Do I have them all?

[Guamsst]

I am faced with a stark reality as of Saturday. I may have every model of Japanese infantry rifle of WW2 excluding prototypes and special purpose (sniper and paratrooper).

So, what am I missing? I have the following now:

Type 38
Type 38 Carbine
Type 38 Cavalry rifle
Type 44 Cavalry Carbine
Type 99 long
Type 99 Early, midwar and last ditch

Nonstandard rifles:
Type 38 Artillery spotting rifle
Type I (1891 Carcano in a 38 stock for Naval use)
Type 02/45 (a hook safety rifle in a type 38 trainer stock)
Concentric Circle rifle for Embassy guards or Kempei Tai (secret police)
Concentric Circle rifle for school use
and a gaggle of training rifles.

I am thinking the only "Infantry rifle" I am missing is the true last ditch Naval Special but the arguments can go on a while before I call a "Naval Special" an infantry rifle.

[psteinmayer]

Well, I only have the Type 99 early and mid-war, so I gots a ways to go! I'd love to see pictures of your collection though!

[Guamsst]

I'm going to have to rearrange my wall o guns to get the Japs all on one wall then will take pics again. The Enfields and 03A3s will have to be vagrants for a while..

[psteinmayer]

Hmmmm I need an Enfield and an 03 ;)

[Guamsst]

I don't have very many Enfields and only two 03A3s but they aren't going anywhere. The 03A3s are a super good original condition Smith Corona and a 99% condition arsenal rebuild.

The Enfields are my shooters. I'm odd that way, I collect Arisakas but I shoot Enfields.

[Guamsst]

Photos posted in gun talk under "The haul from Tulsa"

[psteinmayer]

I shoot all of my rifles... well except the trapdoors. My father has them hanging over his fireplace and he won't let me touch them until he's gone! (actually, I have shot the 1873 rifle once, and just refurbished the 1873 carbine).

I'd like an Enfield to shoot... but really, I want an 03 so I can shoot in the Springfield Rifle match at Camp Perry.

[Guamsst]

If you want a shooter, start looking at sporter rifles. Many of them have hardly been fired as anyone too cheap to buy a hunting rifle was usually too cheap to waste ammo as well. It's hard to find one with a good full length barrel but they are out there and can be restored for a fair price a few pieces at a time.....just something to consider.

[psteinmayer]

Do you ever make it to any of the Michigan Antique Arms Collectors (MAAC) shows? There's one this weekend... I'll be there Saturday afternoon. Sometimes, there is a lot of Jap stuff there. I'll be looking for a correct cleaning rod and sling for my Toyo Kogyo series 31. I'll also be looking for a stock and parts to return my sported Nagoya series 7 to original military form.

Paul

[Michael Tompkins]

I am faced with a stark reality as of Saturday. I may have every model of Japanese infantry rifle of WW2 excluding prototypes and special purpose (sniper and paratrooper).

So, what am I missing? I have the following now:

Type 38
Type 38 Carbine
Type 38 Cavalry rifle
Type 44 Cavalry Carbine
Type 99 long
Type 99 Early, midwar and last ditch

Nonstandard rifles:
Type 38 Artillery spotting rifle
Type I (1891 Carcano in a 38 stock for Naval use)
Type 02/45 (a hook safety rifle in a type 38 trainer stock)
Concentric Circle rifle for Embassy guards or Kempei Tai (secret police)
Concentric Circle rifle for school use
and a gaggle of training rifles.

I am thinking the only "Infantry rifle" I am missing is the true last ditch Naval Special but the arguments can go on a while before I call a "Naval Special" an infantry rifle.

Perhaps, the Type 30 (Hook safety) and Type 30 Carbine. Both were encountered during WWII. There are 3 variations of the Type 44...Type 1, 2 and 3. You also have the para-trooper take-down examples of the Type 99...the 0 and the 1. Finding these examples at a decent price could keep you busy for a little while. :-) Mike

P.S. Finding the Type 99 Long was a good catch, especially if it has the mono-pod.

[Guamsst]

Perhaps, the Type 30 (Hook safety) and Type 30 Carbine. Both were encountered during WWII. There are 3 variations of the Type 44...Type 1, 2 and 3. You also have the para-trooper take-down examples of the Type 99...the 0 and the 1. Finding these examples at a decent price could keep you busy for a little while. :-) Mike.

I don't consider the type 30 a WW2 mainline infantry weapon. They were brought out of retirement along with anything that would fire. I only consider the 02/45 because that was a Type 30 based rifle built just for WW2. The paratroopers are a special purpose rifle so I exclude those as well. The Type 44 I have a couple of and the variations are strictly in the nosecap so I don't consider them separate models of the same rifle like I do the 38 Rifle, Short Rifle and Carbine.

My big question now is, do I go after pistols or specialty rifles. The hard to find pistols are harder to find than the specialty rifles but the rifles are generally just as expensive or close to it.

I have a type 14 large and small ring Nambu, Type94 wood grip late war and a Type 26 revolver. So, finding a decent early Type 94 would take care of the main line pistols I guess but the Baby nambu and Hamada pistols I want are $7,500 and $6,000. That'd buy a few paratroopers and snipers. But, both are pristine and the rifles usually aren't.

I think I will go for the Baby Nambu, get the most expensive one out of the way. If I don't have a heart attack shelling out the cash.

I am seriously considering putting my rifles on loan to a museum just for the security. Ofcourse a museum can burn down just as easily, but the public can't view them in my storage room either.

[DRAGONFLYDF]

I am a ways behind you, but I have have 2 Type 99s, a Type 99 long, a Type 38 and a Type 38 carbine

[Guamsst]

I am a ways behind you..........

If you have a good 99Long and a good 38 Carbine then you aren't too far behind me. Just about 6yrs and the way this stuff goes you may catch me in a few months. That's what I love about collecting, you never know what will show up or when. I am still amazed at the two I found in Tulsa. Not amazed I found them there, but amazed at how I found them there. Two guys had the concentric circle rifle IN HAND discussing the stock cartouches and didn't know what it was and then passed up a nice looking rifle for $250.

[Michael Tompkins]

I don't consider the type 30 a WW2 mainline infantry weapon. They were brought out of retirement along with anything that would fire. I only consider the 02/45 because that was a Type 30 based rifle built just for WW2.

I am sure that you are probably more read than I, but I seem to recall reading years ago(before the internet) that the Type 30 remained in the field until it was replaced by the Type 38; especially during the campaign in Manchuria/China and the Soviet Union. Type 30 carbines are extremely hard to come by. I believe that production numbers were less than 50,000 for the carbine. Still may be something to consider, especially if you are given the opportunity at a good price! Years ago, my gun-collecting buddy who was big into Japanese stuff picked-up a Type 30 carbine for $75. The dealer thought that he was selling a Type 38 carbine that was missing the handguard and priced it accordingly. My buddy was very happy, indeed!

[Guamsst]

I am sure that you are probably more read than I, but I seem to recall reading years ago(before the internet) that the Type 30 remained in the field until it was replaced by the Type 38 ...... Years ago, my gun-collecting buddy who was big into Japanese stuff picked-up a Type 30 carbine for $75. The dealer thought that he was selling a Type 38 carbine that was missing the handguard and priced it accordingly. My buddy was very happy, indeed!

The Type 30 indeed stayed on for a while, updated by the navy as the Type 35 and then quickly surpassed by the Type 38 only 3 yrs after that. A decade later WW1 production of Type 38 rifles and carbines for worldwide export ensured the type 30 was banished to the back rooms of warehouses and military schools.There are photos of the Type38 with the soldiers of almost every nation during WW1. By 1939 the Type 38 was basically obsolete due to the caliber. However, war demanded that it not only serve, but that it remain on the front lines and eventually the Type 30, Muratas, Krag rifles and every other thing that went bang and could find ammo was called up for duty although most of the odd stuff was in reserve for defending the main island.

I found almost the same ting as your buddy at the Ft. Worth show. A guy had a Type 38 carbine without handguard, cheap at $200. Except it was a Type 30 carbine with cut down sporter stock and I passed it up because the chances of me finding a stock were almost none to none. I already have a Type22 Murata carbine barrel somewere that I doubt will ever be used for anything. Sometimes, RARE is a bad thing.

[psteinmayer]

I was at the Michigan Antique Arms Collector's show in Novi, Michigan yesterday. I saw a lot of Type 99s, 38s, and even a 44. Also, a lot of parts too. I picked up a cleaning rod, as well as some Jap rounds in a stripper clip (I need the strippers). No luck on a sling though. I would have loved to bring a Type 38 home, but sadly, I am strapped now that I'm laid off... so that wasn't happening!

[DRAGONFLYDF]

I wish it was a good 98 long, but it is a cut down stock, but the barrel is intact and the price was right.

[Guamsst]

I wish it was a good 98 long, but it is a cut down stock, but the barrel is intact and the price was right.

I think I have 3 sporterised 99 longs with intact barrels. If I can ever get to the point where I can make good custom stocks I will repop the 99 Long most quickly fast in a hurry.

I don't understand cutting the stock off an leaving all that barrel. I am thankful they did, but it is just such an odd thing to do.