Arisaka Type 99 Sporter

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  • dbg326

    Marksman
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    0   0   0
    Aug 17, 2018
    210
    18
    Wells, ME
    Thought I'd share my first center-fire rifle purchase off a bit (it's nothing special at all, and probably junk to some, if not most)

    Stumbled across it at the local Trading Post (up in Maine, I've moved from Indy back to New England, but still consider this my go-to firearm forum...) for $150. After a bit of deliberation, said "why not" and home she came.

    Japanese Type 99 sporter, in 7.7mm Jap. Price seems to be right down the middle for what something like this typically lists at, so as long as it shoots ok, I'll be happy.
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    DoggyDaddy

    Grandmaster
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    73   0   1
    Aug 18, 2011
    102,042
    77
    Southside Indy
    Congrats! Nice rifle there. I recently picked up a Type 38 sporter from another INGO member and shot it for the first time yesterday. I've changed my attitudes about sporterized milsurp rifles. If they're done well (and yours appears to be), they can make fine rifles. Now I still cringe when I see "bubba" take a hacksaw to the barrel and stock and call it "sporterized". :):

    Here's mine...

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    Mgderf

    Grandmaster
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    May 30, 2009
    17,877
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    Lafayette
    Wow! If you got a shiny bore, you got a nice one!
    Is the mum "struck"? It looks like it has been crossed through, but it's hard to tell. Most of the mus were totaly obliterated, if not removed completely.
    Yours looks like it's in great shape either way.

    You got a deal for $150. It should shooy great if the barrel is not shot out.
    I have one with an unmolested mum, but my stock looks like it's been through 3 world wars!
    Still shoots great, and kicks like a mule, but I like it just the same.

    THought about trying to take a deer withnit, and still might.
    Congradulations on your acquisition. Should serve you well for years to come.
     

    dbg326

    Marksman
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    0   0   0
    Aug 17, 2018
    210
    18
    Wells, ME
    Wow! If you got a shiny bore, you got a nice one!
    Is the mum "struck"? It looks like it has been crossed through, but it's hard to tell. Most of the mus were totaly obliterated, if not removed completely.
    Yours looks like it's in great shape either way.

    You got a deal for $150. It should shooy great if the barrel is not shot out.
    I have one with an unmolested mum, but my stock looks like it's been through 3 world wars!
    Still shoots great, and kicks like a mule, but I like it just the same.

    THought about trying to take a deer withnit, and still might.
    Congradulations on your acquisition. Should serve you well for years to come.
    I was telling a close friend and fellow member that the demographic of guns out here is far different than right around Indy. Many more oddities, hunting rifles, and older examples out there; versus the "tacticool" stuff that was in a lot of places out that way. Rimfires in particular are far more plentiful and affordable out this way...

    I haven't had a chance to take it down yet, but from looking it over in shop, it appears to have a pretty clean bore. It's tough to say with the mum.. there may be some slight crosses, but not enough to fully deface it.

    From what I've been able to dig up, it likely started life as an early-mid example of the Type 99. It has the provisions for the AA sights, but the wings are long gone.

    I'm pretty excited about it, and am itching to get it out to a range after a thorough cleaning and finding some ammo to run.

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    indy1919a4

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    41   0   0
    Jan 7, 2011
    2,009
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    I would love to see a close up of the rear of the receiver behind the bolt handle knob .. Moocho Thanks

    Looks like a nice rifle. real clean..
     

    dbg326

    Marksman
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    0   0   0
    Aug 17, 2018
    210
    18
    Wells, ME
    As promised, a few more photos, closer up details. Maybe someone can tell me in greater detail what this started life as...
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    rob63

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    May 9, 2013
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    Looking at the photos of the rear of the barrel from above, it looks like the barrel has been set back about a 1/4". The normal hump right before the receiver has been ground off and there are gaps in the wood to metal fit at the barrel steps. You should get a chamber casting done to see what cartridge it is in. It may have been set back like that so that it could be re-chambered to something else.
     

    dbg326

    Marksman
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    0   0   0
    Aug 17, 2018
    210
    18
    Wells, ME
    Looking at the photos of the rear of the barrel from above, it looks like the barrel has been set back about a 1/4". The normal hump right before the receiver has been ground off and there are gaps in the wood to metal fit at the barrel steps. You should get a chamber casting done to see what cartridge it is in. It may have been set back like that so that it could be re-chambered to something else.
    Noted. Definitely something I'll have to get checked out.

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    luvall

    Sharpshooter
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    13   0   0
    May 13, 2008
    614
    18
    Noblesville
    Looking at the photos of the rear of the barrel from above, it looks like the barrel has been set back about a 1/4". The normal hump right before the receiver has been ground off and there are gaps in the wood to metal fit at the barrel steps. You should get a chamber casting done to see what cartridge it is in. It may have been set back like that so that it could be re-chambered to something else.

    I have a sporterized t-99/ 7.7 rechambered in 308. Barrel and action are great but accuracy is horrible. This was my fathers deer gun from Pennsylvania.
     

    dbg326

    Marksman
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    0   0   0
    Aug 17, 2018
    210
    18
    Wells, ME
    Turns out the range that I frequent should be able to do the chamber casting. Another excuse to go shooting!

    One nice thing about Indy was having many options within such a short driving distance though... Current "home" range is about 45min.

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    rob63

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    May 9, 2013
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    Turns out the range that I frequent should be able to do the chamber casting. Another excuse to go shooting!

    One nice thing about Indy was having many options within such a short driving distance though... Current "home" range is about 45min.

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    I'm glad you are having that done, let us know what it turns out to be. Hopefully, the rifle will turn out to be a good shooter.
     

    dbg326

    Marksman
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    Aug 17, 2018
    210
    18
    Wells, ME
    I'm glad you are having that done, let us know what it turns out to be. Hopefully, the rifle will turn out to be a good shooter.
    Here's to hoping! Part of me hopes it's chambered in the 7.7mm, but another part of me is hoping it's in something a bit more common. However it seems the most common rechamberings are in .308 or 30-06, neither of which do wonders for the accuracy with the 7.7mm barrel.

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    MrSmitty

    Master of useless information
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    Jan 4, 2010
    4,488
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    New Albany
    In 86 I went to a flea market and found a bubba'd type 99, last ditch, for $40, barrel was slightly bent, luckily i lived next door to Group industries, and mike had a barrel straightener, and after that is shot pretty well. Bought a barreled type 99 action later, that had the real sights, had an old Mauser stock, that had been bubba'd, ended up selling it for $100, Neat old guns, and the actions are reputed to be very strong !
     

    Mgderf

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    May 30, 2009
    17,877
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    Lafayette
    Here's to hoping! Part of me hopes it's chambered in the 7.7mm, but another part of me is hoping it's in something a bit more common. However it seems the most common rechamberings are in .308 or 30-06, neither of which do wonders for the accuracy with the 7.7mm barrel.

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    Mine is still 7.7x58 and it's a hoot to shoot.
    Still, the ammo can be hard to find, and a little spendy too...

    I really enjoy the one I have. It still amazes me that the most diminutive of the people in the war carried the longest guns.
    I got lucky when I found mine, or rather it found me.
    I knew the daughter of a recent widow who was looking to sell what was left of dads collection.
    Evidently the family and friends had picked over the collection and took what they deemed of value.
    My brother and I were offered the "unwanted" pieces from the bunch.

    I "bought" the type 99 Arisaka, a Marlin model 90 O/U 12ga with a single trigger, and a Winchester 1885 "Low-Wall" that had been converted (professionally) to shoot .22lr, using a Winchester model 52 barrel.
    I got all three of these for $420. $70 for the Arisaka, $150 for the Marlin, and $200 for the Winchester.

    This was TWICE what she was asking! She told me that the family told her she should ask $35 for the Arisaka!
    I told her I thought it was worth more, and offered her twice.
    Needless to say, she was tickled pink to get more than planned, and I didn't feel like quite so much a heal for accepting a good deal when I see one.

    As long as the work done was done right, you should have a fun gun at worst. Could be a tack driver...only time and ammo will tell.
    Good luck.
     

    DoggyDaddy

    Grandmaster
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    73   0   1
    Aug 18, 2011
    102,042
    77
    Southside Indy
    Mine is still 7.7x58 and it's a hoot to shoot.
    Still, the ammo can be hard to find, and a little spendy too...

    I really enjoy the one I have. It still amazes me that the most diminutive of the people in the war carried the longest guns.
    I got lucky when I found mine, or rather it found me.
    I knew the daughter of a recent widow who was looking to sell what was left of dads collection.
    Evidently the family and friends had picked over the collection and took what they deemed of value.
    My brother and I were offered the "unwanted" pieces from the bunch.

    I "bought" the type 99 Arisaka, a Marlin model 90 O/U 12ga with a single trigger, and a Winchester 1885 "Low-Wall" that had been converted (professionally) to shoot .22lr, using a Winchester model 52 barrel.
    I got all three of these for $420. $70 for the Arisaka, $150 for the Marlin, and $200 for the Winchester.

    This was TWICE what she was asking! She told me that the family told her she should ask $35 for the Arisaka!
    I told her I thought it was worth more, and offered her twice.
    Needless to say, she was tickled pink to get more than planned, and I didn't feel like quite so much a heal for accepting a good deal when I see one.

    As long as the work done was done right, you should have a fun gun at worst. Could be a tack driver...only time and ammo will tell.
    Good luck.

    If you reload, and have access to 30-06 brass, you can make your own 7.7x58 brass.

    [video=youtube;BPq0WoSrkR0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPq0WoSrkR0[/video]
     

    dbg326

    Marksman
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    0   0   0
    Aug 17, 2018
    210
    18
    Wells, ME
    Well the verdict from the chamber cast is in! Still chambered in 7.7 Japanese, and no issues to report from the gunsmith. Should be picking it up this weekend, and begin the hunt for some somewhat reasonably priced ammo.

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    Splagt

    Plinker
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    44   0   0
    Apr 10, 2008
    102
    18
    Central Indiana
    The barrel "set back" is interesting. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Arisakas were cheap, and $15.00 would buy a nice one with aircraft sights and monopod. For an extra $10.00, gunsmiths would cut off barrel threads and produce a rifle that would chamber the popular .300 savage case, but still needed the 7.7 diameter bullet for accuracy. I still have an altered one sitting around somewhere.
     
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