WW II Arisaka rifle found cleaning attic

[CMDiamonddawg]

Hi everyone , Found this rifle sent home to a relative during WW II. I would like to know more about it . Calling all military gun collectors Any info is appreciated . Thanks , CMD

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[cuzcosquirrel]

It's a little unusual because besides being an Ariska type 38, it has not had the 'mum ground off, and has been nickle plated and had the stock inlaid with mother of pearl. It might be a battle trophy that was plated after the war somewhere. The inlay looks Korean. Many guns and pistols were plated by returning G.I.'s and carried in parades.

Tokyo Korkura arsnel marking.

[acevillav]

Here is some info on the Type 38 . I agree the inlay was added post combat. It was crazy back in the day you could ship almost ANYTHING back home .


The Type 38 rifle Arisaka (三八式歩兵銃, san-bachi-shiki hoheijū?) is a bolt-action rifle. For a time it was the standard rifle of the Japanese infantry. It was known also as the Type 38 Year Meiji Carbine in Japan. An earlier, similar weapon was the Type 30 Year Meiji Rifle, which was also used alongside it. Both of these weapons were also known as the Arisaka, after the inventor.

It used the Japanese designed 6.5×50mm Arisaka calibre 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 6.5×50mm was not as powerful as several others in use by other nations. The Arisaka Rifle at 1,280 millimeters (50.4 in) was the longest rifle of the war, due to the emphasis on bayonet training for the Japanese soldier of the era who stood, on average, 160 centimeters (5 ft 3 in).[1] The rifle was even longer when the 400 mm (15.75 inches) Type 30 bayonet was fixed.

These two concerns (among others) led the Japanese Army to adopt the Type 99 Rifle, a shorter rifle using more powerful ammunition. Japanese authorities also wished to adopt a new long arm that needed fewer machining steps to be produced given Japan's metallurgic capacity.

The Type 38 Cavalry Carbine is a short-barreled version of the Type 38. It was used by cavalry, engineer, quartermaster and other non-frontline troops. It was introduced into service at the same time as the Type 38. Its barrel was 487 millimeters (19.2 in), overall length 966 millimeters (38.0 in) overall, and a weight of 3.3 kilograms (7.3 lb).

Other variants of the Type 38 were the Type 44 Cavalry Rifle, Type 97 Sniper Rifle. The Japanese Imperial Navy also purchased a number of Type I Rifles from Italy at the beginning of World War II. The Italian-built rifles were chambered for the same 6.5×50mm cartridge as the Type 38 rifle. The Type I Rifle were similar in appearance and length to the Type 38 rifle, but were based on the Italian Carcano action.

Post-war inspection of the Type 38 by both the U.S. military and the National Rifle Association showed that the Type 38's receiver was the strongest bolt action of any nation[2] and capable of handling more powerful cartridges.

[bluehunter1973]

nice find

[CMDiamonddawg]

It's a little unusual because besides being an Ariska type 38, it has not had the 'mum ground off, and has been nickle plated and had the stock inlaid with mother of pearl. It might be a battle trophy that was plated after the war somewhere. The inlay looks Korean. Many guns and pistols were plated by returning G.I.'s and carried in parades.

Tokyo Korkura arsnel marking.

Many Thanks cuzosquirrel this rifle belonged to a WW 2 vet relative . He may have served in Korea as well He passed on a few weeks ago 92 years old ..

Here is some info on the Type 38 . I agree the inlay was added post combat. It was crazy back in the day you could ship almost ANYTHING back home .


The Type 38 rifle Arisaka (三八式歩兵銃, san-bachi-shiki hoheijū?) is a bolt-action rifle. For a time it was the standard rifle of the Japanese infantry. It was known also as the Type 38 Year Meiji Carbine in Japan. An earlier, similar weapon was the Type 30 Year Meiji Rifle, which was also used alongside it. Both of these weapons were also known as the Arisaka, after the inventor.

It used the Japanese designed 6.5×50mm Arisaka calibre 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 6.5×50mm was not as powerful as several others in use by other nations. The Arisaka Rifle at 1,280 millimeters (50.4 in) was the longest rifle of the war, due to the emphasis on bayonet training for the Japanese soldier of the era who stood, on average, 160 centimeters (5 ft 3 in).[1] The rifle was even longer when the 400 mm (15.75 inches) Type 30 bayonet was fixed.

These two concerns (among others) led the Japanese Army to adopt the Type 99 Rifle, a shorter rifle using more powerful ammunition. Japanese authorities also wished to adopt a new long arm that needed fewer machining steps to be produced given Japan's metallurgic capacity.

The Type 38 Cavalry Carbine is a short-barreled version of the Type 38. It was used by cavalry, engineer, quartermaster and other non-frontline troops. It was introduced into service at the same time as the Type 38. Its barrel was 487 millimeters (19.2 in), overall length 966 millimeters (38.0 in) overall, and a weight of 3.3 kilograms (7.3 lb).

Other variants of the Type 38 were the Type 44 Cavalry Rifle, Type 97 Sniper Rifle. The Japanese Imperial Navy also purchased a number of Type I Rifles from Italy at the beginning of World War II. The Italian-built rifles were chambered for the same 6.5×50mm cartridge as the Type 38 rifle. The Type I Rifle were similar in appearance and length to the Type 38 rifle, but were based on the Italian Carcano action.

Post-war inspection of the Type 38 by both the U.S. military and the National Rifle Association showed that the Type 38's receiver was the strongest bolt action of any nation[2] and capable of handling more powerful cartridges.

Thanks interesting info .. it is missing the sling ring , the bayonet lug , & ramrod .. master craftsman abalone / pearl shell inlay

nice find

Thanks for stopping in , dawg

[Jason in Enid]

Dang, everyone beat me to posting the info. The mum is a rarity, most were ground off according to the peace treaty.

It's a very nice rifle and should be kept in the family as a connection to history.

[CMDiamonddawg]

Dang, everyone beat me to posting the info. The mum is a rarity, most were ground off according to the peace treaty.

It's a very nice rifle and should be kept in the family as a connection to history.

Thank you Jason .. mums were ground off late in the war if there was a chance of being captured .. disgrace to the Emperor if captured . I never realized the peace treaty was a reason as well .


Thanks dawg

[idigjars]

Wow. That gun is amazing. Congrats! Paul

[Glock232]

I have one also, with a bayonet. If you look at the picture you see the flower crest on the gun, and Japanese writing, the one I have was sanded or ground off. My grand pop (mom's side) had it from the war. I did a little research on it, and basically was standard infantry rifle for a while, I was told when Japanese were captured they would grind the crest off the gun so you couldn't identify their unit or battalion or whatever they call it. I was tossing around trading it in for something more practical, but they gun dealer I went to only offered me $50 for it.. I'll keep it, it's an heirloom at this point. Mine is a regular wood stock with "aircraft" sights on it. It has a regular peep sight, but then it stands up and has cross bars that fold down I was told it was so that they could sight the rifle on flying planes.