[Ronin48]

The 99 cutback scopes were the only ones to have "99 No 12345" or were the Kokura 2.5x units also marked. It's been too long since I broke up my sniper collection. Ruth's putting labels on photographs so a quickie response would be appreciated.

 

[Vicasoto]

Hello Ronin :

Two and a half power Type 99 scopes were manufactured by 3 makers: a) Nippon Typewriter ( 2000 units ), b) Tomioka Kogaku ( 1500 units ), c) Tokyo Shibaura Denki ( 2000 units ) . So all told 5500 Type 99 2 1/2 power scopes may have been manufactured.
So a correct 99 2.5X scope will be marked on top of the tube :
" 2.5 X 10° "
the Trade Mark logo
" 99 No. xxxx "

So it is misleading for you to say "99 No 12345" as only from one to four digits is the known scope production serial numbers from 1 to 5500 .
Any known 99 2.5X scope could have been used to pair with Kokura and Nagoya 99s in the following manner :
1) All Kokura 99 issued scopes will have the rifle serial engraved on the outside of the scope mount above the locking lever. ( 1 to 999 ) .
2) All Nagoya 99 ( cutback ) issued scopes will have the rifle serial number engraved on the backside of the scope mount on the locking block ( 5000 to 7300 ) .

You should only refer to Nagoya issued 99 scopes as ' cut-backs ', as only they were issued to Nagoya 99 rifles in the 5000 to 7300 serial number range. All other 99 2.5X scopes were either issued to Kokura 99s 1 to 999, and the rest are just unissued scopes.

Just wanted to clarify the above, far too many collectors don't know those subtle differences, by their issue numbers Kokura 99 marked scopes are the scarcest to find ( 999 ), Nagoya 99 marked scopes are the second rarest ( 2300 ). That should be reflected in the pricing values.
Vicasoto

 

[Ronin48]

Got it, Thanks Vic, now, on 99 sniper receivers with an extra character crudely stamped between the "Type 99 and the opening, I remember writing something about this, but "disremember, " By chance were these Kokura 99s that were "transferred" to Nagoya or...?

 

[Vicasoto]

Ronin :

Only thing I have been able to note for a certainty is that Kokura manufactured the snipers in two batches of 500 rifles. In the 1 to 500 most show signs of having had the rifle maker Logo and serial number on the left side of the receiver in front of the base at one time, it was polished off during the rebuild or recall and then the Logo and serial number were restamped on top of the receiver bridge ( the new accepted 99 serial number location ? ). A few of these 'early' rifles have the "Dai" marking that you are talking about.
The second batch of Kokura 99s are from 500 to 999 , these do not have any old markings, but are stamped on the bridge just like all the other 10000 snipers by Nagoya. It is this second batch of 500 that have the "Dai" character stamped / engraved on top of the receiver below the type 99 characters .
In correspondence with Takehito Jimbo, the "Dai" character is associated with the word substitute, but what exactly that entails is unknown . Without any factory documentation it is hard to say what was done during the short history of Kokura 99 sniper production.
Vicasoto

 

[Ronin48]

Yes, I had theorized years ago when I first noted the removal and restamping of the original SNs on the Kokura 99 snipers and the adding of the character below the Shiki 99 that when Nagoya began 99 sniper production the Kokura 99 sniper stock was transferred to Nagoya and it was there the SNs/logos were moved from forward of the mount to the receiver top. I finally located this in an old article I wrote for B'zai.

You misunderstood my first question, when I noted "99No12345," I wasn't talking about a scope # or #s produced, the 12345 was merely an approximation of a number. I didn't remember if all 2.5 power scopes for both the Kokura and cutback 99 had the 99N0... or just the cutbacks. Excluding the Biak 97 I haven't owned one in years (excluding the midget submarine Type 99 carbine sniper and the Type 4 paratroop carbine sniper with the 4x ext.adj. scope)

 

[Riceone]

About three years ago you sold me ser. no. 106

 

[NMCB62]

Ronin :

Only thing I have been able to note for a certainty is that Kokura manufactured the snipers in two batches of 500 rifles. In the 1 to 500 most show signs of having had the rifle maker Logo and serial number on the left side of the receiver in front of the base at one time, it was polished off during the rebuild or recall and then the Logo and serial number were restamped on top of the receiver bridge ( the new accepted 99 serial number location ? ). A few of these 'early' rifles have the "Dai" marking that you are talking about.
The second batch of Kokura 99s are from 500 to 999 , these do not have any old markings, but are stamped on the bridge just like all the other 10000 snipers by Nagoya. It is this second batch of 500 that have the "Dai" character stamped / engraved on top of the receiver below the type 99 characters .
In correspondence with Takehito Jimbo, the "Dai" character is associated with the word substitute, but what exactly that entails is unknown . Without any factory documentation it is hard to say what was done during the short history of Kokura 99 sniper production.
Vicasoto

Is this the "Dai" mark you're talking about?

 

[Vicasoto]

Howdy El Roningo :

Yes the theories of Team Arisaka were formulated over the years by some imaginative and erudite people around the mid 1990s in various Banzai articles. We have not found any proof that Nagoya Arsenal was the one that reconditioned the first batch of Kokura 99s and relocated the logo / serial number to the receiver bridge or stamped / engraved the "Dai" markings on the second 500 rifle batch, nor that Nagoya wound up with the left over parts and extra scopes ( 4500 ) . They were already involved with producing the 4 power rifle & scope system with transitional components, they had no need to mess with earlier parts. Most Nagoya rifles with 2 and early 3 digit serial numbers are made with 2 screw front bands and short screw in rods, they also exhibit a unique external assembly number on the rear side of the 4X base and on the left side of the receiver near the barrel line up mark, these numbers occur on the first 250 rifles or so. They were scrubbed off sometime afterwards and the area reblued on the receiver just above the wood line, the number at the rear of the base was left there as it is pretty well hidden.
Yes NMCB62 that is the "Dai" marking I was making reference about.
Vicasoto

 

[arisakadogs]

About three years ago you sold me ser. no. 106

Roy, he doesn't remember you or the rifle