1/15/19 - Mid to Late WW2 production Kokura Arsenal 25th Series Okinawa USMC Wisconsin Veteran Marine Air Staff Sgt. Russell J. Hall VMF 441 Marine Air Group-MAG 31 bring back Arisaka rifle with bayonet and scabbard. This late transitional series rifle never did have the guards installed on the front sight. Rifle and bayonet set has remained untouched and together since the war. Rifle shows all matching serial numbers including receiver, bolt, safety, firing pin and bayonet lug. Dust cover is not marked. Twist on brass muzzle cover marked on end. US Marine Aircraft Mechanic coated the rifle, bayonet and scabbard, in a heavy preservative grease before bringing home his war trophy. Over the years the grease has dried onto the exposed metal surfaces creating an untouched Pacific War time capsule weapon, bayonet and scabbard too. Dust cover does not appear to have the preservative coating. We believe the rifle to be unused since the war as the action opens and closes very sluggishly due to the dried on preservative grease and bore looks coated inside too. Action works properly but very slow, safety and trigger work correctly but very slow. This was the standard 7.7 mm Japanese rifle of the Pacific War. Although it never fully replaced the 6.5 mm Type 38 rifle In the Japanese Army it was the most commonly encountered rifle outside of the the China Theater. Surrendered after the war the receiver mum on this rifle is ground and topcoated with dried on preservative grease. The Type 99 rifle was a very innovative design for a bolt action rifle, and while it may have been a dated and obsolete design by the standard of the semi auto rifles such as the Garand, it was very well suited for tropical service in harsh jungle conditions and it was a prized Army and USMC war trophy. Not import marked. Soldier's Picture and Documentation is included which may aid further research on this Marine whom saw wartime service on Okinawa and also duty later in Occupied Japan. Unknown where he picked up the rifle and bayonet.
