian conversion of standard Type 38 to .303 British cartridge, intended for usage by second line troops of the Estonian Defence League. Total 24,000 rifles were rebored during 1929-1934.[22] Users[edit]
Free Serial Number Lookup For GunsGallery[edit]
References[edit]
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Type_38_rifle&oldid=898836175'
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