Picked these three up today

[TRAP55]

Regarding the airgun, over lubrication is one of the most common maladies with spring guns. In fact, if you were to do a search on the various methods of tuning spring piston guns, you'll find that most people use just the tiniest amount of grease on the front seal and then call it good. My guess is that there is still plenty of grease from the factory and you probably don't have to do a thing other than cock it and shoot it. Don't start squirting a bunch of snake oil down that compression tube, you'll soon regret it.

^^^ True too.
Castle, what's the model number on the Wards .22?

[Castle50]

All it says is Wards Westernfield. Apparently Mossberg made these.
There will be some that disagree with me, but the 22 will be refinished. Not really a Historical gun and it has seen it's days on the ranch. It's needs another chance at life looking it's best. The bolt cleaned up real well with a lead cloth, which I kept to the bolt only.
The stock has very little deep dents and scratches, but the varnish has chipped and flaked off.

[bruceflinch]

All it says is Wards Westernfield. Apparently Mossberg made these.
There will be some that disagree with me, but the 22 will be refinished. Not really a Historical gun and it has seen it's days on the ranch. It's needs another chance at life looking it's best. The bolt cleaned up real well with a lead cloth, which I kept to the bolt only.
The stock has very little deep dents and scratches, but the varnish has chipped and flaked off.

Sand the stock down, steam iron out the dents & refinish w/ a couple coats of BLO or Tung Oil Finish. You won't be sorry.

Nice job!

[Castle50]

Primary cleaning. I think it came out pretty nice. I'll do some more at a latter date.

[Geologyjohn]

Castle, thanks for posting the photos of the Type 99 for us to enjoy your good fortune. I'll try and repay you a bit with the following:
Since you photographed the series mark and serial number, I can tell you that your rifle is a Series 21 and was made at an arsenal referred to the Japanese as the Kokura Second Factory. Based on the serial number, I'd estimate that it was made in April or May 1942. If the cleaning road is 23 1/4 inches long, it is the correct one for that rifle.
Be careful (respectful) of the pigemented urushi finish on the stock. It may look like someone put a coat of varnish on it, but they did not. It is correct as issued. As others have said, don't blue the ground mum. It is exactly as it was ground by the Japanese after the surrender. Even though you are probably going to keep it for a long time (since it was a gift to you by a WW2 veteran), bluing the ground mum would cause collectors or other possible future owners of the rifle to cringe.
Series 21 Type 99's had a dust cover and monopod, both of which have been removed from this rifle, which is common.
About 100,000 Series 21 Type 99's were made. As a side note, about 22,000 Series 21 and 22 rifles were converted by the Japanese to Type 2 paratrooper rifles (look them up on the 'Net for a picture).
Thanks for posting! John. (Don, did I get the above correct?)

[Vlad 11]

be advised that the Arisaka T99 screws are factory staked so if it hasn't been disassembled before its best to leave them be.

The earlier bores are chrome lined and typically in very good shape. They have a type of polygonal rifling that looks 'worn' to the unfamilair eye. But it's how it should be

You're good on the T99, leave it just how it is now

[Castle50]

Thank You for the info.
Yes I do like it exactly like it is. Nothing will be changed.

Is there a trick to removing the cleaning rod? It spins, but won't come out.

[Simply115]

Looks to be in great shape.

[Vlad 11]

Is there a trick to removing the cleaning rod? It spins, but won't come out.

Yea there is a square release button underside stock by the bayo lug. Push it in to release. Then the rod just clicks back in when reinstalled

[Castle50]

Thanks. I was pretty sure there was more to it than that. The one I had before had been sported, so no cleaning rod was attached.

I did take the .22 up squirreling today. It shot perfect and was a load of fun. It was back in it's element today on a private 6000 acre cattle ranch in the mountains. I'm not really into shooting animals, but the ranch is just overrun this year with squirrels.

[morrcarr67]

There's a County song where it's said that God is Great, Beer is Good and People are Crazy.

It's a story about how someone who struck up a conversation with an Old Guy and found himself a Millionaire a few months later.

It just goes to show you what could happen if you take the time to be nice to someone.

Enjoy your new guns but remember the happiness you gave this man knowing that his guns would be going to a good home.

[Castle50]

In regards to the Arisaka, should the bolt correspond with the numbers on the receiver?
The bolt handle base has 544 and a small mark I can't make out.
The cleaning rod measures 21 3/4 tip to tip.

[TregoMark]

In regards to the Arisaka, should the bolt correspond with the numbers on the receiver?
The bolt handle base has 544 and a small mark I can't make out.
The cleaning rod measures 21 3/4 tip to tip.

Originally, the bolt would have matched the receiver by being stamped with the last the digits of the rifle's serial number. It's not unusual though for the bolt to not match. There are various stories out there as to why this is, but basically the bolts got mixed up at some point and put on different rifles. Having a mismatched bolt does reduce the value a bit, but not terribly on an otherwise nice rifle. There's a Japanese forum over on gunboards that includes a bolt finder sticky.

http://forums.gunboards.com/forumdisplay.php?53-Japanese-Trader-Board

[big103]

Good looking type 99 in the pics, one of my best hitting rifles is a type 99. Get some ammo and shoot it fun as hell to shoot.

[Castle50]

I finished the 22LR's stock tonight....well sorta of. Need one more coat of clear I think. Then I'll rub it out then apply Linseed oil.

Before, it's hard to tell but the varnish has chipped and rubbed off on most of the stock-lower gun in photo:


and after:






Did I "bubba" it? I think it looks pretty good. I did steam 90% of the dents out, but the two that show up in the photo, must of had the fibers cut. They really are not that prominent in person.