arisaka rifles

[jamesob]

i was going threw a buddys collection and picked out a few guns that i am going to buy from him and have a question. he showd me a few arisakas that he is trying to sell me and i dont know much about jap stuff. since i am getting the stuff cheap i figuered i would get one or two of them. what models are the most collectable? he has 3 different models. a 99 a 44 and another one wich he called a ditch gun. i dont know what all that stuff means since i have never been into japanese stuff.

[EchoMD]

Im not an expert but the last ditch guns from what i understand were very late war productions with whatever they could scrounge up...I think they are usually considered unsafe to fire. Between the 99 or 44, not sure what makers are more desirable, but if one has an intact mum (that flower looking symbol on the receiver) I would get that. To save face for the Japanese and the US struck out the mum on the surrendered rifles so intact mums are a little more rare....actually get them all, if they are a good price, instant collection!!

[saki302]

The Type 44 will be the most valuable if it's unmolested. Matching numbers? Even better. Mum, better still

-Dave

[Sampachi]

Type 44s are worth a lot more than Type 99s. As stated above, matching parts and mummed condition are what counts. The Type 44 will be matched on an assembly number rather than the serial number, so they can be a bit confusing. Check the buttstock. There is a switch that opens up a compartment for the cleaning rod sections. Accessories (original sling, muzzle cover, cleaning rods) can be worth more than the rifle! A sanded stock can be a deal killer, but most T44 stocks tend to beat and will exhibit saddle wear.

The Type 99s will match parts by the last 3 digits of the serial. The Last Ditch will also be a 99. Early models should have a chrome lined bore and bolt face. Bonus points if it has anti-aircraft sights or a monopod. If the screws are still staked, don't open them, as that ruins the value.
If you are getting them for a cheap price, get them all. A mis-matched rifle can get a lot of money if you part it out on eBay.

[RedDawn]

Buy them all, and post pictures.

[gotgunz]

I'd be interested in another Model 44 carbine....

[Xerxes]

I'll take it!

PM Sent!

Seriously what I do know about the Jap guns is that up to about 15 years ago not many folks collected them and you could buy them cheap in all makes and models meaning if you wanted a collection it was a cheap way to go.

Then there came Clinton who raised the cost of firearms by banning everyone in sight.

Then Bush came around and made our dollars worth half what they use to be. I call them Bush Dollars, like the Euro Dollar or Canadian Dollar.

1 Reagan Dollar = 3 Bush Dollars after adjusted for inflation rate.

The result is these suckers are now worth a lot of money. Before I could afford to go to a gun show and buy 5, 8, or 10 Japanese WWII firearms and have me a near full collection. Now I would be lucky to be able to buy one.

I almost think Japan changed the law and let its citizens own/collect these because I could see them having an intense interest in collecting these and having a whole lot of Reagan Dollars to buy them.

The moral of the story is that Japanese WWII stuff is like ammo in that folks that bought them a few years ago real cheap probably have not a clue about the huge price appreciation and can be had into selling them real cheap.

Sounds like your friend has not kept up with the price on these things and you are going to get them cheap. Hope you are not going to take advantage of him since you call him a buddy

[Moonclip]

Try the Japanese forum at www.gunboards.com I have a type 99 7.7 I like with the bayonet. I'd like a decent preferably mummed m6.5 example 1 day. let us know how it goes, prices, pics.

[Spiggy]

sometimes I wear a whole japanese uniform and harass people in the wrong dresscode

Need to know stuff? Feel free to PM Bomb me with questions