Arisaka 35^th Year Rifle

     Notes: The old 30^th Year Rifle was a disappointment to the soldiers who had to use it.  Therefore, the 30^th Year Rifle was improved, with an enlarged cocking piece, a better port to bleed off excess gas, an enlarged bolt knob, more reliable feeding of cartridges, and a longer handguard.  The 35^th Year Rifle (also known as the M-1902) was also somewhat of a disappointment; it was issued primarily to naval forces.

     Between World Wars 1 and 2, the Siam (later called Burma, and even later Myanmar) took delivery of a few thousand modified 35^th Year rifles.  These rifles were modified to fire the two standard Siamese service rounds (8mm Lebel and 8x51mm Mauser – but not both).  The modifications for these cartridges included a modification of the magazine to accommodate the larger rounds, a change to tangent-leaf rear sights graduated for the different effective range, and a change in barrel length to 30.35 inches (from 31.1 inches).  The Siamese also used a one-piece stock instead of the two-piece stock used by the Japanese.  They carry Sanskrit markings instead of Japanese markings.  Though most of these rifles have literally fallen apart from use, some can still be found amongst rebels in Myanmar.

Arisaka 38^th Year Rifle

     Notes:  This is an early 20^th century Japanese service rifle based on the Mauser action.  The “38^th Year” in the nomenclature refers to the 38^th Year of reign of the Emperor at the time of introduction (1905, which why this rifle is also commonly called the M-1905).  The Japanese chambered it for the 6.5mm Arisaka cartridge. The 38^th Year Rifle was designed to address shortcomings in the designs of both the 30^th Year and 35^th Year Rifles, with the primary changes being a simplified bolt, a non-rotating extractor, a reciprocating bolt cover, and a larger shroud for the safety (which was at the end of the cocking piece, and could easily be accidentally tripped on the earlier rifles).  The 38^th Year Rifle had a 31.45-inch barrel and was 50.2 inches in total length, making it an accurate but rather unwieldy weapon, particularly for the short-statured Japanese soldier.  Nonetheless, over 5 million were built, and they appeared quite frequently in World War 2.  The 38^th Year Rifle could take sword, knife, or spike bayonets designed for the 30^th Year or 35^th Year Rifles, or a new pattern of sword bayonet designed specifically for the 38^th Year Rifle.

     The 38^th Year Carbine was a shortened version of this rifle, originally produced for cavalry, but later issued to troops such as artillery and support units.  It is virtually identical, except for the shortened 19.15-inch barrel and the sights, which are graduated to match the shorter barrel.  It’s a handier weapon, but the muzzle blast is extreme.  The 38^th Year Carbine can use only the sword bayonet designed for the 38^th Year Rifle.

     During World War 1 (right after it began, in fact, in August of 1914), the British ordered a batch of 38^th Year rifles (and some 30^th Year Rifles), as well as some 38^th Year Carbines.  These retained their 6.5mm Arisaka chambering, but were given the British nomenclature of “Rifle, Magazine, .256 Caliber, Pattern 1907” (or simply the M-1907).  They were ostensibly obtained for the training of recruits in basic marksmanship, but for a time TE Lawrence’s troops and irregulars in the Middle East were also equipped with some 20,000 of 38^th Year rifles.  They were also issued in small numbers to the Royal Navy and the RAF.  The rifles used in actual combat service had been replaced by June of 1917 by Canadian-made Ross rifles (which was a bad decision, in my opinion).  The “British” 38^th Year rifles had English markings instead of Japanese (except for some Japanese manufacturing markings).  After 1917, most were sent to the White Russians who were fighting the ultimately successful takeover of the Bolsheviks, though some remained in British service until 1921.

     Large numbers of 38^th Year rifles were used during and after World War 2 by the Indonesians.  They were taken off dead Japanese soldiers, and were therefore essentially the original articles.  They were later used by insurgents fighting against Dutch rule, and then by the newly-formed Indonesian Army from 1949 until the early 1960s.  Most of these rifles found today are in the hands of various village militias, in collectors’ hands, or in museums, and most Indonesian examples have had their stocks replaced (the originals long having been broken or rotted away), and the metalwork blued.  The Indonesians also added the emblem of the Indonesian Army after 1949.

     Mexico ordered about 40,000 38^th Year Rifles and Carbines in 1910, being faced with an imminent revolution.  They were almost identical to standard 38^th Year rifles, but chambered for 7mm Mauser instead, which also meant that they required a different rear sight leaf.  The bayonet lugs and nose caps were also modified to accept standard Mexican bayonets.  Markings for these rifles were largely in Spanish.  However, less than 5,000 of these rifles and carbines were actually delivered – in 1911, the rebel forces of Porfirio Diaz overthrew the government that had ordered the rifles, and the Japanese did not support Diaz’s government.  The remainder of the order was later sold to Russia in 1914, ironically still carrying Mexican markings and designed to accept Mexican bayonets.

Arisaka Type 99

     Notes:  The Sino-Japanese war in the early 1930s made the Japanese believe that the 6.5mm Arisaka round they were using in their rifles was not powerful enough for their purposes.  They thus designed a new rifle based on the 7.7mm semi-rimmed cartridge developed for their Type 92 machinegun; the round was modified slightly for use in a bolt-action rifle, which they called the Type 99 (also known as the Type 99 No. 1, or Type 99 Long Rifle).  The Type 99 was a modified form of the 38^th Year Rifle, and had some strange features such as a folding wire monopod (a rather poor and weak substitute for a proper bipod), and sights that were designed primarily for firing against attacking aircraft rather than antipersonnel sharpshooting.  The original Type 99 rifle was little more than a 38^th Year rifle modified for use with the new cartridge, and had the same 31.45-inch barrel and essentially the same features along with the new ones.

     After only a few thousand Type 99s were built, experience in China showed that the Type 99 Long Rifle was simply too long, heavy, and clumsy for easy use, especially by fast-moving infantry.  This resulted in 1940 in the primary version of the Type 99, the Type 99 Short Rifle (also known as the Type 99 No. 2).  This weapon was basically the same as the Type 99 Long Rifle, but was shortened to use a 25.85-inch barrel and rear sights appropriately modified.

     Another variant of the Type 99, the Type 99 Sniper Rifle (also known as the Type 99 No. 4), was introduced in 1942.  Other than being shown to be slightly better-made by testing, the Type 99 Sniper Rifle primarily differed in its mount for a compact telescopic sight (at first a Kokura 2.5x scope, but later a Nagoya 4x scope).  Only about 10,000 of 3.5 million Type 99s built were sniper rifle versions.

     In 1943, after a long period of testing, the Type 2 Paratrooper’s Rifle was also introduced.  This is essentially a variant of the Short Rifle, with a 24.4-inch barrel, and could be taken apart at the junction of the barrel and receiver to create a smaller package for parachute jumps.  The monopod was also deleted.  Some 25,000 of these rifles were built starting in mid-1943, and they tend to have rather rough finishes on the metalwork and stock, due to the declining standard of production in Japan late in World War 2.

     The Type 99 Substitute Rifle (also known as the Type 99 Model 2 or Type 99 Type 3) was built starting in late 1943, mostly to conserve raw materials for other purposes, and designed for issue to non-infantry forces.  It was essentially a Type 99 Short Rifle in appearance, but the steel used was of middling to low-quality, the bolt cover and sling swivels were deleted, and the bolt face and bore were not chromed as those of normal Short Rifles were.  As the war went on, they declined further in quality, taking on dull, rough appearances, with two-screw nose caps, cylindrical bolt knobs, fixed rear sights, stocks with poor shaping, solid barrel bands, and welded safety shrouds.  It has been remarked by firearms expert John Walter that the only reason late-war Type 99 Substitute Rifles worked at all was due to the strength of the Arisaka action.  Note that the weight listed below is only approximate; the weight of the Substitute Rifles could vary wildly.

     After World War 2, the Nationalist Chinese used large amounts of Type 99 rifles for a while.  These were, of course, early-war rifles that were of better condition, re-chambered for the 8mm Mauser round that was the standard rifle round of the Chinese military until the takeover of the Communists. Little work was done on the rifles other than to re-chamber them and refurbish them so they would last a few more years (and Long Rifles had their barrels shortened to Short Rifle length), and they were allegedly used until the late 1950s by Peoples’ Militia forces.

     As with the 38^th Year Rifle, the Indonesians used large amounts of the Type 99 rifle (of all types) until the 1960s, little modified except for the replacement of worn stocks or the occasional spare part.

     The newly-formed Republic of Korea was given some 127,000 Short Rifles and 6700 Long Rifles after World War 2, in order to equip their police forces and to a small extent military forces.  These versions of the Type 99 were re-chambered for .30-06 Springfield, with appropriate changes in the magazine and sights, and also had slots cut in the top to allow for the use of the ammunition’s stripper clips.  Normally, the monopod was also deleted.  Japanese markings were also removed, and the metalwork was re-finished in gray phosphate.  These weapons served in surprising numbers in South Korean hands in the Korean War, but most were junked or placed in museums or private collections after the Korean War.

     The Thai military also received thousands of Short Rifles after World War 2; these were also re-chambered for .30-06 Springfield ammunition.  They are the same as the modified Korean Type 99 Short Rifles for game purposes, but bear markings in Sanskrit and the Chakra symbol of the Thai military forces, as well as Japanese markings.  Their fates were also similar to their Korean counterparts.

Howa Type 64

     Notes: After World War 2, Japan had virtually all of their weaponry confiscated by the Allies (especially the US).  After a few years, much of this was replaced with mostly US-made weapons, including the M-1 Garand, but the Japanese always felt that the Garand was too cumbersome a weapon, firing too-powerful ammunition for their small-statured troops.  In 1957, released from their post-war military restrictions, they began to design a new rifle for their troops, one that it was felt they could handle as one that was more modern.  This resulted in the Type 64 rifle.

     The Type 64 uses a gas system and bolt that are sort of an amalgamation of the FN FAL and the Russian SVT-40.  The gas system has a manual regulator, allowing it to fire rifle grenades as well as better operate in difficult conditions.  The charging handle is above the receiver, just below the sight line.  The trigger unit includes a rate reducer holding the cyclic rate of fire down to 450-500 rpm.  The Type 64 is built using as much stamped steel as possible, both to lighten the weapon and to make manufacturing easier and less expensive; the stock is wooden and the pistol grip plastic.  The 17.7-inch barrel is tipped with a long multi-baffle muzzle brake, and a folding bipod is attached under the front sight.  Both the front and rear sight fold, allowing the use of other optics such as night vision devices if desired.  The buttplate is adjustable for height, to a limited extent.

     Perhaps the most unusual aspect of the Type 64’s design is the primary type of ammunition it is designed to fire.  The Japanese, again citing the shorter stature of their troops, designed a reduced-charge version of the 7.62mm NATO round, using about 10% less propellant and a somewhat lighter bullet.  This round further reduces recoil, along with the long muzzle brake.  The Type 64 can still fire standard 7.62mm NATO rounds, but this requires adjusting the gas regulator (which is one of the settings of that regulator).

     Production of the Type 64 stopped in 1985 as Howa began designing the assault rifle which would become the Type 89, and it was never exported.  By 2006, virtually none of them remain in service with regular Japanese Self-Defense Force units, though they are stored for possible future use and a very few have been retained for use as platoon sharpshooters’ weapons (with the addition of a low-power scope). 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: There were still a lot of Type 64s in use by the time of the Twilight War; in addition, some of them were sold to South Korea and the Philippines during and after the war.

Mannlicher-Carcano I-Type Rifle

     Notes: This rifle was built for the Japanese Army by the Italians at the beginning of hostilities between Japan and China.  Japan found herself with too few rifles for all its troops, and made an emergency order for rifles from Italy.  Italy offered a Mannlicher-Carcano rifle modified to fire 6.5mm Arisaka ammunition, a butt 20 millimeters shorter, and using the Japanese 38^th Year bayonet.  In addition, most of the makings on the rifle were translated to their Japanese equivalents.  Some 60,000 were bought by the Japanese and distributed to their troops.