The Howa and Izawa series 9 have some cool varieties.

merrick

 

👍👍👍

 

Depends on how your interests align with all the variations…early all matching rifles are always nice but you could look for a series 24 with short clip in cleaning rod, series 7 with long rear sight ladder, series 24 with square recoil lug, stocks with nice chatter marks are always cool.

Happy Hunting!!

 

A Toyo Kogyo only no arsenal mark rifle is an extremely rare grail that could easily be missed but any of the 9th series variations are realistically something to come across and plenty collectable as is. Maybe look for a special navy Type 99? They are certainly not everyone's cup of tea but I personally think they are very cool and a standout piece if in good condition.

 

I consider the Navy 99’s a separate quest. I know where a few are but not available at this time.

 

Are the 37th series desireable?

 

yes but I feel like I see them everywhere. I swear I have seen at least 5 transact on gunbroker these past two weeks. A really nice one is definitely one to look for though.

 

Matching, complete and untouched stock for sure. Mum intact is an added bonus but either way with or without is fine by me. Both historically correct.

 

Why not try for the Japanese copy of the M1 Garand?

 

Oh I have seen one at a local show here in Palm Beach. Owner said it wasn’t for sale, but I believe he was fishing! At that time not too awful long ago we were talking $10-15k. Now you can double that. Since I just got back into the fold here, I am starting with 99s, 38s, takedowns. Exotics later if I live that long. I don’t want a room full of rifles, just the best rarist examples of each.

 

Browse around on @lthilsdorf's website, A Guide to the Japanese Type 99 Arisaka, you can see what's rare and some rare variations of standard stuff.

 

I had both the 27th Series rope hole and also the one with early inletted stock with late fittings in the past. Very desirable and rare rifles.

 

Here are really rare 27th Series.
Disclaimer: I borrowed these pictures from the internet.

 

Tarawa… sent a PM.

 

My first go around was almost strictly late war rifles and pistols. I had some very fine early rifles and some rare late war rifles. I prefer the late war rifles bit I am actually looking at a rifle now withall the early features. When my collection is complete It will only consist of maybe a Type 38 rifle and carbine, a Type 44, a late, transitional and early Type 99, All three take down rifles and a few pistols. Not really looking at snipers, naval and prototype guns at this time. Gun rooms full of rifles look impressive, just not for me now. Those days are gone. I am looking for some special bayonets though. Denki late war with the long rectangular guard is at the top of my list along with the holy grail Mukden (Hoten) last ditch with unfullered blade andstraight grip and pommel.

 

Go see postrock’s post on the 4 paratrooper versions. One of which, after 30 years of collecting these, I didn’t even know existed. Also, if you can go to the military SoS in Louisville there are usually a couple type 5’s you can ask about.

bring your wallet. So yeah, the rarest of the rare might not be the plan if you want to actually enjoy the hunt instead of just buying a collection.

-or-

a much more interesting plan and not cost you half of a retirement savings, may be to look at starting out by just collecting all things Nagoya. They run the gamut from super early to super late, snipers, carbines, long rifles, paratroopers. You can make a really cool collection out of just the Nagoya arsenal and still allow for some focus.

You’re about to go on a super fun journey that I personally started back up about 5 years ago after maybe that long off of collecting for a period of life that my kids kept me too busy to even think about. I did have half a lifetime of collection still when I started back up and it has made me think about targeting what excites me the most. My renewed interest was like yours ‘with a focus’. In true collector fashion I’m all over the place if there’s a good one available. But, I really have done a great job on focusing on the very latest of the late, super rough, super rare, super last ditch. And I LOVE them. They tell such a story. Also why I need an 02/45 in my life so bad…but it gives me something to search for.

ok, I may also have an unhealthy obsession with type 30 bayonets.

have fun!

 

Concentric Circle TJK?

 

Go see postrock’s post on the 4 paratrooper versions. One of which, after 30 years of collecting these, I didn’t even know existed. Also, if you can go to the military SoS in Louisville there are usually a couple type 5’s you can ask about.

bring your wallet. So yeah, the rarest of the rare might not be the plan if you want to actually enjoy the hunt instead of just buying a collection.

-or-

a much more interesting plan and not cost you half of a retirement savings, may be to look at starting out by just collecting all things Nagoya. They run the gamut from super early to super late, snipers, carbines, long rifles, paratroopers. You can make a really cool collection out of just the Nagoya arsenal and still allow for some focus.

You’re about to go on a super fun journey that I personally started back up about 5 years ago after maybe that long off of collecting for a period of life that my kids kept me too busy to even think about. I did have half a lifetime of collection still when I started back up and it has made me think about targeting what excites me the most. My renewed interest was like yours ‘with a focus’. In true collector fashion I’m all over the place if there’s a good one available. But, I really have done a great job on focusing on the very latest of the late, super rough, super rare, super last ditch. And I LOVE them. They tell such a story. Also why I need an 02/45 in my life so bad…but it gives me something to search for.

ok, I may also have an unhealthy obsession with type 30 bayonets.

Go see postrock’s post on the 4 paratrooper versions. One of which, after 30 years of collecting these, I didn’t even know existed. Also, if you can go to the military SoS in Louisville there are usually a couple type 5’s you can ask about.

bring your wallet. So yeah, the rarest of the rare might not be the plan if you want to actually enjoy the hunt instead of just buying a collection.

-or-

a much more interesting plan and not cost you half of a retirement savings, may be to look at starting out by just collecting all things Nagoya. They run the gamut from super early to super late, snipers, carbines, long rifles, paratroopers. You can make a really cool collection out of just the Nagoya arsenal and still allow for some focus.

You’re about to go on a super fun journey that I personally started back up about 5 years ago after maybe that long off of collecting for a period of life that my kids kept me too busy to even think about. I did have half a lifetime of collection still when I started back up and it has made me think about targeting what excites me the most. My renewed interest was like yours ‘with a focus’. In true collector fashion I’m all over the place if there’s a good one available. But, I really have done a great job on focusing on the very latest of the late, super rough, super rare, super last ditch. And I LOVE them. They tell such a story. Also why I need an 02/45 in my life so bad…but it gives me something to search for.

ok, I may also have an unhealthy obsession with type 30 bayonets.

have fun!

I have been having fun collecting for over 50 years. Collections came and collections went. I used to have the website japanesebayonets.net at a time when Ray LaBar, myself and some other heavy hitters were scouring ebay for the rare stuff. I let the website expire when Ray’s book was released. Then I sold all the bayonets in the collection. I believe Ray bought some of the rarer ones.
As for paratrooper rifles there may be even five. One of the Type 2 prototypes with the bail on the left side just sold a few months ago online No folding bayonet on this prototype. That’s‘ the first one I have ever seen. The Type 2 prototype with folding bayonet is in Honeycutt’s book I believe. I am looking for a good Type 2 now to round out the paratrooper rifles. I doubt that the prototypes will be available for a while.
I will leave collecting Nagoya’s to A’dog. He has quite the head start on Nagoya’s. As I said one of each Type will be good, not each series or arsenal. One of each pistol starting with the easy ones, then the rarer ones, but rifles first unless a nice pistol falls in my lap.
I started collecting as a young guy when Don Harper was alive. I went to the showswith Doss White when he lived in Pittsburgh.

 

I have been having fun collecting for over 50 years. Collections came and collections went. I used to have the website japanesebayonets.net at a time when Ray LaBar, myself and some other heavy hitters were scouring ebay for the rare stuff. I let the website expire when Ray’s book was released. Then I sold all the bayonets in the collection. I believe Ray bought some of the rarer ones.
As for paratrooper rifles there may be even five. One of the Type 2 prototypes with the bail on the left side just sold a few months ago online No folding bayonet on this prototype. That’s‘ the first one I have ever seen. The Type 2 prototype with folding bayonet is in Honeycutt’s book I believe. I am looking for a good Type 2 now to round out the paratrooper rifles. I doubt that the prototypes will be available for a while.
I will leave collecting Nagoya’s to A’dog. He has quite the head start on Nagoya’s. As I said one of each Type will be good, not each series or arsenal. One of each pistol starting with the easy ones, then the rarer ones, but rifles first unless a nice pistol falls in my lap.
I started collecting as a young guy when Don Harper was alive. I went to the showswith Doss White when he lived in Pittsburgh.

im going to bet we’ve run into each other more than once over the years then!

Ok, so given that background here's my thought. If you just want one example of a hyper rare and cool T99, your choice should be a late no series, no serial number rifle. I'm sure someone will update my numbers here, which would be great because then I can update my spreadsheet. But I am only aware of documented reports of maybe 4-5 known late Jinsen SLD, ~2-3 late Kokura, a couple nagoya, maybe 7 TJK with 27th series features, Maybe 20 Toyo Kogyo? So, let's say 40 known rifles and they are Type 99's. It's enough that they aren't one off's but, still will provide a challenge and a really special piece. Also something most collectors don't even realize exists so a great presentation/display piece.

There's your target. Go get 'em tiger!



////


Decided to add some additonal options. Late Jinsen T99 "carbine" length series 40. ~400 produced maybe?

Manchurian emergency use. Maybe 700 produced?

12th series Nagoya? I'm going to round up to 1,000 produced as an accepted number but really, who's seen more than one or two ever? Hmm, this makes me want to dig through the old Banzai's and find out. I've always wondered if most of them ended up at the bottom of Tokyo bay.
*added. Ok, went and grabbed my second printing of the T99 special project. SN 403 and 898 known as of 2007. Not sure what may have surfaced since then without doing further research. So, maybe not a realistic option.

The various concentric circle rifles fall in next with anywhere from 600-1500 per arsenal series.

My beloved Kogyo only also in this range with maybe 1,300-1450 produced? I don't know what the high known SN is any more. Mine is SN 755, so...at least that many?

Then we get to the Mukden series 45, but at a whopping say, ~3,000 produced, we're talking common as dirt now, right? Meh.

I'd add in a ropehole, also one of my favorite variations but it's hard to put a hard number on production. Besides, I've got 3 of them here, so they must be common. I know I'm not that lucky

If you want to collect a series of rifles, the Naval Special's would be cool Yeah, maybe what 12k produced, but the early ones have runs from various sub-contractors and you could look for multiple contractors rifles. At bare minimum, you have the early SN range, late range and carbine. That's if you want a series of 99's. Would be a wicked cool display table.

Any of the above are grail guns, but I'll still say go big or go home and go get a no series, no SN rifle!

Thanks for coming to my Ted talk.

;-)

 

What about a Long Type 99 with all original features and mum? Seems like a vast majority of them are defaced or missing their accessories. That would also be flashier to people not intimately familiar with Type 99s.

 

I rarely see one, but occasionally one surfaces.