Arisaka - curiousity

[gunboat]

There has been some discussion lately about Arisakas which aroused my interest enough to go to the old books -- Surprisingly I found that they had been made in Korea and Manchuria as well as Japan -- Also that they had been used by the Brits, Mexicans, Finns, Russians, ROKs, Chinese, Thais and Indonesians --
Has any one seen one with markings to indicate some of these other builders and owners? I know I never have --

[Sampachi]

I have two. A Finn used Type 30 and a Type 38 converted to 8mm. The Finns stamped civil guard info on the stock. Off the top of my head, the T30 has an 'S' which is common, while the T38 has something different and a star.

Occasionally you will also find British markings or Russian modifications on the Finn rifles. If you are really lucky, a few Type 38 were rebarreled by SIG and are so marked on the barrel.

[Spiggy]

If you recognize letters or words on it, then it was probably modified

Chinese ones will be blatant, they tend to be out of original caliber (and configuration). Finnish ones will usually have the infamous [SA] stamp, and Mexican Contract Arisakas will have Mexican seals.