Restoration of a Japanese T99 Sniper

Forum for firearms from the Orient.

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Niner
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That does look terrific

Post by Niner » Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:54 pm

What kind of scope is he using?
SCREWLOOSETC
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RESTORATION

Post by SCREWLOOSETC » Thu Sep 04, 2008 3:48 pm

Hi

When you do a restoration do you refinish the wood or just clean it up?I would like the wood on my rifles look that nice without detracting from their value. finish on my rifles looks like it was brushed on. dull and ratty looking. U have a good looking rifle there. I've seen Mausers with comercial finish but not the arisakas. I have seen some arisakas with great blue under the wood though.would it hurt to reblue without polishing?

Tom
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Post by riceone » Thu Sep 04, 2008 6:43 pm

Niner that is a 2 1/2 Power Japanese scope, mine I just used it for the picture.

Screwloose, any refinishing of a Japanese stock ruins the collector value. Unless its just a dog its best to just clean it with soap and water. On the sniper I did nothing to the stock except inlet it for the scope block. You can clean rust off the metal with brass wool and oil. Rub the metal the long way, do not shoe shine.

riceone.
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stock finish

Post by SCREWLOOSETC » Fri Sep 05, 2008 8:08 am

hi

what did u do with the stock to get it to look so good? My rifles look like they were done with a brush and dont have any shine. How did they look when issued? I like shinny.

Tom
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Thanks Riceone

Post by Niner » Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:25 am

Have a closer photo of the scope? How would you say it stacked up against the scopes used by the other waring parties 65 years ago?
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Post by riceone » Fri Sep 05, 2008 8:10 pm

Screwloose, I did absolutly noting to the stock. That is the way I got it. It seems to me your stock has been poorly refinished at some time. Go to my web site "riceone1.com" - none of those rifles have been messed with except where noted.

About the quality of the Japanese Sniper. In the book Shots Fired in Anger by Lt. Col. John George he has this to say about the 97 Sniper he tested extensively. Page 299:

My experience with this rifle was of no particlar consequence but it did provide me with another beef against old "Colonel Whoever-Was-Responsible." It drove home the fact that at the beginning of the war the Japs had a sniping rifle which was as good and maybe a little better than anything we issued in worth while quanities at a much later date." It is an excellent bolt action sniper for moderate range. riceone
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Japanese Scope

Post by riceone » Fri Sep 05, 2008 8:30 pm

Here are pictures of one of my scopes. This one is for a T99 Cut back. Notice the serial number of the scope starts with 99 and on the inside of the dovetail is the number 5004. This scope was mated at the factory to the rifle it was fitted to - 5004 is the serial number of the rifle it goes with. Unfortunatley very, very few rifles and scope are together not. My rifle has a different serial number. Scope cases are hard to find. riceone

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/ ... C04321.jpg[/pic]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/ ... C04322.jpg[/pic]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/ ... C04323.jpg[/pic]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/ ... C04324.jpg[/pic]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/ ... C04325.jpg[/pic]
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Thanks

Post by Niner » Fri Sep 05, 2008 9:57 pm

Excellent photos. Don't think I've ever seen any photos of Japanese sniper scopes on the internet before. I know I never looked at a picture of one with any detail before. Looks like what focus adjustment it has is around the optic tube and not a knob on the side and top.
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Adjustments

Post by riceone » Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:38 am

There is no fucus or sight adjustment. The knurled ring is for holding the rubber eye peice. They were set at the factory and zeroed to the idividual rifle. If you could see the incriments on the cross hair and the up and down you would see how the soldier shooting the rifle used the cross hairs as his adjustment. Maybe I can find a picture or take one and post.

riceone
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Japanese scope

Post by PeterN2 » Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:56 am

That looks like a very nice job to me, well done. I have only ever seen one Japanese sniper rifle in the UK and that was a 6.5mm Type 97. I made an offer on a scope that was advertised once, but was outbid.

Regards

Peter.
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