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Looking for Gunsmith Recs for WWII Rifle

2,230 Views | 32 Replies | Last: 1 day ago by Gunny456
mattyd383
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5:59a, 12/17/24
AG
Howdy -

I recently inherited a Japanese rifle from WWII (6,5x51). My grandfather brought it home and passed it on to my dad. I believe it was last fired in the 80s and have always been told it needs a new firing pin to be operational again.

I inherited the rifle a few months ago and would like to get it operational again. Hoping OB / Military boards have a recommendation for a gunsmith who could take a look at it.

I live outside of austin and am frequently in College Station. Happy to travel further to have this done properly.

Preemptively stating - I'm not interested in selling it. It's been in my family for 80+ years and we are all veterans so its value to me is priceless.

Here's a few pictures just for the junkies.



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Uzi4u
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6:27a, 12/17/24
Thats an arisaka type 38 carbine to help your search.
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1990AG
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6:57a, 12/17/24
AG
With a freakin sword for a bayonet!

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agenjake
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6:58a, 12/17/24
I'd start by calling Dury's in San Antonio and explain what you've got. David and his guys should at least be able to tell you where to go if they can't do it.

Dury's Guns
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agenjake
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6:59a, 12/17/24
Also, anybody that can get that weapon off a Japanese solider is a freaking MAN.
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mattyd383
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In reply to agenjake • 7:02a, 12/17/24
AG
Awesome. Thank you!
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Gunny456
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In reply to mattyd383 • 7:55a, 12/17/24
AG
Try Two Wright Arms in Springtown, Texas. Located about 15 miles northwest of Ft. Worth. They specialize in antique and older military arms.
I had them work on an older model 1903 and they were great. Think the owner is Paul Wright.
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CactusThomas
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7:56a, 12/17/24
AG
Mum
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mattyd383
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In reply to Gunny456 • 8:07a, 12/17/24
AG
Thanks Gunny!
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Charismatic Megafauna
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8:07a, 12/17/24
AG
Neat rifle. Have you tried firing it? I'd clean it, oil it, and see if it works. If you get a light strike then maybe you do need a new firing pin. Maybe your family member in the 80s just got a bad batch of ammo and declared that the rifle doesn't work. I sure wouldn't start by throwing money at a gunsmith
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Cibalo
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8:17a, 12/17/24
My dad has one like that. Had it rebarreld to 257 roberts. That safety is a *****.

Collectors Firearms in Houston has a lot of WWII and older rifles and in house gunsmith. You might give them a call.
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EFE
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In reply to CactusThomas • 8:40a, 12/17/24
AG
CactusThomas said:
Mum

This
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mattyd383
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In reply to EFE • 8:49a, 12/17/24
AG
I know it's rare but don't fully know the backstory. Mind sharing your thoughts / knowledge?
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EFE
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In reply to mattyd383 • 9:23a, 12/17/24
AG
The Japanese were ordered to remove the mum as a part of demilitarization. IIRC the mum was a symbol of the Japanese Empire. Your gun snuck past the grinders. I have a 7.7 Arisaka with the mum intact as well.
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mattyd383
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In reply to EFE • 9:33a, 12/17/24
AG
Thanks. I know my grandfather brought it home in mid 1944 but like many from his generation, he never talked about the war. My dad was the same about Vietnam.

I'm ashamed to say this but when I joined the Marines at 17, I did not know that both of my grandfathers and my dad were veterans (WWII, Korea, and Vietnam). I just wanted the challenge and the college money. 12 months later, 9/11 and what was a way to get college money turned into career (and led me to become an Aggie). What an adventure it's been. Wish I could have a beer with those old guys now and hear their stories.
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lexofer
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In reply to Charismatic Megafauna • 10:17a, 12/17/24
AG
Charismatic Megafauna said:
Neat rifle. Have you tried firing it? I'd clean it, oil it, and see if it works. If you get a light strike then maybe you do need a new firing pin. Maybe your family member in the 80s just got a bad batch of ammo and declared that the rifle doesn't work. I sure wouldn't start by throwing money at a gunsmith
They broke off or removed the firing pin from rifles they sold to soldiers after the war. My grandpa was part of the occupation force and they had a pile of them they sold for cheap.

He had his firing pin replaced but I haven't shot it. The bayonet was made of the crappiest steel I've ever seen, it bent like rubber. I broke it off as a kid hacking brush. My dad had already broken off the tip doing something similar when he was young. If the rifle was made to similar quality late war I don't want to shoot it.

My grandpa's rifle has no markings on it at all. No mum, serial number, arsenal marking. Not removed, just never there. Been meaning to figure out what happened there.
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Gunny456
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In reply to mattyd383 • 10:42a, 12/17/24
AG
You are welcome sir. By the way. Thanks for your service and your family.
It's been over 40 years since it was fired.
There are other issues that might be affecting the firing pin striking. Headspace, throat erosion etc.
Before trying to fire it I would have a gunsmith familiar with it to check it out. That's just me.
I have seen a few catastrophic failures and better to play it safe imho.
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Animal Eight 84
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2:19p, 12/17/24
AG
Great rifle, heritage makes it irreplaceable! Please consider writing down as much as you know about your grandfather and his WW2 service and keep it with the rifle. Your great grandsons will appreciate you for it.
Since your rifle is original and in great shape with cleaning rod & bayonet ( and the scabbard !) Do NOT refinish the wood or metal, it will significantly lower its value.


A type 38 is a classic rifle designed in 1905 & was named because it was 38 years after the beginning of the Meiji Dynasty.

Your rifle's mum is obviously authentic since your grandfather brought it home. Once a weapon became property of the Emperor it had a Chrysanthemum stamped on it. Just like on the bow of an IJN warship with the large brass chrysanthemum.
McArthur's occupation orders had the post war rifles' mum ground off. Counterfeit mum stamps were made after WW2 to re-stamp rifles.
Also original early production type 38s had fold out anti aircraft sights. Screwed onto the base of the rear sight where the screw is n yours. Those were also commonly reproduced after WW2, one of my type 38s has apparently fake AA sights.

My dad brought home Lugers and Binoculars. He traded a German sea captain using LuckyStrikes a few days after VE Day. Has a great story to go with it.

I have a few original Imperial Japanese Arisaka rifles I purchased at gun shows.
They were commonly sporterized and converted to deer rifles after WW2.
Almost any competent gunsmith can get it to work, they are simple and basic bolt action rifles. No need to go to anyone special.

If you post a photo of the left side of the rifle it has the arsenal marks. I know from memory three stacked circles ( cannonballs) are Tokyo arsenal production.
I can look up your arsenal marks if different.
I use an excellent reference book on Arisaka rifles written by Ian McCollum's (YouTube Forgotten Weapons) father.

The online rare firearm parts store "Jacks First" has several Type 38 parts and springs. They are reputable and the first place I always search for parts.
Don't try to interchange a Type 99 firing pin into a type 38.

https://jackfirstinc.com/?s=Arisaka&post_type=product&title=1&excerpt=1&content=1&categories=1&attributes=1&tags=1&sku=1&orderby=popularity-DESC&ixwps=1
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AgEng06
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In reply to EFE • 2:32p, 12/17/24
AG
EFE said:
The Japanese were ordered to remove the mum as a part of demilitarization. IIRC the mum was a symbol of the Japanese Empire. Your gun snuck past the grinders. I have a 7.7 Arisaka with the mum intact as well.

My dad had a 7.7 that my grandpa brought back with the mum intact, but it was stolen in a home burglary in the late 80s.
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mattyd383
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In reply to Animal Eight 84 • 2:58p, 12/17/24
AG
Thanks for the info! Here's the other markings I see on it.


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Animal Eight 84
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3:06p, 12/17/24
AG
Nagoya arsenal, recognized that one.

I can look up more when I get back home where my Arisaka book is.



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mattyd383
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In reply to Animal Eight 84 • 3:30p, 12/17/24
AG
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EFE
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In reply to AgEng06 • 4:18p, 12/17/24
AG
AgEng06 said:
EFE said:
The Japanese were ordered to remove the mum as a part of demilitarization. IIRC the mum was a symbol of the Japanese Empire. Your gun snuck past the grinders. I have a 7.7 Arisaka with the mum intact as well.

My dad had a 7.7 that my grandpa brought back with the mum intact, but it was stolen in a home burglary in the late 80s.

I got this from my uncle who took it off a drifting cowhand sometime in the 80's as repayment for a debt
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clarythedrill
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In reply to Gunny456 • 7:15p, 12/17/24
Gunny456 said:
Try Two Wright Arms in Springtown, Texas. Located about 15 miles northwest of Ft. Worth. They specialize in antique and older military arms.
I had them work on an older model 1903 and they were great. Think the owner is Paul Wright.
Hey, I live in Springtown.
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skelso
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10:46p, 12/17/24
AG
Should be lots of smiths who can work on that rifle. Many good ones already mentioned. I linked thenpart below byt would rscommend you have someone check it for soundness before firing.

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/1513530a
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Hobbes01
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In reply to EFE • 6:52p, 12/19/24
AG
EFE said:
AgEng06 said:
EFE said:
The Japanese were ordered to remove the mum as a part of demilitarization. IIRC the mum was a symbol of the Japanese Empire. Your gun snuck past the grinders. I have a 7.7 Arisaka with the mum intact as well.

My dad had a 7.7 that my grandpa brought back with the mum intact, but it was stolen in a home burglary in the late 80s.

I got this from my uncle who took it off a drifting cowhand sometime in the 80's as repayment for a debt


Wouldn't that be the ultimate TexAgs hookup if it ended up being the same gun! Course, would be a shame for EFE to lose it.
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agsalaska
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9:43p, 12/19/24
AG
Badass
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AgEng06
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In reply to Hobbes01 • 11:29p, 12/19/24
AG
Hobbes01 said:
EFE said:
AgEng06 said:
EFE said:
The Japanese were ordered to remove the mum as a part of demilitarization. IIRC the mum was a symbol of the Japanese Empire. Your gun snuck past the grinders. I have a 7.7 Arisaka with the mum intact as well.

My dad had a 7.7 that my grandpa brought back with the mum intact, but it was stolen in a home burglary in the late 80s.

I got this from my uncle who took it off a drifting cowhand sometime in the 80's as repayment for a debt


Wouldn't that be the ultimate TexAgs hookup if it ended up being the same gun! Course, would be a shame for EFE to lose it.

Sadly, I don't have any identifying numbers or pictures of my grandpa's gun, so EFE's is safe.
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O.G.
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In reply to agenjake • 9:55a, 12/20/24
agenjake said:
Also, anybody that can get that weapon off a Japanese solider is a freaking MAN.
Brass set.
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swampstander
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4:55p, 12/20/24
AG
Back in the mid 80s I was on a deer lease with a WWII vet who had an Arisaka that he brought back. He had it made into a beautiful custom rifle. I am pretty sure it was rebarreled to the same 6.5 cartridge but was inletted into a gorgeous Tiger maple stock with ebony fore end tip and grip cap.
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byfLuger41
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8:47a, 12/31/24
AG
Thanks for sharing, OP.

As an avid WWII weapons collector I enjoyed this thread and your story.

Best of luck with the rifle and SF!
TO THE DROP ZONE!!!
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Springtown12
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In reply to Gunny456 • 12:56p, 1/2/25
AG
They have some cool stuff for a wannabe cowboy like me.
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Gunny456
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In reply to Springtown12 • 6:38p, 1/2/25
AG
Yes sir!
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