Arisaka Type 99 Rifle

This week for Firearm Friday we are scoping out the Japanese Type 99 Arisaka rifle.

The Type 99 rifle is a bolt-action rifle of the Arisaka design used by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second World War.

During the Second Sino-Japanese War in the 1930s, The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) developed the Type 99 based on the Type 38 rifle but with a caliber of 7.7mm. The Type 99 was produced at nine different arsenals. Seven arsenals were located in Japan. 

The IJA had intended to completely replace the Type 38 with the Type 99 by the end of the war. However, the outbreak of the Pacific War never allowed the army to completely replace the Type 38 and so the IJA used both rifles extensively during the war. As the war progressed, more and more cost saving steps were introduced in order to speed up production. Late war rifles are often called "last ditch" due to their poor quality of finish.

The Type 99 was produced in four versions, the regular issue Type 99 short rifle, the Type 99 long rifle, the take-down Type 2 rifle, and the Type 99 sniper rifle. The Type 99 was the first mass-produced infantry rifle to have a chrome lined bore. 

To utilise the 7.7mm cartridge, several 6.5mm Type 38 rifles were modified for the new round. The army decided that the added recoil and large calibre of the 7.7mm cartridge would require an entirely new rifle to be built for the cartridge. It utilized a cock on closing action and an unusual safety mechanism, operated by pressing in the large disk at the rear of the bolt and rotating it clockwise, which is often misunderstood by shooters who are used to a Mauser's safety. It has a quick-release bolt and anti aircraft sights.

The Type 99 has one of the strongest actions ever made for a bolt action, but many late-war rifles had been simplified as Japan struggled industrially. These rifles are marked by the poor quality finish, as well as shortcuts taken to ease production. They are usually distinguished by their crudeness, poorly finished stock, wooden buttplate held in with nails, lack of an upper forward handguard, and tool marks in the metal. Despite these simplifications, the quality and safety of the bolt action mechanism had not been compromised.

In some cases, these rifles may actually be training rifles intended for firing cartridges with a wood projectile only. The training rifles were made of mild steel and were never intended for ball ammunition. If these rifles fired ball ammunition there would be poor results and possible injuries. It is possible that this may have unjustly led to the Type 99 having a reputation for being of poor construction.

The Type 99 can be fitted with a Type 30 bayonet. The Type 30 bayonet had a very long, slender blade, and was grooved to reduce weight.

We have Type 99 & 38 Rifles in the collection in the museum and as always would love to show them as well as our other war rifles.