Arisaka Rifle

[Light Infantry]

I have an opportunity to pick up an Arasaka rifle. This is not my area of expertise. I am hoping the knowledge base here can let me know what exactly this rifle is, and what is a fair price for it. How do you tell when it was made?

It is complete with the Mum as well as the dust cover. No cleaning rod. The bore is surprisingly nice, not completely dark, good rifling, some shine to it.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Phat Eagle]

Hard to tell if the Mum is intact, or ringed out. If so, it would indicate it's a Thai gun.

 

[Light Infantry]

What do you mean "ringed out"?

 

[Light Infantry]

Does this help?

 

[polaris]

Does this help?

No, very lousy picture.

 

[CanadianAR]

Lol

It looks cancelled out to me

Post a pic of the serial and the symbol before and after the serial.

edit: removed dumb question

 

[Phat Eagle]

What do you mean "ringed out"?

The Chrysanthemum is the symbol of the Japanese Emperor. They would "cancel" the 'mums before they were passed on. Those sold or given to their Thai allies would be stamped with "zeroes" to cancel them... At first blush the 'mum appears intact, so you need a crisp photo to be sure.

Guns surrendered to the Americans would have the 'mum ground off before they were turned in, which is why truly intact 'mums are not common. They were usually trophies captured off the battlefield.

 

[Light Infantry]

Here is the serial number.

 

[SoldatArmyman]

AA sights and monopods on a Type 38? Am I missing something?

Lol

It looks cancelled out to me

Post a pic of the serial and the symbol before and after the serial.

No AA sights or mono pod likely indicates the dust cover is added. But need to se those symbols to know
More.

 

[R711]

Also, any transfer of weapons from the army to navy etc, the mums would get ground off as well. They were property marks.

 

[Phat Eagle]

The marking to the right of the serial number shows it was made at Nagoya Arsenal.

 

[green]

Thai issued T38 rifles had the chrysanthemum cancelled by punching circle stamps around outside of mum. International sold these in the late 60s and they were in much better shape than the later Chinese imports. Came with 8x52R cal Mausers and Arisakas.

 

[CanadianAR]

AA sights and monopods on a Type 38? Am I missing something?

My bad. Never even looked at the rest. Just the mum. Always want to know who made it and when before judging the rest.

Anyways type 38 are pretty commonly encountered here with cancelled mums.