Help identifying an old bolt gun. Please!

[AfghanVetOrcutt]

I inherited this rifle from my grandfather who passed about 5 years ago. I recently got out of the army and moved to Idaho (where my grandma lives). She was rooting around and found this rifle a few days ago and gave it to me today. I cleaned it up some and looked for markings but found only a couple. I was hoping someone on here might know a little more about it than I do.




Guessing a SN? Maybe?

Small marking on the bolt assembly, not sure what it is.

View of the safety, thought it might be helpful.

An "S" in a box on the trigger guard.

Front sight post and bayonet lug. I have the bayonet if a picture would help, just didn't snap one.

5.56 -> ??? -> .308 The middle round is what I believe this rifle shoots but I have no clue what it is, there isn't any head stamping on it.

If anyone has any idea I would greatly appreciate it. I guess it was my great grandfathers and then my grandfathers and now mine. The bore and rifling look good, might be better than my mosin. Thanks guys!

[marysdad]

Your rifle is a Japanese Type I (i.e., capital letter i) Naval Rifle. These were made in Italy, using the Carcano action. The chambering was in 6.5 x 50 mm. Japanese, the same as the Type 30 and 38 Arisaka rifles. The Type I only had the serial number and a few inspection marks. No mum or Japanese characters on the receiver ring. Most are missing the cleaning rod, as is yours.

[GOEX FFF]

You have a TYPE I rifle.

Among the rifles used by the Japanese during the Second World War, the "Carcano Type I" was built in Italy and derived from Italian model 1891 rifle, but cambered in the Japanese 6.5x50mm. It is estimated that approximately 60,000 TYPE I rifles were produced. This Italian built rifle looks similar to the Type 38 rifle Japanese Arisaka except that it uses a Carcano action, has no gas vent holes, and lacks any markings except a serial number. In any case, the rifle was to be allocated to the Japanese Imperial Navy, built by a group of Italian factories: Fna, Beretta, Gardone Val Trompia, Terni.

[knucklehead0202]

yep, type 1 arisaka/carcano. it'll be in 6.5x50 jap. let me know if you want to sell it. 6.5jap is a decent cartridge, on par with most other 6.5s of the time. it's considered a semi-rimmed round and if you look close the rim is just a bit bigger around and sticks out a hair, unlike your basic rimless round. prvi partizan sells brass and any .264 bullets can be reloaded. P.C.I., Norma, or MrNambu make loaded ammo but your money is better spent just reloading your own, unless money is not an object. it is for me so i reload. good luck and enjoy that neat rifle.

[AfghanVetOrcutt]

Thanks guys! Now I'm off to buy a couple boxes of 6.5x50 Jap ammo and cry in the corner when I see the bill. Buy once and reload, I don't plan on shooting it much/often.

[Paulie Lugnuts]

Do you know the story of the rifle? Was your great grandfather a marine in WWII? Its important to preserve the history as well as the gun. Some day your grandkids will want to know the story.

[AfghanVetOrcutt]

No, unfortunately the story died with my grandfather. It was found in a storage unit and my grandmother didn't even know he had it. He was a tanker in the national guard post-WW2 but never left the states. My great-grandparents came here from Ireland before my grandfather was born, don't know too much about them.