What is this rifle?

[Amps 13]

Need info, my friend found this is his step dads closet and sent me some pics. Pretty sure it is a Japanese Arisaka but my knowledge pretty much ends there. Yes I know marlin strap is not supposed to be on it either.
interested to see what you guys know about it.

 

[SnowRooster]

Looks kind of like a Japanese Arisaka type 99

 

[SnowRooster]

Flip up the rear sight, does it have little calipers that fold out? If so it has the anti-aircraft site on it.

 

[Gator]

Looks kind of like a Japanese Arisaka type 99

Looks like you can see whee the mum has been ground off.

.

 

[yard mongrel]

@cubrock

 

[SnowRooster]

Looks like you can see whee the mum has been ground off.

.

It sure does, I thought it was just a reflection on my phone. I’m looking at the pictures on phone so they’re pretty small.

 

[Amps 13]

If he brings it home with him I may be able to get better pics but that’s the best I can do for now.

 

[SnowRooster]

This is a picture of one with the mum still on it


Early Type 99 - 1939
Found in Long/Short Rifle

 

[Amps 13]

This is a picture of one with the mum still on it
View attachment 223498

Early Type 99 - 1939
Found in Long/Short Rifle

What round would it take?

 

[SnowRooster]

What round would it take?

7.7

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.7×58mm_Arisaka

 

[Johnny]

https://landngroove.wordpress.com/2015/05/28/arisaka-type-99-in-7-7x58mm/

I did a reverse search.

 

[Amps 13]

https://landngroove.wordpress.com/2015/05/28/arisaka-type-99-in-7-7x58mm/

I did a reverse search.

Real good info and interesting. It doesn’t tell why they would chisel off the mum though.

 

[SnowRooster]

Real good info and interesting. It doesn’t tell why they would chisel off the mum though.

https://www.gunboards.com/sites/banzai/FeatArts/MumMystery/MissingMum.htm

 

[cubrock]

Yep. Japanese Type 99 Arisaka. Reproduction sling on it.

The mums were ground off so that Emperor Hirohito could save face. The chrysanthemum was his royal emblem and the rifles were his as long as the emblem was on them. Once they were defaced, they no longer belonged to him and his weapons were not in the hands of his enemies.


Edited to add - Snowrooster gave you a better account of it than my quick summary. We posted at the same time. He won. LOL

 

[Amps 13]

Dang interesting. Learn something new every day. Appreciate all the info. I know the owner will enjoy it too. If I get my hands on it and see anything else not in the pics I will add.

 

[East of Here]

They are excellent shooters, but finding decent factory ammo at a reasonable price can be difficult. But that is not a big problem. PPU makes new 7.7 Jap brass that sells for about 50 cents apiece and it takes a .311 diameter bullet just like 303 British or 7.62x54R. Lee makes reloading dies for it. So it is relatively cheap and easy to load for if you intend to shoot it much.