[45Auto]

I found a 6.5 carbine with a five pointed star stamped on the chamber close to the reciever ring. The mum and the type designation markings were filed off the reciever a long time ago.

In the Japanese Rifle book, the above star marking is noted. The books states that these star markings were found on a bunch of rifles imported from the far east in the early 1960's. Although the batch of imported rifles are described as crude and in poor condition, this carbine looks good and has an acceptable bore. The bolt does not match.

Question 1: Does anyone have an update on the star marked rifles and carbines?


Next issue: The stock is refinished and stamped with a U.S. Govt. ordenance mark! This is the spread eagle with stars marking in a box. It's exactly like the mark found on M1 Garand rifle stocks from the early 1950's. The U.S. Ord. eagle is located on the left side of this Japanese carbine stock, in the same place as this marking is found on M1 rifle stocks.

Question 2: Am I correct in my assumption that the U.S. Ord. mark is fake? Any reason I should not remove it?

Thanks,
Greg

 

[Ronin48]

Star-marked carbine

Greg, Springfield Sporters had a number of these 38s back in the 70s mixed with other "odd" 38s, all I dug through were rifles. Believe MRoJ says some had a nail as a rear swivel and were painted blue? As I think about it, all I saw /purchased were standard 38 rifles, ground, with the star on the chamber, not on the receiver.

Even the "Rifle, U. S. Type 99, Japanese Cal. .30," the so-called "Korean conversion" which is a documented U. S. modification has no U.S. ordnance markings. It's my WAG that you are correct on the ordmance markings being a "red-neck arsenal" job. R 48

 

[03man]

Any chance for pictures of the markings?