- Japanese Arisaka Rifle Serial Numbers
- Type 99 Arisaka Serial Numbers For Sale
- Type 99 Arisaka Serial Number Search
I was just given an Arisaka Type 99 rifle by my son, who picked it up at a garage sale. My question revolves around a serial number stamped on the left side of the receiver in arabic numbers. There is what appears to be a shield of some type before the 5 digit number and four interlocking circles following the numbers. Model: Arisaka, Type 99 Serial Number: 4578 Year of Manufacture: 1939 - 1945 Caliber: 7.7x58mm (7.7 Jap) Action Type: Bolt Action, Internal Magazine Markings: There is no visible import mark. The top of the receiver has had its “chrysanthemum” (the Imperial ownership seal) removed.
A lot of two Japanese Arisaka Type 99 shortA lot of two Japanese Arisaka Type 99 short rifles Comprising: 1) Serial no. Broadcom bcm43xx 1.0 firmware update. 16782, 7.7mm, Nagoya Arsenal, First Series, retaining bolt cover, monopod A lot of three Japanese Arisaka military A lot of three Japanese Arisaka military rifles Comprising: 1) Type 99, sn. 38258, 7.7mm, Nagoya Arsenal, Series 3. Imperial Japanese - Type 99 Short Rifle Data Sheet - Page 2 14. Firing Pin Cut # (Early Kokura numbered the sear) 21 Inspection/Final Assembly Stamps (refer to chart to the left) Short handguard 3 - 7/8' (98mm) 12 - 9/16' (319mm) 4 - 1/2' (114mm) 12 - 1/2' (318mm) 5 - 7/8' (149mm) 12 - 1/2' (317mm) 2 Drain Holes Finger Grooves Early.
33rd series T99 Arisaka Rifle (Mfg by Toyo Kogyo)(九九式小銃or九九式長小銃 Kyuukyuu-shiki syoujyuu or Kyuukyuu-shiki tyousyoujyuu)
(Click PIC to Enlarge)
Caliber: ............ 7.7 x 58mm (7.7mm Japanese)
Rifling & Twist: ....... 4 groove, right hand twist, .311” diameter bore
Barrel Length: ........ 25.75 in. (654mm)
Overall Length: ....... 50 in. (1270mm)
Weight: ............ 8.8 lb. (3.99Kg)
Magazine Capacity: .... 5 rounds
Qty Mfg: ............ 2.497 million
(Estimated production between 1939 - 1945 by Duncan McCollum’s calculations)
Source: ............ Japanese Rifles of World War II (1996) - ISBN: 1880677113
33rd series T99 Arisaka Rifle (Mfg by Toyo Kogyo)
(38 picture virtual tour)
Observations: (by 'Claven2')
Primary infantry rifle for the Imperial Japanese Army during World War 2. Check for matching serial numbers on left side of receiver and the last 3 digits of the serial number on the bolt shroud, bolt body, firing pin and extractor. Check for a cleaning/stacking rod provision and if present, ensure you get the rod (replacements are unobtainium). Check for availability of serial numbered action cover if an early rifle, which by itself can add approximately $100 value to the rifle. Lastly, check for a non-defaced chrysanthemum stamping over the model designation on the receiver ring as this adds greatly to collector appeal.
![Type 99 Arisaka Serial Numbers Type 99 Arisaka Serial Numbers](https://landngroove.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/type99.jpg)
Collector's Comments and Feedback:
Japanese Arisaka Rifle Serial Numbers
1. The Arisaka T99 was the much anticipated replacement of the earlier 6.5mm T38 infantry rifle in use since before WW1. Initially, both T99 Long rifles and T99 rifles were produced with the shorter of the two being intended for cavalry. Troop trials showed, however, that the shorter rifle was much more useful and production switched entirely to the recognized standard T99 pattern in the first year of production (1939).Early on, rifles were made with sliding action covers, a folding monopod, anti-aircraft sighting arms on the rear sight, chrome lined bore and chrome plated bolt face. As the war progressed, supplies of suitable ordnance steel dwindled and the need for rifles increased dramatically. Gradually, early features were deleted and the level of finish applied to the rifles decreased. These were considered “transitional T99 rifles” and were generally made from late 1941 to about late 1943. The Transitional rifles were made to be functionally the equivalent of the early war rifles and even had provision for most of the early war features (except the useless monopod) – the idea being that when Japan won the war [sic], these rifles would be upgraded. As the situation worsened for Japan in late 1943, the “Substitute Standard” T99 was introduced – it is often mistakenly called a “last ditch 99”. These rifles were made as cheaply and quickly as possible. They are often characterized by crude welds, wooden butt plates, lack of any refinement and crude fixed sights with primitive stocks compared to earlier rifles. Contrary to popular belief, they are safe to shoot if in serviceable condition but the general lack of quality is quite evident. It is my personal belief that these rifles were never built with upgrading to full T99 standard in mind.
The rifle pictured here is a very early 33rd series rifle from the Toyo Kogyo factory in Hiroshima. The characters on the receiver ring translate to “type 99”. Toyo Kogyo was Hiroshima's largest employer, and while the factory was located far enough from the city center to avoid serious damage from the world’s first aggressive use of an atomic blast, many of Toyo Kogyo's employees were not; 400 workers died and the factory never made firearms again. Today the factory is owned by Mazda Motors. Toyo Kogyo made rifles from the 30th series to the 35th series for a total production of approximately 557,000 rifles, about 200,000 or so of which were substitute standard models.
Serial number observations indicate Toyo Kogyo made the switch from transitional T99 production to Substitute standard production within the first 9,000 or so rifles of the 33rd series, making this rifle one of the last transitional rifles they ever produced. In the pictures you can see that cosmetic finishes were pretty much a non-issue at this point on all non-critical surfaces. Aside from the ground chrysanthemum, this rifle is in excellent condition or a rifle of its type. The rough surfaces seen on the hinged floor plate, trigger guard, etc. are not due to pitting – the parts themselves were basically raw stampings and forgings, only lightly ground and blued at manufacture. The receiver cover, monopod, monopod boss and AA sighting wings are deleted on this rifle, though the receiver is still machined to accept a cover and the rear sight is machined for wings. The nosecap is also a 2 screw type, not the earlier 3-screw model. The stock has no drainage holes, but retains the early war small diameter recoil bolt. The stacking rod has been shortened and is no longer a cleaning rod. The bore is chromed, but the bolt face is not. Unlike the other T99 factories, Toyo Kogyo and Kokura arsenals continued to use the olive-shaped bolt knob and machined safety shroud until the end of production in 1945.
The stock, like all T99 rifles, is made of two pieces, with the toe of the butt spliced on. The finish is a reddish varnish called Urushi. Do not sand these stocks – Urushi is a powerful skin irritant in dust form. This stock retain the early war thick butt plate.
When reading the markings on the receiver wall, the first character, a kana, indicates the production series in Japanese, the next numbers are the serial number in Arabic numerals, followed by the Arsenal mark (1 or as in this case, 2 characters) and finished by an inspector’s Kanji.
The vast majority of rifles the collector will encounter have defaced chrysanthemum markings. This is because upon Japanese surrender in 1945, soldiers in the field were ordered to deface these markings so as not to dishonor the emperor and also because Gen. Macarthur issued orders that the same be done to all officially captured rifles. The US gov’t didn’t want to debase the Emperor’s power as it was felt he would be needed to aid in reconstruction of the country post-war. Only a small percentage of Arisaka rifles escaped this fate.(Feedback by 'Claven2')
This WWII era Japanese Type 99 rifle is a bolt-action rifle of the Arisaka design that was used by the Imperial Japanese Army. Colonel Nariakira Arisaka headed a commission in the 1890s and was in charge of developing a new rifle design to replace such rifles as the outdated Murata. Like the Nambu Type 14 pistol, during the reign of emperor Hirohito, rifles were designated by the last one or two digits of their year of adoption according to the Japanese calendar. Thus, the Type 99 rifle was adopted in the Japanese calendar year of 2599 which translates to 1939 in the Western calendar.
The rifle utilized a cock-on-closing action, which improved the rate of fire from the standard Mauser cock-on-open design. Weatherby orion shotgun serial numbers. The Type 99 also featured a quick release bolt and antiaircraft sights, as well as a rotating bolt(dust) cover and monopod. The Type 99 rifle is considered to be a very solid weapon and having one of the strongest receiver assemblies of any military rifle of its time. The Type 99 rifle would have been outfitted with the the Type 30 bayonet.
Type 99 Arisaka Serial Numbers For Sale
The Type 99 rifle is based on the earlier Type 38 Japanese rifle but is chambered in 7.7mm rather then the weaker 6.5mm caliber of the the Type 38. The Type 99 rifle was manufactured at nine different arsenals. Most of these arsenals were located in Japan, but two were located outside of Japan. They include Mukden in China and Jinsen in Korea.
Type 99 Arisaka Serial Number Search
![Arisaka Arisaka](https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/attachments/world-firearms/44124d1246365766-arisaka-rifle-tjk-27-serial.jpg)
It was the intention of the Imperial Japanese Army to replace the Type 38 with the Type 99 by the end of the war. With the outbreak of the Pacific war though, it never allowed the Japanese army to completely replace the Type 38 and so the Imperial Japanese Army used both rifles during the war. As was so often the case with many of the nations that fought in WWII, the Japanese started to implement cost saving measures into their war instruments in order to speed up production. The Type 99 was not spared this fate and by the end of the war, even the metal buttplates were being made from wood. Outlook stuck on synchronizing inbox mail.
The photograph on the right is of the top of the receiver. The white highlighted Japanese symbols on the receiver indicate that this is a Type 99 rifle, or as translated would read 99 type. We can also see in this picture that the Japanese chrysanthemum also referred to as mum for short, has been removed. The chrysanthemum with its 16 petals was the symbol of the Japanese Emperor.
The chrysanthemum was either fully or partially ground off, or in some way defaced on rifles that were surrendered after the war. No one knows for sure why this was done. Did the Japanese love their Emperor so much that even the thought of a symbol of the emperor in other hands was not to be tolerated? Did General MacArthur order it to be done to help suppress the nationalistic pride? Either way, at the end of the war when the Japanese surrendered their weapons to the Allies, they destroyed this marking. Some rifles have been found with the defacing marks not even touching the chrysanthemum and it is thought that the person doing the defacing could not bring them self to destroy a mark of the emperor.
There is a also a lot of speculation out there as to the rifles found with an intact chrysanthemum, are these battlefield captured weapons, was the rifle missed during the removal of the chrysanthemum process, did a U.S. soldier sneak the weapon home? The list goes on and no one really knows for sure and the circumstances for each rifle will be different. If you ever have the opportunity to purchase a war relic and the seller is claiming that it is a 'vet bring back' or has a fantastic story to go along with the inflated price of the item, always try to remember to base what you think the item is worth just on the item and not the story.
The Type 99 featured on this page was made at the Nagoya arsenal and is a late 5th series rifle. In 1933 the serial numbering system was replaced by a system in which rifles were numbered in blocks, or series, of 100,000 at a time. Once they reached 100,000, a new symbol was added to the front of the serial number and it was started again from 0 and went to 99,999. Being that this is a 5th series rifle and Nagoya went to series 12 during the years of 1939 to 1945, a rough guess would place the age of this rifle some where around 1942.