Top 5 Japanese Arisaka Myths That People STILL Believe!

Рет қаралды 10,219

Күн бұрын

When U.S. Soldiers brought back Japanese rifles during and after World War Two, they really didnt understand much about them. There weren’t many books and manuals alut them. The US Intelligence put out a manual in 1943 but there were some misconceptions written in it. Fast forward to 2024 and many of the misconceptions and myths surrounfing Japanese Arisaka rifles keep circulating. Not many folks really take the time to do their own research and so thwy may just hear something ans spread it around like it’s the truth. In this video, I go over the top 5 Arisaka myths floating around out there.
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Chapters
0:00 The Myths still keep circulating
0:47 The Last Ditch will Blow up
3:03 Last Ditch at the Range
3:17 Buttstock crack
4:54 They threw away the dust covers
6:36 Mum Means it was Taken from Battle
7:35 Duffle cut
8:11 Do your Research and help stop the myths from spreading
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#carcano #milsurp #militarysurplus
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#collectibles #ww2 #americanhistory #milsurp #shootingrange #guncollection #historic #historyoftheworld #battlefieldcurator
All weapons portrayed in this video were handled in a safe manner. Multiple safety precautions were in place before, during and after filming. Do not attempt this at home. Seek out weapons familiarization training before handling any weapon. We are not financial advisors nor do we give legal financial advice, please talk to your CPA. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Information contained in the content is based from personal experience, opinion, or available on the internet. Gun enthusiasts should read the owners manual and consult a firearms expert to fully understand the weapon. These historical relics and products commonly available in stores all across the United States. Our videos are for entertainment purposes.

Пікірлер: 103

@BattlefieldCurator 10 күн бұрын

202406 Edit: Another advantage to having a two piece stock was that wood could be conserved by using a smaller plank of wood. Also note that the grain direction is different on the two pieces, which helps with the strength of the stock as a whole.

@Pike0572 16 күн бұрын

Those who think Japanese soldiers could just throw away the dust cover or monopod fail to recognise that the mum is the symbol of the Japanese Emperor. It means the rifle and ALL of its components belong to the Emperor. An average soldier would face corporal punishment if they lose a part as obvious as the dust cover.

@SCH292 15 күн бұрын

Lol. The dust cover myth. It seems that most WW2 rifle will have some sort of myth.

@Mike-tw1pi 16 күн бұрын

The Type 94 Nambu with the exposed sear so it could still be fired when the soldier was surrendering and catch his captors off guard is always one of the most idi0tic myths I still hear..

@brucermarino 16 күн бұрын

Thanks for a great presentation. As an Arisaka owner and researcher, I believe the primary reason for the two-piece stock was to conserve resources in a country in which suitable wood was not in abundance. Hence, this was more an issue of initial wise design than of subsequent repairability. Also, as a professor of ethics, I smiled when you mentioned using the seller's ignorance of the two-piece buttstock as a basis for bargaining :) Thanks again!

@BattlefieldCurator 11 күн бұрын

Great point! Thanks for that info 🍻 😁

@amym828 16 күн бұрын

The implication that any country's military would issue rifles to their soldiers that were unsafe to shoot is just utterly preposterous.

@bozaiwarrior 16 күн бұрын

The 1870/87/15 vetterlis are chambered for 6.5 carcano, which over a number of shots will break parts or go to failure. The Italians knew this and gave it to old soldiers guarding bridges, railways and such. Then later issued to colonial troops in Ethiopia, that in theory if they rebelled the rifles had a limited service life.

@OhioBoy1440 16 күн бұрын

The Type 94 pistol might just be the exception.

@paleoph6168 16 күн бұрын

@@OhioBoy1440luckily for officers they can purchase their own sidearm, and many did.

@Dominic1962 15 күн бұрын

@@OhioBoy1440Fuddlore. There was nothing fundamentally wrong with it and it wasn’t unsafe. Most troops preferred it to the Type 14 even.

@Lowlandlord 14 күн бұрын

Cries in Canadian😅

@jamesvatter5729 16 күн бұрын

"Every last one of 'em has a cracked butt stock!" I definitely heard that one before.

@DelGTAGrndrs 16 күн бұрын

My favorite is the cracked stock myth. I’ve been able to scoop them up for half price because some boomer doesn’t understand dovetail stocks.😂

@kirkstinson7316 16 күн бұрын

Boomer has nothing to do with it. There are people with no clue in every generation

@DelGTAGrndrs 15 күн бұрын

@@kirkstinson7316they are the ones who have a ton to sell almost always it’s a boomer. Let’s be 100% honest who has most of the Milsurp market

@BattlefieldCurator 11 күн бұрын

I’ve seen folks from my generation not know about the stock, it’s pretty much whoever owns, runs, or works at a gunshop.

@fletchermunson6225 16 күн бұрын

Gunsmith P.O Ackley tested all military actions trying to blow them up. The Arisaka was the Strongest action tested. Also the British 303 Enfield tested extremely well against rumors. It's in his book. Also the two piece stocks are most likely the product of the lack of wood in the proper size. Not to many large forests in Japan like North America and Europe. My uncle was in the Pacific and gave me hist 38. It was well made and the bore was chromed. Looked like it was hardly fired. Also people claim that people tried to fire .3006 ammo in the 7.7 guns causing them to blow up. Nonsense. The 3006 has a .308 bore and the 7.7 has a .311" bullet. Nothing would happen if it actually worked other than inaccuracy. I fired Norma 7.7 ammo in mine and it worked fine other than kicking like a mule.

@kevwebb2637 10 күн бұрын

7.7 was based off the .303 British, but a longer rimless case instead.

@fletchermunson6225 9 күн бұрын

@@kevwebb2637 i checked specs. I'd say it's very close to a 7x57 or 8mm Mauser round with a .311 bullet.

@oneparticularharbor144 16 күн бұрын

One of the strongest military actions made- PO Ackley ran tests on several rifle types after WW II and the Arisaka came out in top... plus most type 99s have chrome lined barrels. The ‘myth’ may be just good old national prejudice.As you noted training rifles were crudely made with cast iron receiver that could have caused the start of the myth or as stated the ‘last ditch’ models which although strong looked crude by comparison

@Belowbluewaterdiver 16 күн бұрын

Type 38s and 99s are solid hard hitting rifles. I’ve owned many over the years but two stand above the rest as my favorites I have a full sized type 38 that’s a beautiful blonde wood, it’s certainly been cleaned up at some point in its life…….and for good reason. Its butstock has an obvious bullet hole that’s gone in and exited through the metal but plate which has been replaced. Mum is in the rifle My other favorite is a mid/late war type 99. Has the aircraft sights but no monopod. I got the rifle along with a Japanese sword straight from the paratrooper who had taken the rifle home. He was amongst the first troops to land in Japan in late August 1945, Japanese sentries still guarded Atsugi air base where they landed and there was a tense changing of the guard from Japanese to American. The Japanese soldier facing my veteran flipped his rifle and pounded it against the concrete until it broke at the wrist. The vet painted his name and service number on the rifle along with “first day in Japan”. The rifle sat in his basement until I bought it from him in 2018. He sadly died August 15 2020, the 75th anniversary of the end of ww2

@BattlefieldCurator 11 күн бұрын

Wow incredible story to go along with those two. 🫡 🇺🇸

@theblindsniper9130 16 күн бұрын

Hot damn youre nearly to 100k. Nice! Ive heard all of these myths. Ive gotten many great deals because of myths

@mrbushi1062 16 күн бұрын

jelly wish I could get one. They are really good guns

@WastelandArmorer 11 күн бұрын

I recently got a 25$ last ditch Type 99 because of the myths.

@theblindsniper9130 11 күн бұрын

@@WastelandArmorer And I literally spit out my coffee lmao

@BattlefieldCurator 11 күн бұрын

lol yep, but now that I’m thinking about it, I think there are some myths and misconceptions out there that cause shops to overprice things 🤔

@GenerationKill001 15 күн бұрын

As always, great videos!

@craigdamage 6 күн бұрын

6.5mm "JAPANESE" ammo is a pain in the butt to acquire. That ain't no "myth".

@kirkstinson7316 16 күн бұрын

The two piece stock actually makes it stronger as the grain of wood goes in two different directions. In the imperial japanese army your weapon was supposedly from the emperor himself. You would not throw away the fust cover or mono pod. If you did you would ne neaten by your NCO and or orfficer

@arisukak 16 күн бұрын

The biggest Arisaka myth is that intact mum = rare. If they are so rare, why are there so many for sale at any given time?

@bottomtext1241 15 күн бұрын

Adds to the value for sure just because they're caught after. But like you said, not rare.

@biffwellington1782 12 күн бұрын

People think old equals rare. Not so. I collect Mad Magazines and people often list issues from the mid 70's to mid 90's as"vintage" and "rare" asking an arm and a leg when in fact they are quite common still.

@circeowaggles 9 күн бұрын

Grandpa came back from the war with one, it still has the dust cover. It was handed down to all the marines in my family but the last one is strangly anti -gun so im probly going to inherit it

@noahwarren7194 16 күн бұрын

This is my favorite video of yours yet

@BattlefieldCurator 11 күн бұрын

Thanks 😁

@davedoughty1213 14 күн бұрын

I have a Type 99 that was field modified to fire a 30:06 cartridge. It was a surrendered rifle. It will still chamber 7.7 and hold 5 rounds. The 30:06 can only be used for single shot. It’s still very accurate! The Old Army Scout…

@cavscout888 13 күн бұрын

They didn't use that stock toe setup to make them repairable, but because wood is a scarcer commodity. General won't need toe repair on them anyway, as grain on toe piece runs a different direction.

@austin9988 15 күн бұрын

Nice video! IMO the biggest myth about the "arisaka" is the name. Pretty much only people in the English speaking world refer to them as arisakas. They're known by their military designations in Japan and the type 38 was also affectionately referred to as the "sanpachi" (slang for 38) by troops.

@annhanntz275 11 күн бұрын

Much easier to make a stock in two pieces,not for a lack of wood, this is well documented.If it has a proof mark,it is OK to shoot...have it checked for head space and other issues.

@bestestusername 12 күн бұрын

I have a long and carbine arisaka both have the MUM brutally scratched away. I like this as i feel as though this is the last thing the previous user did to it, sort of his signiture. 🇦🇺 Subbed, to many good videos.

@BattlefieldCurator 11 күн бұрын

Thanks 😁🍻

@MD-zd5so 12 күн бұрын

I had a type 38 calvary carbine . It was a sweet shooting rifle . I really regret selling it .

@merlemorrison482 15 күн бұрын

Same is true for Carcanos

@JohnAsparagus96 12 күн бұрын

My granddad had one blow up on him in 1987. He was covered in gunpowder, but was generally unharmed. Was aiming at a car battery, and the round successfully hit the target. He assumed it was booby-trapped, but it was probably just a late-war rifle or something.

@dwightdhansen 15 күн бұрын

Pretty sure mine is duffel cut as it was cut at a 45-degree upwards angle ahead of the front band. It's also the only tiger stripe sock Type 99 I've ever seen. IIRC it dates to April of 44 production. Has the slot for the bolt cover but doesn't have aircraft sights or monopod mounts. The Mum has been ground. Also IIRC, it qualifies as a last ditch as it has some features of them like a hand hammered trigger guard, simplified sights, no monopod mounts but it's still a 100% serviceable & shootable rifle. My late father-in-law gave it to me. His brother was a Marine that fought in Okinawa (that part is known to be true). Supposedly he brought it back with him (not sure if that is true). He used it for years as a deer hunting rifle.

@markpoffinbarger9207 16 күн бұрын

One of the strongest military rifles

@dakotaweeks7442 16 күн бұрын

I actually have a type 99 naval training rifle currently up for grabs

@richardmcarthur8568 13 күн бұрын

Was the segmental rifling of the Japanese rifles better than that of American, etc. rifles?

@lanedexter6303 7 күн бұрын

So… did P.O. Ackley really try and fail to blow up an Arisaka?

@evanswinford7165 16 күн бұрын

My friend got two over the years. The first in long gone cash and carry era in California. Sellers name was Bob that’s the only information that was exchanged. He started digging through those tiny parts bins you see at every gun shop for aircraft sights parts. He got everything missing eventually. He had to settle for a repro dust cover though. I think the Fudlore about it making noise we must have heard the most. My friend likes the rifle plenty they just never turned my crank.

@BattlefieldCurator 11 күн бұрын

I saw that that noise myth was actually in a 1940’s Army Intelligence publication. Probably where it stemmed from I would have to guess.

@evanswinford7165 11 күн бұрын

@@BattlefieldCurator Having operated my friends rifle with and without it in place you really don’t hear anything difference much. I don’t see Japanese troop tossing them aside Willy nilly. The din of combat all around a bit or sheet metal is gonna give you away? No. I think US troops tossed them out because their weapons did not have such a thing and were seen as redundant or superfluous. I think the dust cover slows the action down myself. That might be why the Japanese ditched them.

@ronalddunne3413 14 күн бұрын

Wish I owned one! 🤩 Either 38 or 99 would do. 🤑 I remember being told (by ww2 vets) as a child that they were very dangerous and to steer clear of them. A friend's Dad brought one back from the Pac theater (unground mum, stock, as-issued condition) and used it for deer hunting in Michigan every year. My own Dad brought a Mauser K98k which I still own, so I grew up on the lore of the Mauser and the 8mm as a result. 🤠

@markpoffinbarger9207 16 күн бұрын

Owned a 7,7 and 6,5 rifles safety takes some getting used to

@kevinpitre533 16 күн бұрын

Thank you ..

@davidr2975 16 күн бұрын

Steinel makes excellent 7.7×58 m.m. ammo for the type 99 rifle, very accurate and hard hitting.

@saltydog4556 15 күн бұрын

6.5 jap is hard to find. Brass is three times the price of anything else. Many are using end of life 220 swift brass and trimming to suit. Case dimensions fall between everything out there😢

@user-bs1if7ug1i 16 күн бұрын

Can you do one for Mausers please🙏🏻 You often hear “that eagle means it was used by the SS” or “Hitlers bodyguards”

@TheUssrcjak47 12 күн бұрын

Have you tried out your desert Eagle yet?

@BattlefieldCurator 11 күн бұрын

Yes… works great and recoil is not as scary as it looks

@TheUssrcjak47 10 күн бұрын

@@BattlefieldCurator I almost bought it but waited too late when he told me it came in, it’s a very pretty gun, if I remember it’s a two tone. I assume you’ll do a video on it.

@rowlandreddick2664 5 күн бұрын

I've asked many questions of the WW2 vet's i grew up with and they all told me if yer not careful and don't have the bolt secured all the way closed it would blow out and take yer head off,,,next the firing pins are crap, they would snap due to bad heat treatment. What else,,, barrels were shot out of round and corrode from hairline cracks due to half-ass manufacturing,,, nice wall hangers but wouldn't pay more than a sawbill for'em😂😂😂

@BattlefieldCurator 4 күн бұрын

lol yea there’s more myths floating around out there, I’ve actually not heard those ones before

@user-iv4uy4qz4b 15 күн бұрын

Those rifles were cheap to buy, I bought a last ditch all matching for 75.00

@edclark4822 10 күн бұрын

I'm surprised you didn't talk about the Italian type 99 they were built in Italy many of them were not in service they just sat in warehouses because the Japanese thought that they were inferior I ran across one many years ago and it's stumped me till I researched it

@BattlefieldCurator 9 күн бұрын

I actually went over the Type I Carcano recently. Is the BEST Carcano a Type I ??? History, Range and WW2 Veteran Story kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gNiDnbx3367Nj30.html

@leonwatts1420 7 күн бұрын

Why was the rifle so long when most Japanese were pretty short??

@frankleespeaking9519 6 күн бұрын

I love the sights

@saltydog4556 15 күн бұрын

At least mines got emperors year,date, and model under the butt plate. 1905. 111k of 2.5 million. Wonder what its worth.😁

@BattlefieldCurator 14 күн бұрын

Way cool 😎

@NouveauView 16 күн бұрын

Really alot of "Bad guns" are victims of boomer mythology, like the Breda, it was meant to serve a role similar to the Browning BAR but people compared it to later machine gun models and their roles like the MG34 and MG42.

@alexs5744 15 күн бұрын

Ehhhh the Breda sucks.

@biffwellington1782 12 күн бұрын

Source?

@georgewhitworth9742 16 күн бұрын

Shhh! Don't tell people this! I still want to get a good deal! Lol.

@BattlefieldCurator 11 күн бұрын

😂

@kevinhoelting1637 16 күн бұрын

The two piece stock had nothing to do with strength or ease of repair. The purpose was the more efficient use of wood in stock production. The stocks could be made from standard dimensional lumber instead of specifically milled, wider planks. I don’t know about the Japanese, but the Russians even made Mosin stocks from lumber salvaged from destroyed buildings.

@Dominic1962 15 күн бұрын

It was indeed to make more effective use of wood blanks but it also strengthens the toe of the stock. The grain of the bottom piece goes in a different direction than the top piece for that reason.

@kennethhanes5438 16 күн бұрын

Japanese and enemy weapons captured in battle were often destroyed because the only people who needed them were the enemy if they took back the land your on they have them again the ones that were usually kept were the ones captured from stores after the battle was settled

@solomongrundy9735 15 күн бұрын

Arisakas are fantastic rifles.

@thomasgarrison3949 12 күн бұрын

👍👍

@nickg0411 16 күн бұрын

you need to give josh gates his hat back.....

@bulldaggerwatkins190 14 күн бұрын

I have a last ditch rifle that I inherited from my grandfather’s collection… He never said it was unsafe, just crappily made. I also inherited an early 99, and it is an absolutely gorgeously made. That last ditch rifle keyholes targets almost perfectly sideways 100% of the time, so I guess it has that going for it.

@michaelmacek9433 15 күн бұрын

Well Done! Everything you said is 100% true. With the exception of the blank firing training rifles, Arisaka rifles were found to be among the strongest action rifle of their time. This is based on tests performed by the late great gunsmith P.O.Ackley, where as he ran a series of tests on military surplus rifles by deliberately overloading ammunition to fit barrels fitted to the actions in one of his improved calibers in order to keep the test operating on a level playing field. The Japanese Arisaka was the last survivor, which failed when a deliberate over load made the threads on the barrel fail, sending the barrel being blown forward of the reciever.

@jim99west46 15 күн бұрын

Type 99s had a chrome lined bore and a chromed bolt face. No other WW2 rifle had that. Also issue 7.7 ammo was non corossive and had a flash inhibitor in its powder. No other country issued NC rifle ammo. US 30 cal carbine ammo in WW2 was non corrosive.

@BattlefieldCurator 11 күн бұрын

That is a great point!

@jim99west46 11 күн бұрын

@@BattlefieldCurator i ll tell you more. In korea in the extreme cold US weapons didnt work. Jap machineguns and chinese mausers captured from chinese troops did. So Marines used them if they had them.

@jray23r26 15 күн бұрын

I have a now beautiful early type 99 Rile I had to restore(it was in terrible shape) and the Craftsmanship is fantastic. Mine however had the crown ground off. I know it's uber rare to get one still with the crown.

@bigandlittlefirearms8395 16 күн бұрын

Let them believe the myths so we can get good deals😂

@BattlefieldCurator 15 күн бұрын

😂

@royschalk6554 15 күн бұрын

What is up with the totally insulting fake southern accent when you want to say something stupid?

@theviolator818 14 күн бұрын

Uh veryu honorabru.

@rmichaelzachary8574 16 күн бұрын

The Arisaka was a good rifle. I don't care for the way they extract in general, and people have encountered feeding problems when they rebarrel them to similar calibers like 7x57 or 6.5x55, and .308s are notoriously known to be problematic when rebarreled. But the days of custom military sporters are over. I don't believe they make scope mounts or timney triggers for these any more. As military collectables... ok. I don't like them because they're awkward to me, not because they're dangerous. Now Thai Mauser made in Japanese Arsenals is a different - fine worksmanship, as strong as if not stronger than the best Oberndorffs or Brnos. People didn't like they were set up for rimmed cartridges... Put a 7.62x54R on one and build a modern sniper rifle and you'll be well served. Yeah, the Arisakas not my thing. Thai Mauser sign me up.