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Mums? what are they

mauser_centralmauser_central Member Posts: 733 ✭✭✭✭
edited October 2004 in General Discussion
OK this is stupid question number humpteen thousand for this board but its driving me nuts...

What is a Mum on a firearm? I don't collect or own any jap rifles. But in almost every arisaka description i read the owner refers to a mum.... Ive ponder on this for over a year but never had the cohonas to ask anyone..... so enlighten me if you will.... thanks

"When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe
~ Jesus Christ [Luke 11:21.6]

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Comments

  • bigtirebigtire Member Posts: 24,800
    edited November -1
    The japanese used a chrisanthemum(sp?) (flower) crest on their military arms. The crest was ground off on most captured weapons. Those that have an untouched "mum' crest are more valuable.

    MOLON LABE!
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    An evil tree bears evil fruit. You can destroy as much fruit as you want, but it will always grow back, and it will always be evil.

    Tear the tree out of the ground by the roots and burn it. Burn it to ash and grind out the embers with your boot until there's nothing left. Not a single spark. Not a single seed.
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  • njretcopnjretcop Member Posts: 7,975
    edited November -1
    Mum is short for Chrysanthemum. Japanese firearms in WWII were marked with a "mum" representing the Emperor.

    At the end of the war, Japanese soldiers were ordered to destroy the mum on their firearms before they surrendered them to the allies.

    General McArthur is said to have issued the same order to American forces who captured Jap weapons. Some rifles escaped the erasing of the mum and can be found from time to time on Arisakas and other Jap guns here in the states.

    I and a lot of others here I'm sure, that collect Arisakas, have at least one with an intact mum.

    njretcop@copmail.com

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    Charlie
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  • HangfireHangfire Member Posts: 3,010 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hi Charlie!!! Don't be a stranger.Does that Manton of yours have a Mum??...[8D]

    Love them Pre-64's!!!!-Bob
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  • mauser_centralmauser_central Member Posts: 733 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    thanks bigtire and njretcop, much appriciated. [:)]

    "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe
    ~ Jesus Christ [Luke 11:21.6]

    Mauser Central

    MidwayUSA, if your not signed up for the Eblast alerts you are missing some great deals !
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  • gun_runnergun_runner Member Posts: 8,999
    edited November -1
    My mum lives in Wyoming. I miss her.[:D]

    Larry
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  • PearywPearyw Member Posts: 3,699
    edited November -1
    I was at a gunshow about 15 years ago in Birmingham, AL where a dealer who was importing a lot of Chinese stuff had a barrel full of model 38 rifles. They had the mums intact and the dust covers on them. They had Chinese markings cut into the stocks. They were $33 each. I bought one that I still have and I wish now that I had bought an arm full.
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  • njretcopnjretcop Member Posts: 7,975
    edited November -1
    Hi Hangfire,

    No, no "mum" on the Manton [:D] but the Manton does have a place of honor on the wall in our rec room........[^]

    njretcop@copmail.com

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    Charlie
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  • 96harley96harley Member Posts: 3,992 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    A Mum is an Englishman's term for what we in the good ole U.S. of A. call; Mom, Mother, Mommy, Ma, MaMa.

    "Save the Whalers, they need jobs too."
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  • James AyersJames Ayers Member Posts: 1,598 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    [8D]Allright kids, MUMS the word![}:)][}:)][}:)][:D]

    On your mark-get set- go away!!
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  • mudgemudge Member Posts: 4,225 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The chrysanthemum was the Japanese national symbol. The same as the eagle is ours. The "mum" on the Japanese rifle meant that it belonged to the Emperor. The soldier could not, honorably, surrender a weapon that belonged to the Emperor so they scratched the symbol off so, technically, it no longer belonged to the Emperor and could be surrendered without dishonoring him.

    Mudge the purveyor of odd facts and useless information

    I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS!<BR>
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