308SAIGA 55 Posted August 30, 2016 Report Share Posted August 30, 2016 I am currently working in a community working on the houses and a gentleman showed me this (pics below), he says it is a German K98 but the markings do not support it. Can anyone shed some light on the markings and what this is? TY Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gaddis 1,689 Posted August 30, 2016 Report Share Posted August 30, 2016 Are you sure that's not a Japanese Arisaka? (or however it's spelled?). Looks like the chrysanthemum is even removed on it (like was agreed to by General Patton to appease the Japanese after WWII). It's a hella strong (as in good quality) action, BTW! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChileRelleno 7,071 Posted August 30, 2016 Report Share Posted August 30, 2016 Arisaka is correct. Find one with the 'Mum' intact and in that gun's condition, and you've one worth money. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
james lambert 3,059 Posted August 30, 2016 Report Share Posted August 30, 2016 Not many escaped the grinder Quote Link to post Share on other sites
308SAIGA 55 Posted August 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 Thanks this is what I needed, he is asking $350 is that a fair price? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChileRelleno 7,071 Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 (edited) Heck no, you can almost buy one with a Mum on it for that. Case in point, there is one auction about to end on Gunjoker for one with a Mum, minimum bid $399. and no bids on it. The bayonet offers a little more value, what is the overall condition, pitting/rust, hows the bore, are all #s matching? Does it have all it's wood hand guards? From the pics you show it's condition looks Very Good, so is it All Matching? I wouldn't go over $275-300. without the Mum. I would recommend buying one with a Mum if you want it for collection and want it to hold or increase in value. Edited August 31, 2016 by ChileRelleno Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,931 Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 They beat me to it. That safety knob is very distinctive. It's missing the dust cover too, which is common of the cruder mid war ones. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigChongus 765 Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 I used to have one with the 'mum on it. Ended up trading it for a Mauser. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
308SAIGA 55 Posted August 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 (edited) Some rust on the receiver, not much pitting but some, he says he shoots it and is accurate, The thing is he said it was German and just by looking at the markings I knew it was not but I had to get info on it. Not interested in it anymore, thanks again guys as usual you guys are very helpful.... Thanks ETA: As far as serial matching, all I saw was the number on the receiver... Edited August 31, 2016 by 308saiga Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sim_Player 1,939 Posted September 4, 2016 Report Share Posted September 4, 2016 (edited) It is a classic rifle. Small soldiers that needed a rifle that fired a smaller round.. It was a deadly round. I would offer him $300, just to add it to my safe. It doesn't sound like most people even care about this piece of history. It reminds me of how the Saigas were treated 15 years ago. Gun snobs suck. The flower stamping was shallow enough to remove and still use the rifle? Hmm. So much for honor. Just thinking. I'll bet it's a great rifle. Edited September 4, 2016 by Sim_Player Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,931 Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 The chrysanthemum was an acceptance mark that indicated it was personal property of the emperor. When they surrendered guns, sold them, or otherwise took them out of official inventory, they would remove the mark, or hit it with a chisel to show that it was no longer emperor's property. When a GI took a gun from someone directly, the mark would be intact. Most people would rather have a gun in clean condition without obliterated markings. IMO, the obliteration is history too. I would mostly want an earlier war gun with the dust cover, and fancy sights. They are all cool history, and by all accounts a very fine gun. The flower stamping was shallow enough to remove and still use the rifle? I just watced a really good explanation of the development from C&Rsenal. These guns were a conglomeration of most of the best ideas of the times. A lot of the features that rifles like the k98, and competing rifles were built around were basically extra strength and failsafes because of this new fangled high pressure ammo. mausers, SmLe, and the other major designs had gas vents and so forth. The arisakas (designed by Nambu) went a few layers further with this. They simplified the parts count and made it so that even gas going down the firing pin channel would be redirected by the safety knob. The point is, that these were smooth, way over built, but simple, and that the dust cover you grew up hearing was a bad idea was actually a really good idea. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
macbeau 902 Posted September 15, 2016 Report Share Posted September 15, 2016 Are you sure that's not a Japanese Arisaka? (or however it's spelled?). Looks like the chrysanthemum is even removed on it (like was agreed to by General Patton to appease the Japanese after WWII). It's a hella strong (as in good quality) action, BTW! Ummmmm? I believe you meant General Douglas MacArthur. He was wayyyy to chummy with the Japanese after the surrender. Macbeau... 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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