My Arisaka, real or reproduction?

I looked at the sight pictures again with out my grandson using Youtube, the
sights are original...just that the rear sight had the wing guides removed.
 
I do have a question for anyone that might know this, but there is some Japanese symbols on the bolt and i am curious as to what they mean. could anyone help?
 
Here is the bolt. It's the best picture i could get of it.
20160610_134935_zpsx1q85sl5.jpg
 
Looks authentic to me, and in nice shape. This is a photo of mine for comparison. It was sent home by a Marine relative from Hiroshima shortly after the bomb was dropped in August of 1945. He was sent to Hiroshima to aid in recovering bodies. It has the full mum just forward of the bolt but is missing a piece of the fore-stock.
 

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There are a number of variations in the Type 99, mainly due to its undergoing modification and slmplification as the war went on and Japanese resources dwindled and the need became more acute. Unnecessary finishing steps, such as knurling of the safety, were skipped; a simple peep sight replaced the elaborate rear sight, a tacked-on wood buttplate replaced the steel one, chrome plating the bore was discontinued and so on. The very late rifles are rough, but for the most part are safe to shoot.

I know of no reproductions of any model of the Arisaka, but some Japanese pistols were copied as non-firing replicas; those should not be capable of firing and should never be modified to do so.

There are also Japanese training rifles, made for their equivalent of high school ROTC. They were made of cast iron to be used in firing blanks. None have the Imperial seal (chrysanthemum) or normal markings, and for the most part will not accept live ammunition. Those are actually dangerous if they will fire live ammunition.

Jim
 
FWIW, I cannot think of anyone who has faked Arisakas. No one makes a similar action, no one makes a stock the same way and with the same finish.
 
The question whether it's been messed with, especially if it has been refinished, is easiest to answer where the mum used to be. If there's finish over the ground away mum it has suffered from beautification after the war.
 
Why would anyone fake a complete Arisaka? They sell for almost nothing. I have seen certain rare models that people tried to fake, but it is fairly obvious. Yours looks like an average T-99.
 
Yeah but that could be for a number of reasons. Maybe the original was lost/swapped in battlefield cleaning. Or when the Mums were grounds. Or maybe it came to the US in a big box and they lost the bolt and replaced it wit the first one they found. Or ebay. Possibly someone was trying to make a bent bolt handle and screwed up.

At least randomly the 7.7 you can find ammo on some store shelves for unlike the 6.5.
 
It's a complete 99, and is as original as can be. The only thing I can't determine is if someone "refinished" it as was suggested in one post, but I doubt it.
 
Looks like mid-production range, "intermediate" type 99.
$300 might be a bit high in price, but that depends on location, etc.
I think that Grafs has ammo if you want to chase cans with it.
 
Shot my first deer with a 7.7 Japanese Arisaka back in 1970. The only factory ammo available back then was made by Norma. That rifle with the Norma ammo (I believe they were 150 grainers) was very accurate. It got lost in a family trade a long, long time ago, and I wish I still had it. That big thumb safety on the end of the bolt was about as positive and simple as they come, and I'd use the palm of my hand to operate it as it was very stiff when rotating it from "safe" to "fire."

No doubt Norma still makes ammo for it. Good luck, and have fun shooting it if it's in shootable and sound condition.
 
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