Arisaka

The Arisaka rifle was designed by Colonel Arisaka Nariakira (有坂 成章; 1852–1915), who was later promoted to lieutenant general and also received the title of baron from Emperor Meiji, in 1907. Over the course of various wars several productions runs and variants were made, including the transition from the 6.5mm Type 38 cartridge to the larger 7.7mm Type 99, and the introduction of a paratrooper rifle that could be disassembled into two major parts for airborne operations. Tests on samples of Arisaka rifles conducted after the war showed that their bolts and receivers were constructed of carbon steel "similar to SAE steel grade No. 1085 with a carbon content of 0.80% to 0.90%, and a manganese content of 0.60% to 0.90%."[1] During destructive tests, the Arisakas were shown to be stronger than the M1903 Springfield, Lee–Enfield, and Mauser rifles.[2] The Arisakas were also one of the only guns of the era to use polygonal rifling in its barrels, rather than the more traditional lands and grooves.

Some of the early issue Type 99 rifles were fitted with a folding wire monopod intended to improve accuracy in the prone position. The rear sights also featured folding horizontal extensions to give a degree of lead suitable for firing against aircraft. Near the end of World War II, last-ditch ersatz models were being made in various cost-cutting feature variations with the goal of cheaply bolstering the imperial armed forces; for example, the ovoid bulb-shaped bolt of earlier runs were replaced by a smaller and utilitarian cylindrical shape, the handguard on the barrel was omitted, and crude fixed sights were fitted.

A Type 38 with its imperial seal intact

The Arisaka bolt-action service rifle was used everywhere in the Imperial Japanese Army and the Imperial Japanese Navy. Prior to World War II, Arisakas were used by the British Navy and Russian Army, in Finland and Albania. The Czech Legions that fought in the Russian Revolution were almost entirely armed with Type 30s and 38s. Many captured Arisaka rifles were employed by neighboring countries both during and after World War II, in places such as China, Thailand and Cambodia. However, after the Japanese surrender in the summer of 1945, manufacture of rifles and ammunition stopped abruptly, and the Arisaka quickly became obsolete. Since most Imperial Japanese Armory contents were thrown into Tokyo Harbor after the signing of the surrender, spare ammunition also became rare. Additional 6.5×50mmSR and 7.7×58mm ammunition was, however, produced in China for use in their captured rifles.

A Type 99 with its imperial seal ground

The imperial ownership seal, a 16-petal chrysanthemum known as the Chrysanthemum Flower Seal stamped upon the top of the receiver in all official imperial-issue rifles, has often been defaced by filing, grinding, or stamping on surviving examples. There are conflicting claims that this was done on the orders of the Imperial Japanese Military prior to surrender, however it is generally accepted by most historians that the imperial chrysanthemums were ground off the rifles on the orders from General Douglas MacArthur, the commander of occupation forces at that time.[3] To date, no documentation from either Japanese or U.S. forces has been found that required the defacing. Most of the Arisakas with surviving insignia are in Japan, though there are a few remaining on samples taken as war trophies before the surrender, and those captured by Chinese forces. Some of the captured Sino Arisakas were later exported to the United States, examples including a number of Type 38 carbines and Type 44 carbines rebarrelled and rechambered for the 7.62×39mm round. Some Type 38 rifles and Type 99 rifles captured by the Kuomintang forces were also converted to fire the 7.92×57mm Mauser round.

Many of the Chrysanthemum Seals were completely ground off, but some were merely defaced with a chisel, scratch or had the number "0" stamped repeatedly along the edges. The latter was usually done with rifles removed from Japanese military service (and thus no longer the emperor's property), including rifles given to schools or sold to other nations, such as the British Royal Navy's purchase of many Type 38s in World War I to free up SMLE rifles for their land forces.

A very small run of Type 38 rifles was also manufactured for export to Mexico in 1910, with the Mexican coat of arms instead of the imperial chrysanthemum, though few arrived before the Mexican Revolution and the bulk remained in Japan until World War I, when they were sold to Imperial Russia.

Many thousands of Type 99s and other Arisaka variants were brought to the United States by Army soldiers and Marines as war trophies during and after World War II.

As with all captured foreign firearms they may be dangerous when fired, due to both the lower quality of the "last-ditch" rifles produced during the end-half of World War II, and to modifications performed by returning U.S. servicemen on those rifles. Ammunition for the Arisaka series, which were often battlefield pick-ups, or souvenirs, were not readily available after the end of the war. Consequently, many were rebored or rechambered for readily available calibers of that time. Additionally, some were occasionally rendered inoperable prior to being shipped home, or even potentially sabotaged. The manner in which rifles may have been demilled can include permanently damaging the receiver or removal of parts.

Rear sight of a Type 99 with intact anti-aircraft calipers deployed.

Type 38s in particular were commonly rechambered to 6.5×.257 Roberts, a wildcat cartridge made using the readily available .257 Roberts cases with the neck expanded to use 6.5mm bullets specific to the already existing barrel. Likewise, the Type 99 in 7.7×58mm were known to be converted to .30-06 Springfield, which is again of similar but not identical dimensions. While the .30-06 can be fired by lengthening the chamber of the rifle slightly (from 58 to 63mm), the 7.7mm case is slightly wider than the .30-06 and uses a slightly larger-diameter bullet, meaning a .30–06 cartridge case will swell slightly to fit the oversized chamber, and a standard .30-06 bullet with a .308 diameter will not provide a good fit to the .310–312 diameter rifling.

Those seeking ammunition for their Type 99 rifles often manufacture it by modifying .30–06 cases. The German 7.92×57mm Mauser cartridge may also be used with the proper .311 diameter bullet. The widely available British .303 bullets also provide a proper fit for the firearm's rifling. Norma currently manufactures stock 7.7×58mm ammunition, as well as making new brass available for reloaders. Hornady also produces new Arisaka ammunition in both 6.5mm and 7.7mm calibers. Since the base of the 7.7mm case is slightly larger than the .30-06 (thereby causing varying amounts of bulging in the reformed brass), some owners may find it preferable to use proper brass or new factory cartridges. Bullets and powder charges of surplus .303 British ammunition may also be loaded into proper 7.7×58mm cases to produce rifle cartridges with ballistics that are similar to the original Japanese military load.

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  Full view of a late model Type 99
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  Buttstock of the Type 99
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  Locked Type 99 bolt
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  Unlocked Type 99 bolt
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  Close-up of the Type 99 bolt
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  Barrel of the Type 99 showing rifling
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  Type 30 bayonet
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  Type 99 with Type 30 bayonet attached

• Honeycutt, Fred L. Jr and Anthony, Patt F. Military Rifles of Japan. Fifth edition, 2006. Julin Books, U.S.A. ISBN 0-9623208-7-0.

• Hatcher, Julian, Major General, (U.S.A. Ret). Hatcher's Notebook. Stackpole Publishing, Harrisburg, PA U.S.A.; 1962. Library of Congress Number 62-12654.

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