Japanese Type 99 Last Ditch

I picked this up from Gun Broker for only $175. It's a decent example of a Type 99 Last Ditch from the Kokura Arsenal, 25th series (if I'm interpreting the symbol correctly), and would be the 2,580,988 Type 99 rifle made there. My info comes from Japanese Rifles of World War II by Duncan O. McCollum.






The bolt doesn't match, but it does have the correct handle for a Last Ditch from Kokura.






Wooden butt plate:




Check out the threads sticking up:




Welded blob for a safety knob and the dust cover, which looks to be original. The serial number is XX6 (can't make out the first two numbers), and there is an arsenal mark on the left side that is a diamond inside a circle:




Serial number, arsenal mark, and you can just make out the series symbol on the left. It has two horizontal lines at the top, and one vertical line on the right, all inside a circle:




Here's an up close shot of the markings next to the arsenal mark. Any one know what they stand for?




A correct large recoil bolt for Last Ditch models. The sling is a repop that came with it:




Top view. Look at the larger gap between the wood and the right side of the receiver. Its looks to be from the dust cover chewing away at the stock when closing the bolt:




Full mum, but it is slightly oblong. Not sure how that happened. No 'Type 99' as is normal for the Last Ditch. You can see how the dust cover is eating away at the stock:




Crude rear sight and short hand guard:




Correct front band with a matching number on the bayonet lug, and the correct front sight with no guards:



Let me know what you think. Can anyone put a production date on it?

Very cool...congrats! I just finished putting together a Type 38 from the same arsenal and the difference in workmanship is amazing. No clue when mine was made but it was early enough that the makers weren't in the hurry/rush that they were when your Type 99 was built Haven't fired mine yet but I plan to within the next week or two.

Since that series ended around S/N 92000 in August (?) 1945, probably June/July 45, pure guess.

Interesting fact: Kokura was the primary target for the 2nd atomic bomb, but was obscured by cloud/smoke cover so Nagasaki took the hit.

Very cool! I've always wanted a last ditch.

The stock on it is amazingly good!

Wouldn't have been issued with a dust cover in that late a series. Check to see if the cover is original by looking for an assembly number on the end of the cover near the bolt handle. Originals can fetch $50-75 which would make your out-of-pocket cost dirt cheap if you removed and sold it separately. Or put it in the spares bin for when you find an earlier series T99 that would have been issued with a DC (I got a couple of these in the same fashion).
Not sure what's going on with the rear tang screw. Shouldn't be protruding that much. Even if the stock was severely sanded that wouldn't happen as the upper and lower tangs sit on an inletted "shelf" which sanding wouldn't normally touch. Hmmm.
I have a fair number of "last ditch" T99s and think they're highly undervalued. Perhaps with time that will change as it has for late production Nambu pistols.

The lower handguard looks to be very much inset into the stock (2nd pic), maybe not by 3/8" but close.
The stock here looks sanded and finished to me based on the pics.
For the price it can't be beat though.

My 35th series last-ditch has the grooves cut for the dust cover and the inlet on the right side of stock for clearance, but no evidence it was ever installed (wear marks).
That's my story and I'm sticking to it

I agree these are under-valued (like the T-94 pistol) and very interesting IMHO.

Nice buy! I also love the late war guns, some of my favorites to collect. As Mawkie mentioned the gun being this late wouldn't have been issued with the dust cover, I would remove it to prevent further chewing of the stock. Also agree with somd_mustangs on the stock sanding unfortunately.

The marks next to the Kokura symbol are Arsenal inspection/assembly markings, I'm out of town now but when home I can look in my books to give you more info on them.

Very nice, very cool rifle. Thanks for sharing all the great photos.

The nails holding the buttplate- they look like 8 penny sinkers to me. Would the originals have that cross hatching?

Threeband said:

Very nice, very cool rifle. Thanks for sharing all the great photos.

The nails holding the buttplate- they look like 8 penny sinkers to me. Would the originals have that cross hatching?

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I've seen several styles, including cross hatch. Seems to be one of the parts that varied depending on not only the Arsenal but what was available/on hand at the time.

6pack all you need now is a nice "last ditch" bayonet variation with a wooden scabbard to complete it!

somd_mustangs said:

Since that series ended around S/N 92000 in August (?) 1945, probably June/July 45, pure guess.

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Cool. Closer than I could have guessed.

somd_mustangs said:

The lower handguard looks to be very much inset into the stock (2nd pic), maybe not by 3/8" but close.

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I noticed that as soon as I picked it up. Your fingers grab right into it.

mawkie said:

Wouldn't have been issued with a dust cover in that late a series. Check to see if the cover is original by looking for an assembly number on the end of the cover near the bolt handle.

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It is pretty pitted there. The only thing I can make out is the one number and the diamond symbol. I thought the symbol was the arsenal mark. What do you think?

KH195 said:

The marks next to the Kokura symbol are Arsenal inspection/assembly markings, I'm out of town now but when home I can look in my books to give you more info on them.

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Thanks!

Threeband said:

Very nice, very cool rifle. Thanks for sharing all the great photos.

The nails holding the buttplate- they look like 8 penny sinkers to me. Would the originals have that cross hatching?

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You're welcome! No idea on those nails.

KH195 said:

6pack all you need now is a nice "last ditch" bayonet variation with a wooden scabbard to complete it!

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I will need to keep my eyes open for that.


A Last Ditch wasn't at the top of my list, but for the price I couldn't pass it up.

I didn't think about the dust cover not being issued with it, but you're probably right. My Type 44 doesn't have one, so maybe I'll swap it to there.

Here is my 25th series, a little earlier than yours with the wrist chatter and the screw sticking up.

Cool, so most likely the way they left Kokura.

Dust covers for T38s and T99s are different. The T44 would use the same DC as the T38. Easy way to ID a T38 cover is by the interior which has a riveted "lug". T99 cover is simple in construction, being nothing but a simple single stamped piece of sheet metal. I have found both types mixed and matched over the years as dimensions are the same.
Your DC is certainly original as I can make out some of the SN which is absent on all the repops I've ever examined.
I'm going to have to take a look at my late series T99s for the long tang screw. Have about 8-10 of them so if it's prevalent it should show up in at least one of them.

6pack said:

Cool, so most likely the way they left Kokura.

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It doesn't show up well in the pic but the mum on my is slightly oblong too.