It the right or did someone have too much time on there hands

[1mark]

I have a Japanese type 99 dust cover. It looks and feels real BUT there are two Waffenamp (spelling) stamps on the end usually where the serial number is. WaW63 on the back edge. The top half of the stamps are off the edge.
Do the Germans have and or use Type 99 rifles??

I am trying to get a picture but it is difficult.

[psteinmayer]

It might be a repro... I have a repro on one of my 99s. I'll take a look and see if mine has the same markings.

[Guamsst]

Dust covers are (sometimes) interchangeable. Are you sure it isn't off a Type38? The Type 38 dominated in WW1 as far as distribution. Thus, it could have been waffenamt marked later on as a reserve rifle.

HOWEVER, that's about as likely as a mummed Luger so take that theory only as unlikely BS conjecture.

My edumacated guess is that some bubba got a waffenamt stamp and viewing jap stuff as junk decided to practice his forgery skills on the dustcover.

[1mark]

That is what I figured. But I thought just for a minuet that there might be an elite ninja group attached to the Germans in Europe.

[Guamsst]

It may be a rare piece and legitimate. The Japanese and Germans had a surprising amount of comingling pre war and early war. I wouldn't throw it out, Check with some Nazi collectors too.

[dave]

While not an exclusive nazi collector I do collect 98 model Mausers. The WaA63 stamp was for Mauser Works 1935-39, also Bruno, Czech. in 1940-45, codes 945 and dot. These stamps/numbers stayed with an inspector for as long as he had the job and as in this case they were transferred from time to time.The stamp was applied during manufacture and means it passes specs. It is not any kind of property or ownership mark, it would not have been applied to a capture weapon except in the case of overhaul, in some instances. Even then it would not be on minor parts. While Germany adopted many capture weapons and continued to manufacture them in overrun counytries I have never heard or read they made parts for the Japanese, and if they had, the japs would have had their own inspectors and used there own stamps.
I have one 99 repro cover and the back corners are open, just bent to-gether while on real one's these corners are closed (welded?)
I would guess you have a fake or repro.

[pdawg1911]

While not an exclusive nazi collector I do collect 98 model Mausers. The WaA63 stamp was for Mauser Works 1935-39, also Bruno, Czech. in 1940-45, codes 945 and dot. These stamps/numbers stayed with an inspector for as long as he had the job and as in this case they were transferred from time to time.The stamp was applied during manufacture and means it passes specs. It is not any kind of property or ownership mark, it would not have been applied to a capture weapon except in the case of overhaul, in some instances. Even then it would not be on minor parts. While Germany adopted many capture weapons and continued to manufacture them in overrun counytries I have never heard or read they made parts for the Japanese, and if they had, the japs would have had their own inspectors and used there own stamps.
I have one 99 repro cover and the back corners are open, just bent to-gether while on real one's these corners are closed (welded?)
I would guess you have a fake or repro.

Late response but I concur with Dave. The dust covers were so undesirable by the users that they were usually tossed and lost. Hence they is why finding a Arisaka with an original matching one is a nice catch. So why would Japan either outsource making dustcovers to Germany, or Germany ever want an Arisaka. I also checked through the Honeycutt Rifles of Japan book and found no references.

Thanks,
Pat

[Guamsst]

Czech production along with a contract for VZ24 rifles seems like a reasonable insane longshot....LOL

[dave]

Czech production along with a contract for VZ24 rifles seems like a reasonable insane longshot....LOL

Insane long shot? Not in the least, they are documented in CZ records of the period. They will be dated 1937 on rec. ring and have a P prefix serial number. These were meant for export and over 100,000 were made. Records also indicate thet the jap navy purchased 40,000 of these VZ-24's plus 1000 ZB-26 or ZB-30 LMG's. China purchased most, if not all, the rest. Some were held back by the Czechs and marked with their accetance stamp but most were sold by the Germans to China & Japan.