1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Arisaka Date Of Manufacture Japanese Characters Used on Arisaka Rifles CharacterĪ small number of Type 38 and Type 99 rifles had two concentric circles onthe receiver in place of the chrysanthemum. The shiki character and the characters for the Japanese numerals areshown in the following table. The Type designation was stamped into the top of the receiverusing the character shiki for 'type' and Japanese numerals. Riflescaptured in the field, however, normally have the chrysanthemum symbolintact. The chrysanthemum was at least partially ground off on rifles which weresurrendered after the war, apparently as a face-saving gesture. Thus, the Type 99 rifle was adopted in Japanese calendaryear 25 99 (1939), and the Type 2 paratroop rifle was adoptedin calendar year 260 2 (1942).Ī chrysanthemum with 16 petals (the symbol of the Japanese Emperor) wasusually stamped on the receiver of rifles manufactured for the ImperialJapanese Army, indicating that the rifle belonged to the Emperor. During the reign of Hirohito, rifles were designated by the last one ortwo digits of the adoption year according to the standard Japanesecalendar. Thus, the Type 38 rifle was designed inthe 38th year of the reign of Emperor Meiji (1905), and the Type 44 carbine was adopted in the 44th year of his reign (1911). The Arisaka rifles were designated with the year of thecurrent emperor's reign. The Arisaka rifles are named for Colonel NariakiNariakira Arisaka, who headed a commission during the 1890s which wascharged with developing a new rifle to replace the earlier models such asthe Murata. During the war and subsequent American occupation of Japan, thousands ofthese rifles found their way to the United States as war souvenirs, makingthem one of the most common foreign military firearms available in thecountry. Most of these rifles were still in use duringthe Sino-Japanese War of the 1930s and the Pacific War of the 1940s. The Japanese manufactured over 6.4 million rifles and carbines in the 40years from 1906 to 1945. Markings on Japanese Arisaka Rifles and Bayonets of World War II Arisaka's name updated, based on informationsupplied by his great-granddaughter. Janzen,published by Cedar Ridge Publications, 73 Cedar Ridge Road, Broken Arrow,Oklahoma 74011-1142, USA. Bayonet information from Bayonets from Janzen's Notebook, by Jerry L. Patt Anthony, FifthEdition, 1996, published by Julin Books, 5282 Ridan Way, Palm BeachGardens, FL 33418, ISBN: 0-962. McCollum, 1996, published by Excalibur Publications, PO Box 36, Latham, NY12110-0036, USA, ISBN: 1-88 and Military Rifles ofJapan, by Fred. Markings on Japanese Arisaka Rifles andBayonets of World War IIĪdapted from Japanese Rifles of World War II, by Duncan O.
There is no consistency to serial numbers or arsenal marks as the rifles were converted Thus, the Type 99 rifl. Arisakatype38serialnumberdates 5 Arisaka. Circa 1945 'last ditch' evidenced by cylindrical bolt.
WW2 WWII JAPANESE ARISAKA TYPE 99 8TH SERIES NAGOYA ARSENAL LAST DITCH 7.7MM RIFLE.