Was not really sure where to put this, so being it's a hunting rifle I put it here. Last weekend was a day I've ben waiting for for most of my life. My dad, who is a WWII vet, and saw a lot of combat in the Pacific Theater, gave me his Japanese rifle he brought home from Korea. He was waiting as part of an invasion force to invade Japan when they surrendered. Upon Japan's surrender, they immediately sent him to Korea for some 'mop-up' operations. In Buson, Korea, he was ordered to take all the armament out of the military garrison and load on ships to be dumped in the ocean. His commanding officer told him he was allowed to take one gun of his choice to ship home. He chose was he thought was the best 7.7 Japansese rifle to ship home. I remember as a child, my brother and I would get so excited when he would shoot the rifle at family outings. For many years it was the only gun he owned. In the late 70's, my best friend, used his GI Bill to go to a gun smith college in Arizona. He said he needed a military rifle to sporterize as one of his class projects. My dad did the stock. My dad and both wish it was left original, but in the 60's and 70's sporterizing was the 'thing to do' to Japanese rifles. Now my dad is 85 and told me to go ahead and take the rifle home. I know this gun is not worth a lot of money, but it is the most valuabe one I own. It's never taken game for my dad was not much of a hunter.(thats going to change) I can honestly say, this rifle is what instilled the joy of shooting and hunting in my brother and I.

Mojave,

Have your dad write out that story and sign his name to it and take 1 copy, roll it into a tube and store it under the butt plate.

That is a great story.

Yes, a great story, and a very nice looking rifle!

The rifle is priceless.

That's as straight-forward and as nice a sportered Arisaka as I've seen.

I truly envy you! Good hunting with a fine rifle. The story into the stock is a great idea. roger

I also have a sporterized 7.7 with almost an identical story behind it.

It is one of my most accurate rifles when firing .312 Hornady 150 gr spire points.

You know what. I would NEVER worry that it was sporterised.

And for this reason:

a) Because it looks like a really well done stock job from the pictures. Certainly I would not be ashamed of it on any rifle I owned. Maybe you could give "Pop" a present and finish it off with some professionally done chequering to the pistol hand and the forestock?

b) Because I've left the "eagle and hooked cross" on the bolt of my sporterised 98K (converted in Belgium in the 1960s into 280 Remington) as it gives me pleasure to think that a weapon of an enemy that tried to destroy our way of life is...being used by me, in a democratic country, to go shooting deer!

So every time I handle it it reminds me that, ultimately, the sacrifice of what was, also, my father's generation was actually worth it as we live today in freedom.

As in the end evil didn't triumph.

That a "tool" made to try and spread tyranny and oppression merely finished up being used by "a Brit" for his private shooting pleasure!

That's just as nice sporterized as it would be if it were in original condition. Also, in current configuration you're more apt to take it hunting than if it wasn't sporterized. Enjoy it just as it is.

quote:

Originally posted by Rub Line:
That's just as nice sporterized as it would be if it were in original condition. Also, in current configuration you're more apt to take it hunting than if it wasn't sporterized. Enjoy it just as it is.

+1

Thanks for all the replies and appreciation. I'm actually planning a guided elk hunt next year and I'm going to use this rifle. I have been working on a load using Barnes .311 TSX 150gr. bullets. A couple of weeks ago, the gentleman that runs the military rifle shoot at the local range came in my auto repair shop. I was telling him about the rifle my dad had given me, and he asked me what type of rifle my dad had carried and about the taking backof the Philippines and a few other small islands he was in a lot of combat on. I told him it was an M1 Garand and I don't know why but I asked him if he knew where there was one for sale. He said he thought one of the local members had a real nice Springfield for sale. I went and looked at it and it was 90+% condition. So I bought it. I called my dad and told him I had something for him. So I drove about 120 miles and gave it to him. His eyes about popped of his head. I don't believe he has handled one since WWII. He was like a kid in a candy store and fondled it all afternoon. I couldn't believe how familiar he still was with it. I guess if you carry the same gun for 4 years every day, you would get quite familiar with it. I don't know how many more years has left but it is a priviledge to honor him.

It is great that you have an interest in what your Dad did in WW2 and are recognizing that. Unfortunately, far too many younger people have no interest or knowledge in what that generation did for us. I have bought a lot of WW2 rifles from guys who told me: "My daddy took this off a dead Nazi and I just want to sell it". (meaning they don't give a sh*t and just want the money.) Or equally as bad, "My wife doesn't want it in the house". Very sad.

I just happened to look over here on the Japanese rifle section to see if I could find anything about these rifles. I bought a 6.5 carbine this week just because I wanted one. It is complete except for the top guard piece on the forearm. I started out with a 6.5 rifle in 1956 and wanted to make me a deer rifle. Just $15 dollars to start out before any work to convert it over. The fellow which was rechambering to 257 X6.5 and forging the bolt worked in his garage. I asked him to let me watch him work and he said I DON'T LET ANYONE INTO MY SHOP AND WATCH HOW I WORK!!! That made me want to learn even more, so I decided to go to Trinidad and learn after being drafted into the army. I've had a long career as a gunsmith and some of you probably read the post at the top of Gunsmithing which is my last stock. Why did I buy another one this week? It was real cheep and after looking up the stamps on the action and barrel it is a 1905 Mod. 38 carbine which was taken out of service and giving to a training school. I found a site on the web that had most of the markings listed and it became a project of interest to learn about this rifle. Started with a Jap 6.5 and ending with a Jap. 6.5. I guess you could say I have gone full circle now. Ha Ha

If it had been left original all you would do is look at it. Now you get to take it hunting. Imagine going hunting with your father's WWII war souvenir. A great rifle, worth far more than it would actually sell for. Congratulations and good hunting.

Mojave,

I have to agree with several of the other folks. Your dad's work made a souvenir into a family treasure.

I know of one owned by a friend that was not so fortunate and has been forgotten in the corner of a closet. As far as I know, I am the only one that's touched it in 40 years. That's a sad thing!

Makes me want to drag out the one I sporterized back in the early 60s. I think it is the only gun I still own that I blued with the old Herter's hot blue way back then when I was re-bluing guns for spending money.

One big advantage now is that brass is more readily avaliable. I used to use '06 brass but kept the loads mild and only neck sized.