RE: Need Help ID-ing rifle and caliber..
 

The Jap 7.7 was the second strongest military BA P.O. Ackley did distruction overloads on .The strongest was the 6.5 Arisaka! The 7.7 was the first chromed bore.A common conversion was setting the barrel back and rechambering for the .308 Win case necked up to take .311-.312 bullets.A 6.5 model can easily handle becoming a .260 Rem rechambered.The Japs built and delivered a bunch of 7x57 Arisakas to the Mexican Gov't and of course never got paid for them so they were cut off.You could get a used .308 win barrel from a gunsmith or new Adam's and Bennett from midway in .308 and live happily ever after with out a large investment...................Harold *by the way the grooves on the receiver were for a sliding bolt cover that rattled so was [lost] thrown away by troops usually.

RE: Need Help ID-ing rifle and caliber..
 

Its deffinately a 99, only the 44's and 99's had the bolt cover groove and both the 99 and 44 were chambered for 7.7x58mm arisaka. From the serial number and the Nagoya arsenal mark the rifle would have been made sometime between 1939 and 1945 the serial number being 93,XXX and the rear sight appearing as the adjustable leaf type sight I'd suspect the rifle was probably made around 1941-42. granting that it was not rechambered, it will be 7.7 jap in caliber. not a bad find really just hope you didnt pay too much for it? since you will pay a premium for ammo. have fun

RE: Need Help ID-ing rifle and caliber..
 

You're mistaken in two areas. First, the Type 38 DID have a dust cover groove.Second, the Type 44 was 6.5 caliber NOT 7.7.

RE: Need Help ID-ing rifle and caliber..
 

nope bubba you got the 44 and 38 mixed up there

RE: Need Help ID-ing rifle and caliber..
 

I know the 38 [6.5] has a bolt cover and the 44 wasissued toengineers and calvary troops but not as well balanced a weapon as the 38 carbines............... *I'm pretty sure the 44's were in 6.5 as well.The British bought lots of the 6.5's for use in fighting the Turks[Navy as well]TE Lawrence of Arabia.................Harold *the predicessor to the 38 had no cover[excuse the spelling no sleep]

RE: Need Help ID-ing rifle and caliber..
 

the 99 (rifle) and 44 (Carbine) were supposed to replace the 38 when their production began in the late 1930's.

RE: Need Help ID-ing rifle and caliber..
 

You're very mistaken. I have examples of 99's, 38's and 44's. The 44 was developed long before the 99 and the 7.7 caliber were developed. Also the 38 did have dust covers. At least all mine do!

Here's a few links you can learn more about Japanese rifles if you're interested. Notice the pictures and descriptions of the rifles.

http://members.shaw.ca/nambuworld/arisakas.htm

http://www.gunboards.com/sites/banzai/

A very good book for beginners that will give the history as well as calibers of Japanese rifles is Japanese Rifles or World War II by Duncan O. McCollum

RE: Need Help ID-ing rifle and caliber..
 

oops you're right about the 44 and the 38 had a dust cover I goofed and mistook the a 38 as the 30.

RE: Need Help ID-ing rifle and caliber..
 

No problem.

RE: Need Help ID-ing rifle and caliber..
 

I have a 44, and it is a 6.5. Don't know if the 44's came in 7.7 also or not, but they definitely came in 6.5, at least one of them did!