Offered here is a Japanese Type 38 Arisaka service rifle chambered in 6.5×50mmSR Arisaka, manufactured by the Tokyo Artillery Arsenal. Officially adopted in 1905, the Type 38 became one of the Imperial Japanese Army's principal service rifles and earned a reputation for its robust construction, excellent reliability, and refined machining.
The receiver retains its original Imperial Chrysanthemum, with the typical surrounding punch marks commonly encountered on Canadian-imported examples. The Chrysanthemum itself remains clearly visible and was not ground away.
One of the rifle's greatest strengths is its exceptionally complete military configuration. It retains a genuine period dust cover, the original cleaning rod, and its original military sights and hardware. These components were frequently removed or lost during military service, making complete examples increasingly difficult to find today.
Another particularly desirable feature is the early-pattern finely checkered safety knob. Distinguished by its finer machining and more elaborate checkering, this early style is characteristic of pre-war Tokyo Arsenal production and is considerably more sought after by collectors than the later simplified variant.
The bolt assembly is numbered but does not match the receiver, a condition commonly encountered on military service rifles after decades of service and arsenal maintenance.
The original military stock remains structurally sound and has not been heavily refinished. The buttstock displays scattered dents, scratches, and handling marks accumulated through military service and long-term storage, while the remainder of the wood remains well preserved with an attractive, honest military appearance.
The metal finish is well preserved with natural service wear consistent with its age. The bore remains bright with visible, well-defined rifling and compares favorably with many surviving Type 38 rifles currently encountered on the Canadian collector market.
Overall, this is a highly attractive early Tokyo Arsenal Type 38 Arisaka retaining many of the features collectors actively seek, including its Imperial Chrysanthemum, original dust cover, original cleaning rod, and early finely checkered safety knob. Although the bolt is not matching, the rifle's completeness, early production characteristics, and overall preservation make it an excellent addition to any collection of Imperial Japanese military firearms.
