A Father's day exchange!

[Guest Hemo]

So my family celebrates birthdays on holidays because that's when it's easiest to get everyone together. Last week was my grandfather's 90th and he is 78%(random nyumber but he doesnt remember many people aside from his daughters) consumed by Alzheimer's so we went to his house to make things easier on him. He was in WW2 with the 81st army division at Peleliu. After they got finished up on the islands he came home with a Arisaka type 38 cavalry carbine. As we were getting ready to leave one of those great summer storms rolled in so we all sat around watching some Hogan's Heroes with my grandfather waiting for it to pass, when my aunt came up to me and told me that the family was going to be clearing some of the stuff out of his pool room and that it was ok for me to go put the rifle and bayonet in my car.

Sadly I was one of the first people to slip his mind when he started showing signs of the disease. I never was old enough (or not #@%$# head kid enough) to really talk to him about his time in the war, but his rifle he brought back sure has a lot of old wounds. You can see where the stock was cracked and repaired. Granddad never would talk about the war much (his children were 3 daughters that he was very protective of) but from stories from one of his friends that wound up managing a couple of his buisnesses, that crack could have been from last ditch efforts (ala club style.)

Well when we got back to my parent's place to do our fathers day...I proudly walked in with a Marlin 1895 guide gun for my dad that I had been working over for a few months waiting for Father's day weekend. When he looked at me and said," you know I love that you have bought me so many guns (my gift of choice I guess lol) but I'm going to give you a few of mine because I have a few ordered and I need to make room untill I get another safe brought in." I really didn't know what to expect.

He came back with his arms full. I got a old Santa Fe Enfield mk.1 that had been sporterized by Golden State Arms, which isn't special all by it's self, but it was the gun my dad shot his first deer with when he was 14! Plus another Enfield, and a unfired, still in cosmoline Norinco SKS.

They cleaned up wonderfully. Suprisingly the Arisaka's bore looks brand new after about 60 patches went down her throat. I have a trip planned to take the Arisaka and the Mk.1 to a smith for a "better than I have the space, tools, etc" cleaning and inspection. I would love to take the Arisaka out to the range, but I want a smith to tell me that 0 harm will be done to it. Side note to that, I'm getting into reloading as my father gave me his reloading gear that he had just for those .303s. So I should be able to get some mild loads for the Arisaka sometime down the road.

I just thought I would share. I built myself a custom .223 bolt gun not long ago, and for some reason that firearm just doesn't seem to keep me grinning like these that have so much history!

Edit: I'm having a hard time finding dies for the 6.5 Jap Arisaka through the common vendors. If anyone reloads it or just has any leads/info it would be appreciated.

Edited June 27, 2009 by Hemo

[Garufa]

That's a great story. If you get the chance pay another visit to grandfather and maybe he'll tell some tales.

If you can find the ammo, just go shoot the Arisaka. Same goes for the Enfield(s). Assuming they've been sitting around for years, a gunsmith "check-up" really isn't necessary. Those old bolt guns are extremely strong.

[Guest Hemo]

They have been sitting around, and I'm not worried about the Enfield really, but if I opened the Arisaka's old stock wounds I would never forgive myself. I'm sure if it did I could just rebond it with something similiar to what it has, but then it wouldn't be in the condition it was given to me in.

[Patrick Henry]

You can find some interesting info on the Arisaka on line. If I remember correctly the Arisaka came in 2 calibers and Norma still makes ammo for them. Cabellas may still sell it.

[Garufa]

Show some pictures if you can. Does the Arisaka have the 'mum on top of the chamber?

[Mike.357]

Here are a couple of links for ammo for the Jap rifle. I am sure you can find more if you look.

great piece of history you have.

Ammunition To Go : 20rds - 6.5 Jap DRS 140gr. Soft Point Ammo - $20.95

6.5 JAPANESE 50rds FMJ Reloads - $50.00 : Buymilsurp.com, Your source for military surplus.

[56FordGuy]

Great story, there's a lot of history there. Congratulations.

Like everyone else, I want to see some pictures.

[Guest Hemo]

Norma does make ammo for it, but it sure isn't cheap lol! I can get some pictures up here, Im planning on going out and grabbing a new camera. The one I have now has some stupid sony proprietary battery and charger that was lost in the move to where we live now and I'm not paying half the cost of the camera for a new battery and charger.

The mum was ground off. Which does conflict the stories the family was told by my grandfather's friend, but it wouldn't be the first 2nd/3rd party war story to transform into a fish tale. Elaborate story or not, special to me! Besides anyone that was there saw hell on earth, just like anyone involved in the European campaign. I'm sure it would tell plenty if it could talk. That's what makes them amazing!

[Guest Hemo]

And thanks for the ammo links, that sure beats the midway Norma prices. No idea why Ammo to go never even popped into my head.

Edited June 27, 2009 by Hemo
I can't type

[Guest tnmale46]

awesome

[Guest big silver]

Is these the dies you are looking for? Redding Reloading Die Set 6.5x50 Japanese I have bought a lot of stuff from these guys, great people to deal with.

[Guest Hemo]

Ok some links...No making fun of my crappy camera skills, turns out the GF had no intentions of me clearing off the table to take gun photos. So this is what I could pull off before running out the door.

-Ok, the 1914 no.1 Mk. III Golden State sporter

1) http://a05-b05.mypicturetown.com:80/P2PwebCmdController/cache/JBcB6ZJuJP0U9l.t4Zg*hp*e*22_z0I*Hsy1h%259kWX1IDK2%268vc6xPau3TIqK0d/item.JPG?rot=1

2) http://a05-b05.mypicturetown.com:80/P2PwebCmdController/cache/uOc7DOhOjhp7YpU1Aeuo*Q1VXhOLlS2.wuRYuaric2*k2xBu5peiu1%25%3DdDMjAp1/item.JPG?rot=6

-The "1944" Golden State "Jungle Carbine" Not much to go by other than the barrel markings. I just know the Magazine for the no.1 won't fit.

1) http://a05-b05.mypicturetown.com:80/P2PwebCmdController/cache/7OchCr%252rH8qNbCHdogKhT_3WX0iBIsffmi-3dH0yw_kyyvwPOSp.ZrGdfMZ%26JZ/item.JPG?rot=1

2) http://a05-b05.mypicturetown.com:80/P2PwebCmdController/cache/hWUp9Yu.kTQvM7Plu7%26JMoYe6iKEMDe%25i4FKjX5mJe2k3uKw*tFO_czrYy7Zam*/item.JPG?rot=1

- Arisaka

1) http://a05-b05.mypicturetown.com:80/P2PwebCmdController/cache/n%3DWIFQM-Out%3DvPyrCygdBnDNSdUY8.7o1Kg4TldM2aGzPknWPgAQ8lgvsHqo%3Dga/item.JPG?rot=1

2) http://a05-b05.mypicturetown.com:80/P2PwebCmdController/cache/IO33oO3UC7iX7GUZt1HoCPsalynhr.1g4xb4.-*Yxjlm%3DVyyxP98uPviY_1dLO./item.JPG?rot=1

3) http://a05-b05.mypicturetown.com:80/P2PwebCmdController/cache/R1EjSDm*U8tJ.LPBk_L1eK6be5Kkqio%3DAAZ9a%3DLeIgIMX%25TpMyze0VynK7iycDv/item.JPG?rot=1

4) http://a05-b05.mypicturetown.com:80/P2PwebCmdController/cache/Q-hMjZ%3DMXKcahQVAisxTl-yzBYCFSlQavtnskXt8%26iRQe%26Uh*_jATG0aX.75mnj/item.JPG?rot=1

5) http://a05-b05.mypicturetown.com:80/P2PwebCmdController/cache/5%3DSKjMJ3%3DtBCUZ7PRshpEK7T5A5jtcV.%256sWUyTo4FhC6c410nKD*Irg.GAp-7R/item.JPG?rot=1

6) http://a05-b05.mypicturetown.com:80/P2PwebCmdController/cache/%3D%255YGpcUToMj%25.%26sE*9VxW%3DkRQiI7JTyCqqCB%26ofeQqkM8OvqLFikK8QFCnmQoe/item.JPG?rot=1

-SKS

1) http://a05-b05.mypicturetown.com:80/P2PwebCmdController/cache/9Uh-ySXFb0gzufvIrzODQIw2pO%26PhHjnP%3D%25fthaguiVvt9p%3DreaxecRHz1KeiW0/item.JPG?rot=1

2) http://a05-b05.mypicturetown.com:80/P2PwebCmdController/cache/oi*I5oXiyU0P4FT.kTPu%26aj2eukVA4eVfSZ8eFXm3a75wwAMuikESLdTa%3D.vCHE/item.JPG?rot=1

3) http://a05-b05.mypicturetown.com:80/P2PwebCmdController/cache/MfY8ixL%264cD%25DZHmNjM0FgDpK5X9.5uHMSOjz%26tBE.rU%26bGWGq3POKy%26UH94myO/item.JPG?rot=1

[Guest Bluemax]

Good story...gave me misty eyes..lost my Pap in 04, last thing I bought him was a Henry Goldenboy

[Guest tlondon]

great story!!! Treasure these items. I have items from family that are not "worth" much but are priceless to me. You have a great piece of history with the Arisaka