Arisakas have been on my radar lately, so I was giddy to find this little gem in a pawn shop, snuggled up next to some sporterized Mosins in a spinning rack. Type 99, 21 series from the Kokura arsenal. All accoutremonts like bipod and antiaircraft sights are gone, the flower is wiped. The bolt is matching and the bayonet lug is unnumbered, which seems to be an anomaly for this arsenal and series.
It's been so long since I've handled an Arisaka that I was pleasantly surprised with some of its forgotten quirks- the drain in the stock, the extended reinforcement behind the trigger guard, and the cool kanji inspections on the heel and grasping groove. I'd even forgotten that these guns are a cock on close design.
The signature orangey Arisaka shellac is what sold me on the gun, it's visually striking. It's been a blast delving into Arisaka trivia again. I have some 7.7 ammo en route, can't wait to see how the rifle performs on the line, hopefully this dog can hunt!