Confuddling T99

[Jan'42]

Bought a bringback T99 recently - late straight quillon bayont included (with some fantastic battle dinging on the scabbard edges). The rifle itself is a bit confusing.

It's a Nagoya. The serial is 78637. The series mark is unlike any marking I can find - it is NOT even the Ro marking found on some. It is simply like a half-struck O with a line coming out from the right side of the semi-circle,making it look like a 3, or a very poorly sruck 9 (with the left loop absent). I cannot find what this means, so if anyone can help it will be appreciated. I will photograph it tomorrow.

Sadly, a BAD mum-remove - COMPLETELY, and has 3 distinct filed edges.

Salient features are:

NON anti-aircraft sight

Nosecap with the 2 long bolts, as it uses a short screw in rod

Typicall rough stamped finish on the nosecap and triggerguard

Welded (REALLY rough) safety

NEVER had a dust cover fitted that I can see - I fitted a spare original dustcover I had, and it REALLY didn't want to move, let alone close properly! Could be old dried grease and crud, but I feel it never had one in the field.

Stock is nice, with no rough chatter, and it's original urushi finish. Wood seems mostly maple (or whatever the nice Japanese wood is), with the bottom butt splice in beech - NO separation at all.

Mid band non-monopod, not even the bottom bracket for it - just a plain welded band. Full swivels butt and mid band.

Bore is immaculate, nice chrome.

One issue is the original rod has broken off in the stock, leaving the threaded section screwed into the round ferrule. I cannot conceive how to remove it to fit my spare original short rod, and am open to suggestions - a friend suggested hitting it with a thin welding rod and unscrewing, but I am concerned about burning the stock of course! I could buy a repro short rod and cut it and glue it in there with some wood glue just for show, or just leave the whole thing as a testament to a bringback - opinions??? There is NO way that cylindrical ferrule is coming out with the threaded section still in it.

A lovely piece of Australian WW2 heritage. Shame on the Mum and the broken rod, but that I guess is part of it's history.

[psteinmayer]

Based on your description of the features, I would guess it is a Series 9 or later. Have you removed the action from the stock and seen if you can access the cleaning rod from the receiver end? Also, if it's a true "Bring-Back", it's possible it could be a duffle-cut stock. Remove the rear band and see if the stock is cut beneath the band. If so, you can separate the stock there and just remove the rod. My series 31 Toyo Kogyo was a duffle-cut that I repaired!

Otherwise, congrats on what sounds like a nice find!

[Guamsst]

Sounds like Toyo Kogyo arsenal with a light struck arsenal mark to me. Are you sure it is Nagoya, not Kokura? Pic would be incredibly helpful. I am not aware of any series mark that would look like what you described if poorly struck but then again I have seen some really terrible series marks and double strikes.

[kar66]

It sounds like a series 6 to me. You don't say if the bolt was matching. However if it was they safety is incorrect. Some photos would help and a series 6 wouldn't have had a bolt cover.

[Jan'42]

No, it is Nagoya - the arsenal mark is well separated to the right from the serial. The "Series" mark, left of the serial number is the confounding marking.

I have separated the rifle into parts - not duffle cut. Remember, this is the SHORT rod - 5" long overall - that screws into a cylindrical ferrule in the same spot that the earlier series had the pressure plunger that retained the rod.The stock is not even deep drilled for the long rod - there is simply no way a long rod was ever even meant for the stock. The internal lightening slots ARE there, but that is it (and they are rough milled). The traditional 2 small screws that held the old style pressure plunger and the rear tang of the nosecap assembly are replaced with the cylindrical ferrule which has a ONE piece screw going through the rear of the nosecap tang - threaded one side only. So, I am thinking it's a bit later than a series 9.

[Jan'42]

Here it is.

Poorly struck 9, with no series? Ro marked? Poor strike 6th series?

[psteinmayer]

No mistaking it... that's a Nagoya! In my opinion, it's a poorly marked Series 10. Definitely NOT a 9, and by description of the rifle... far too late to be a 6, unless it's assembled from a bunch of parts. Do the numbers on the bolt, receiver, safety, etc. all match? If so, then it's not a 6.

[jangle]

Looks like a 6th to me.

[Guamsst]

Can we get a few pics of the complete rifle. including rear sling point?

9th series was produced at Izawa Jyuko so that is not even a possibility.

Lets go from one end to the other. If you can answer the questions you haven't already provided info for then we can probably nail it down for certain.

Front sight- guards or no?
Front band-2screw SERIES 5, NOT SERIES 7
short cleaning rod with round "button"- SERIES 5
Handguard-full length upper handguard or short handguard?
middle band- non monopod and welded SERIES 5
Rear sight-has mounts for AA sight or is ladder with no provision for wings?
Bolt-matching numbers including safety knob? handle is plumb shaped or cylindrical?
Small recoil lug-NOT SERIES 7
Receiver marked with Type99- NOT SERIES 7
Buttstock has 2 screw or one screw sling point?

It seems only logical that it must be a 6th series with a mismatched bolt. The safety knob should be grooved (very hard to find) and a lightly struck or angled strike as yours appears to be could look that way on a 6th series mark. 5th series wouldn't look like that and 7th-8th series are just too late and crude compared to your rifle.

[Guamsst]

In my opinion, it's a poorly marked Series 10. Definitely NOT a 9, and by description of the rifle... far too late to be a 6.

By 10th series you are well past a ladder sight and non duffel cut forestock. Late series 7 had welded front bands, no cleaning rod, wood buttplates....... basically everything after late series 7 is what most people consider last ditch.

Series 6 was still early enough to have a ladder style rear sight.