July 12, 2023
Posted by: clakaf
Category: Uncategorized

How to Identify and Date an Arisaka Type 38 Rifle by Serial Number

Arisaka rifles are Japanese firearms that were used by the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy during World War II. They were named after Colonel Nariakira Arisaka, who designed the Type 30 rifle. Arisaka rifles are collectible firearms today, but they can be difficult to identify and date due to their variations and markings.

In this article, we will focus on the Type 38 rifle, which was the standard infantry rifle of the Imperial Japanese Army from 1905 until the end of World War II. The Type 38 rifle was chambered for the 6.5x50mm Arisaka cartridge and had a five-round magazine. The Type 38 rifle had a dust cover over the action, a bayonet lug on the barrel, and a rear sight with two leafs. The Type 38 rifle had several variants, such as the carbine, the cavalry carbine, the sniper rifle, and the short rifle.

To identify and date an Arisaka Type 38 rifle by serial number, you need to look for the following features:

A Chrysanthemum flower on the receiver: this was the symbol of the Japanese emperor and was present on all Arisaka rifles. However, some rifles had their Chrysanthemum flowers removed or defaced after Japan’s surrender, either by the Japanese themselves or by the Allied forces. A Chrysanthemum flower on the receiver indicates that the rifle was not surrendered or captured.
A series mark on the left side of the receiver: this was a letter or a symbol that indicated which series of production the rifle belonged to. The series mark can help you determine which arsenal produced the rifle and when it was made. For example, a series mark of “B” indicates that the rifle was made by Tokyo Arsenal between 1933 and 1936.
A serial number on the left side of the receiver: this was a number that indicated which rifle in a series it was. The serial number can help you determine how many rifles were produced in a series and how rare your rifle is. For example, a serial number of “333972” indicates that it was the 333,972nd rifle in its series.

By using these features, you can identify and date an Arisaka Type 38 rifle by serial number. For example, a Type 38 rifle with a Chrysanthemum flower, a series mark of “B”, and a serial number of “333972” would be identified as a Tokyo Arsenal production from 1933 to 1936 that was not surrendered or captured.

Description and Variant Types

The Type 38 rifle was a bolt-action rifle that had a length of 1,275 mm (50.2 in) and a barrel length of 797 mm (31.4 in). The rifle weighed 4.19 kg (9 lb 4 oz) and had a five-round internal magazine that was reloaded via stripper clips. The rifle had a dust cover over the action, a bayonet lug on the barrel, and a rear sight with two leafs. The upper leaf was for long-range shooting, and the lower leaf was for close-range shooting.

The Type 38 rifle had several variants, such as the carbine, the cavalry carbine, the sniper rifle, and the short rifle. The carbine was a shorter and lighter version of the rifle, with a length of 966 mm (38.0 in) and a barrel length of 487 mm (19.2 in). The carbine weighed 3.3 kg (7 lb 4 oz) and had a folding bayonet attached to the right side of the barrel. The cavalry carbine was similar to the carbine, but had a folding spike bayonet instead of a folding knife bayonet.

The sniper rifle was a modified version of the rifle, with a telescopic sight mounted on the left side of the receiver. The sniper rifle had a length of 1,280 mm (50.4 in) and a barrel length of 800 mm (31.5 in). The sniper rifle weighed 4.5 kg (9 lb 15 oz) and had a four-power scope with crosshair reticles. The short rifle was a variant of the rifle that was produced for export to China and Thailand. The short rifle had a length of 1,110 mm (43.7 in) and a barrel length of 635 mm (25.0 in). The short rifle weighed 3.8 kg (8 lb 6 oz) and had no dust cover or monopod.

Markings and Production Data

The Type 38 rifle had various markings on the receiver, barrel, and stock that indicated its origin and history. The most important marking was the Chrysanthemum flower, which was the symbol of the Japanese emperor and was stamped on the receiver of all rifles manufactured for the Imperial Japanese Army. The Chrysanthemum flower indicated that the rifle belonged to the emperor and was a sign of loyalty and honor. However, some rifles had their Chrysanthemum flowers removed or defaced after Japan’s surrender in 1945, either by the Japanese themselves or by the Allied forces. A Chrysanthemum flower on the receiver indicates that the rifle was not surrendered or captured.

Another important marking was the series mark, which was a letter or a symbol that indicated which series of production the rifle belonged to. The series mark was stamped on the left side of the receiver, next to the serial number. The series mark can help identify which arsenal produced the rifle and when it was made. For example, a series mark of “B” indicates that the rifle was made by Tokyo Arsenal between 1933 and 1936. The following table shows some of the common series marks and their meanings.

Value and Collectibility

The Type 38 rifle is a valuable and collectible firearm today, especially if it has the Chrysanthemum flower intact and matching serial numbers on all parts. The value of a Type 38 rifle depends on its condition, rarity, and history. According to True Gun Value, a website that tracks the prices of firearms sold online, the average price of a new Type 38 rifle is $492.50, and the average price of a used Type 38 rifle is $457.08, as of December 2023. However, these prices may vary depending on the market demand and availability.

Some factors that can increase the value of a Type 38 rifle are:

The presence of the Chrysanthemum flower on the receiver, indicating that the rifle was not surrendered or captured.
The presence of rare or unusual series marks or arsenal marks, indicating that the rifle was made by a specific arsenal or in a limited production run.
The presence of original accessories, such as the dust cover, the monopod, the bayonet, or the sling.
The presence of original markings or stamps from foreign countries that used or captured the rifle, such as China, Thailand, Mexico, Estonia, or Finland.
The presence of provenance or documentation that links the rifle to a specific soldier, unit, battle, or event.

Some factors that can decrease the value of a Type 38 rifle are:

The absence or defacement of the Chrysanthemum flower on the receiver, indicating that the rifle was surrendered or captured.
The mismatching of serial numbers on different parts of the rifle, indicating that the rifle was repaired or reassembled from different rifles.
The presence of damage, rust, corrosion, cracks, or repairs on the metal or wood parts of the rifle.
The presence of modifications or alterations that deviate from the original specifications of the rifle.
The presence of reproduction or fake parts or accessories that are not authentic to the rifle.

Ammunition and Ballistics

The Type 38 rifle was chambered for the 6.5×50mm Arisaka cartridge, also known as the 6.5×50mmSR Arisaka, the 6.5×50mm Semi-Rimmed, or the 6.5 Japanese. The cartridge was originally developed for the Type 30 rifle in 1897, and was based on the 6.5×52mm Carcano cartridge used by Italy. The cartridge had a semi-rimmed case and a round-nose bullet with a lead core and a cupro-nickel jacket. The original Type 30 round fired a 10.4-gram (160 gr) bullet with a powder charge of 33 grains (2.1 g) for a muzzle velocity of around 670 metres per second (2,200 ft/s).

In 1905, the cartridge was modified to use a spitzer bullet with a pointed tip and a steel core for better aerodynamics and penetration. The Type 38 spitzer round fired a 9.0-gram (139 gr) bullet with a powder charge of 33 grains (2.1 g) for a muzzle velocity of around 770 metres per second (2,500 ft/s). The Type 38 spitzer version of the 6.5×50mm cartridge remained unchanged until after the adoption of the Type 11 light machine gun in 1922.

The Type 11 light machine gun required a more powerful cartridge to function reliably, so the powder charge of the 6.5×50mm cartridge was increased to 36 grains (2.3 g) for a muzzle velocity of around 800 metres per second (2,600 ft/s). This version of the cartridge was known as the Type 92 round, and was used by both rifles and machine guns until the end of World War II. The Type 92 round had better ballistics and accuracy than the Type 38 round, but also increased the recoil and wear on the rifles.

The following table shows some of the ballistic data of the different versions of the 6.5×50mm cartridge.

Series Mark	Arsenal	Production Years
A	Tokyo	1923-1933
B	Tokyo	1933-1936
C	Tokyo	1936-1939
D	Tokyo	1939-1940
E	Tokyo	1940-1941
F	Tokyo	1941-1942
G	Tokyo	1942-1943
H	Tokyo	1943-1944
I	Tokyo	1944-1945
Ki (木)	Kokura	1927-1935
Ri (里)	Kokura/Nagoya	1935-1939

Version	Bullet Weight	Powder Charge	Muzzle Velocity	Muzzle Energy
Type 30	10.4 g (160 gr)	33 grains (2.1 g)	670 m/s (2,200 ft/s)	2,375 J (1,752 ft⋅lbf)
Type 38	9.0 g (139 gr)	33 grains (2.1 g)	770 m/s (2,500 ft/s)	2,673 J (1,971 ft⋅lbf)
Type 92	9.0 g (139 gr)	36 grains (2.3 g)	800 m/s (2,600 ft/s)	2,880 J (2,124 ft⋅lbf)

Conclusion

The Type 38 rifle was a bolt-action service rifle that was used by the Empire of Japan during the early 20th century. It was a reliable and accurate rifle that fired the 6.5×50mm Arisaka cartridge, which had various versions and modifications over the years. The Type 38 rifle had several variants and features that distinguished it from other rifles of its time, such as the Chrysanthemum flower, the series mark, and the dust cover. The Type 38 rifle is a valuable and collectible firearm today, especially if it has the original markings and accessories intact. The Type 38 rifle is a fascinating piece of history that reflects the culture and technology of Japan during its imperial era.

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