Type 99 Rifle

turnert7771

I'm trying to find someone that can give me an idea on how much my grandfathers rifle he gave me is worth. He gave it to me for christmas this past year. It's a Type 99 Jap rifle and he brought it back from Wake Island during WWII. It still has the Emporers Logo intact on the reciever. It has everything with it but the sling. It has the Cleaning Rod, AA Sights, Dust Cover and Mono Pod. The Bolt and Reciever seriel numbers both match. The wood stock is also in really good shape. It also has a Hooked Quillon Bayonet w/scabbard. The Information I have found on it is that was a rifle in the #31 series and it was made a the Tokyo Juki Kogyo Aresinel. If anyone could help me with this, I would send photos to whoever could help. Thanx.

E-mail: turnert7771@hotmail.com

Wehrmacht_45

While I cant give a figure, the fact it still has the Mum intact along with everything else like the dust cover will make it a collector. I am not an expert in Arisaka rifles, but the only big factor I could not pick out is whether or not it is a last ditch type rifle of poor and unsafe quality.

p3skyking

Thanks to Windtalkers and Letters from Iwo Jima, Japanese military arms have shot up in value over the past five years. They are now where German military arms were in the late '70's.
Anyone that wants an area to collect in that is still largely untapped would do well to pay attention.

Unless you can prove the history, while neat, it does not figure in dollars and cents. I would put your rig (including bayo) currently at about $450-$550.

Wake Island was an epic battle when the Japanese first captured it. The details were not known when Hollywood's "Wake Island" movie came out and it wasn't until after the war the entire story was discovered. The recapture was a matter of pride for America. I think you would be nuts to ever sell it (but if you do, [;)])

Grasshopper

Iy wouldn't be a "last ditch" in with a dust cover. I believe they quit that because of obvious reasons,,,So, imo. you have what p3 says in the 400-550 range, with various factors reflecting the up and down side...imo..nambu

TWalker

I have one similar to yours that came from an estate of a WWII Vet. I paid $300 2 years ago but wouldn't take less than $600 for it now. Mine didn't have the dust cover but was in 95% or better condition.
Congratulations on owning a very collectible firearm. Hang on to it and you'll be amazed at what it will be worth in 25 years.

Fatstrat

I agree w/the others as to value. The Series 31 is one of the "early" type T-99's. It's kind of confuzing because of the way the Japanese numbered their series.
Series numbers were assigned to the different arsenal in blocks. Each arsenal began it's series number at the low end of their block. So a Tokyo Juki Series 31 is an early war model, while a Nagoya Series 10 is a late war "last ditch".
T-99's generally fall into 3 variations. Early (war), Transissional (mid war), and "last Ditch" (late war).
Early models made basically from 1939/40 to 42, have all the "bells & whistles" like yours. Steel Buttplate, AA sights, Monopod,long cleaning rod, 3 screw front BBL band,knurled safety knob.
On mid war "transissional" (late 42-early 44) models, we begin to see the "bells & whistles" dissappear. But not all at once. Rifles may still have some of the early features,and lack others. Charactoriastics of a transissinal model include:
Wooden buttplate, AA sights minus "wings". Monopod rear BBL band minus monopod, short cleaning rod, non-knurled safety knob, 2 screw front bbl/bayo band.
Finally there was the late war "last ditch" rifles. Noticably rougher finish overall. Non adjustible rear sights. No cleaning rod or handguard on BBL.
There is a myth that all WW-2 Japanese rifles were inferior weapons that may blow up. This is partially true, but only in regards to the late war "last ditch" rifles and Japanese "trainer" rifles that look like the real McCoy, but are intended for Blanks ONLY. Trainer rifles are clearly marked in Japanese. But many Americans who couldn't read Japanese attempted to fire live ammo in them. W/predictable results. Your early war rifle is, while utilitarian in dsign and appearance, a VERY well and strongly made rifle.
You should DEFINANTLY ask your grandfather if he still has his "bringback" papers. All souvineer weapons were SUPPOSED to be issued them. These papers will tell when/where the rifle was aquired and will add significantly to the collector value.
Last: RESIST all urges to disassemble and clean your T-99. The action screws on all Arisaka's were "staked" at the arsenal. (notice punch marks on action screws/screw holes. They will be VERY difficult to remove as thet were INTENDED to be. The Japanese did not intend soldiers to do more than a basic "field strip" cleaning. And removing these staked screws will detract from originality and YOUR collector value.
P.S.: You may have just stepped into one of IMO the most fasinating feilds of military weapons collecting. There are so many variations of the Japanese Arisaka that they are very interesting rifles. Especially the T-99! Don't surprized if one day you have a dozen (or more) and no friends. You'll bore them all to tears and run them off by saying things like:
"Well yeah, they LOOK the same to YOU. But see, this one has a 3 screw bbl band and this one only 2. And that means it also has a shorter cleaning rod. SEE?
If you do get interested, the book "Military Rifles of Japan" by Fred L.Honeycutt is the Arisaka collectors "Bible".