Warden Callaway Posted November 28, 2019 Share Posted November 28, 2019 It's amazing what a little spritz of WD40, a cheap screwdriver and a hammer can do. I've worked on some really neglected guns and they don't come apart this easily. And the springs are often rotted away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted November 28, 2019 Share Posted November 28, 2019 Reminds me of the Arisaka Type 99 my then eight-year old cousin found on our aunt's garage roof back in '71. The kid was excited as all get-out, but Aunt Bea snatched it from the kid and handed it to me and said "get rid of this thing, would you please?" Naturally, I agreed to do so. Took the ugly, mud- and rust-encrusted relic home to the Kappa Phi Delta frat house. Pondered tossing it into the trash; attempts to give it away were always met with scornful sneers. Eventually I started cleaning it up; brushed and scraped the dried mud, started soaking the frozen parts alternately with WD-40 and Liquid Wrench, yanked, pushed, and pulled on the "moving" parts to no avail... After several months of this I picked it up one day and gave the bolt handle a whack. It moved!! Not much, but it did move! More applications of the "sauce," more manipulating with the aid of a brass hammer, and I was able to eventually get the bolt open. Using a giant screwdriver, I managed to pry the bolt release open and tapped the bolt out of the receiver. Missing the knob, firing pin, and spring, but oh well. It was just a garbage relic. Walked over to the window and tossed it up to look down the bore. To my utter amazement, instead of the expected sewer pipe with stalactites and stalagmites of rust, the bore shined like a mirror! Up to this point my only experience with Arisakas had been the lore of my childhood, when we all heard how terrible they were, tapered bores, prone to blowing up and so forth. I'd never heard of the chrome-bored barrels. Encouraged by my discovery, I set about in earnest cleaning the rifle. After I got it disassembled and began scrubbing with oil and a bronze brush, I was equally amazed to discover that under the crust of crud the original bluing was largely unaffected by it's tenure in the elements. It was actually in really good condition! A trip across town to Val's Gun Shop in North Beach netted me a bolt knob, firing pin and spring, and a box of Norma ammunition - a whopping four bucks for the parts. And this was the first of a BUNCH of boxes of ammo fed to the rifle over the years - it shoots quite well, is surprisingly accurate, and light and handy enough that I have carried it afield several times on hunting trips with Hank - he had one, too. In fact, one time back in the mid 80's, we bought another for a gift to the rancher who'd invited us to hunt his place up in Siskiyou County. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted November 28, 2019 Author Share Posted November 28, 2019 That sucker still has the mum! Very rare to see any survive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixgun Seamus Posted November 28, 2019 Share Posted November 28, 2019 That sucker still has the mum! Very rare to see any survive. My cousin has one with the mum. My uncle took it from some fella on Okinawa that wasn't using it any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted November 28, 2019 Author Share Posted November 28, 2019 Here is another old pin fire double barrel pistol cleanup. It's not nearly in as bad shape. https://youtu.be/X551CMdv0EY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted November 28, 2019 Share Posted November 28, 2019 Lovely Arisaka! The rifles with intact mums were usually battlefied captures. The ground off ones were rifles that were surrendered and turned in to the US forces. Thisn was found in the closet at our VFW post. Late war but not a last ditch rifle. Intact mum. I supplied the bayonet and we have it on display. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted November 28, 2019 Author Share Posted November 28, 2019 Son acquired two Arisaka paratrooper take-downs that were converted into sporting rifles. Masterfully done but worth a LOT more if they hadn't been cut up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted November 28, 2019 Share Posted November 28, 2019 Whenever I see one with an intact mum, I always wonder if it has a duffel bag cut under the barrel band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted November 28, 2019 Share Posted November 28, 2019 Lovely Arisaka! The rifles with intact mums were usually battlefied captures. The ground off ones were rifles that were surrendered and turned in to the US forces. Thisn was found in the closet at our VFW post. Late war but not a last ditch rifle. Intact mum. I supplied the bayonet and we have it on display. That's sweet...!! Honestly, when I first saw mine its condition looked much like the OP's revolver. To quote Sgt McNiece, "it would'a gagged a maggot!" Ol' Hank gave me a bayonet 'bout 45 years ago ~ it lives next to my recliner; I use it as a "remote control" to reach the thermostat and ceiling fan controls. And now Sassparilla Kid is on a search for one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 IT seems , I get a bayonet then have to find a rifle to fit it had a bunch of Arisakas I got in a big trade , all had been sportized , including a couple with bright mums CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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