Arisaka

coastalkid

Okay I am not very familiar with the Arisaka guns. I have 3 of them here in various conditions.
I need to know what is the physical differences between the Type 38 and Type 99.
Any help is appreciated.

coastalkid

My grandfather left me a rifle in his will and after 15 years I just found out what it was. Its a '43 Japanese Arisaka. Does anybody know anything about it?

Also, I'm getting ready to go buy my first handgun, what would be a good choice?

Josh Searcy

coastalkid

I know there is 6.5 and 7.7 but what is 7.7/06

coastalkid

Joined just as topic was closed! Please excuse my bringing it up again..as I have a question about the caliber of this Arisaka. I believe it's from 1898 in 7.7 Any comments? Thanks

www.photolava.com/view/hxmb.html

Tailgunner1954

There were several calibers used by Japan, the 6.5x50(?) and 7.7x58 Arasaka (7.7 Jap) being the most commonly found (the others were larger BP era types IE 11mm).
During WW-2, the Japanese used 3 different 7.7mm cartridges, the 7.7x58 Arasaka (rimless) was used in the bolt action army rifles (this is the one you find in the stores). The army also used a 7.7 Semi-Rimmed cartridge in some machineguns (they are not interchangable), and the Navy used a 7.7mm Rimmed cartridge in their aircraft machineguns. The navy Rimmed is identicle to the 303 British round BTW (as is the Italian 7.7 Rimmed MG round) as they copied a british designed gun for their AC.

The best way to tell which of the RIFLE cartridges that gun takes (assuming it hasn't been re-chambered) would be to A) measure the ID of the muzzle, and cast and measure the chamber.

I doubt that you'll need to worry about shooting it, as it looks like it's part of a NA museum display.

Fatstrat

Your pic really isn't of much help. But from what I can see it appears to be a Type 38. Which would make it 6.5MM Jap.
One good rule of thumb to aid in ID is that the T-38 have 2 vent holes on top of the receiver. And the T-99 only has 1.
The Japanese didn't use the 7.7MM which was modeled after and is a ballistic twin of the British .303, in rifles until production of the Type 99 in 1939/40.
If I am not mistaken and going by memory, the T-38 became the primary Japanese Army rifle in 1905.

coastalkid

Really appreciate the information! Thanks! Johnny

Fatstrat

Curious about the Native American looking display setting.
I guess it's possible an NA could've owned the rifle. But it would be EXTREMELY unlikely that he did so prior to WW-2.

coastalkid

This weapon and 100's of others belong to a friend's private collection. This was engraved and used by Inuit Eskimos.

p3skyking

It looks like a type 99 in 7.7.

Lots of Inuit Eskimos have Japanese rifles and a whole bunch more stuff too. Anyone know how or why?


During WWII, the Japanese occupied Kiska and Attu, two islands in the Aleutian chain. Both islands still have muy gear visible from the air. We routinely flew over Attu during patrol flights off the coast of the Soviet Union. The runway has 1930's trucks parked on it so the Japanese could not reoccupy after they were run off. Kiska has a NSA dinosaur cage on it (sensitive comm antenna) and is restricted and manned, so can't say much about it.
The Eskimos have been boating out there since the end of WWII and scavaging weapons and gear. That is most likely one of the rifles.

coastalkid

Skyking..thanks for spending so much time with a brand new member! The weapon fascinates me, and my friend who owns the collection will be back from vacation soon. I was having a heck of a time trying to figure out the caliber! Thanks to Fatstrat and Tailgunner1954, also!

When the owner gets back I'll grill him on the history.

jimthompson502002

The 7.7 mm. Type 99 (year: 1939) rifle uses ammunition based upon the German 7.92x57JS and spin directly off the rimless 7.7x58 used in the Type 92 machine gun. Indeed, it is substantially the same round, and is very difficult to identify when next to the 1898-1945 German service round. Only the bullet is the same diameter as British .303, which is a radically different, much older style of rimmed round with much more gradual shoulder. The idea was (and it worked!) to allow the machine guns, if necessary, to use the rifle ammo (they were Hotchkiss system, and had very flexible extractors), and the Japanese were worried that perhaps the 6.5x50mm. round, adopted ca.1897, would not have enough "punch"; actually, in light of modern developments, the 6.5 was probably the better round. The bigger bullet conferred no particular advantage, but the recoil of the lighter rifle was substantially more, for no real increase in delivered killing power.

jimthompson502002

By the way, Colonel Arisaka died in 1915, and while the Type 30 and
Type 38 rightly bear his name, the rifles are virtually never spoken
of that way in Japan. The 99 dates from '39, some 24 years later.

coastalkid

Great insight, Mr. Thompson! I appreciate the information...Johnny