Arisaka Type 38 and Type 99: Imperial Japanese Army Rifles of World War II

During World War II, the US was the first country to adopt a semi-automatic battle rifle as the standard weapon for its armed forces, under the guise of the M1 Garandwhich General Patton praised as “the largest combat tool ever devised.” However, other Allied countries and Axis powers were content with the use of bolt-action rifles throughout the conflict: Britain with the .303 Lee Enfield; Italy with the Carcano M1891; the Soviet Union with Mosin Nagant; Nazi Germany with the Mauser carabiner 98k (often incorrectly called a K98); and Imperial Japan with the Arisaka. Actually, Japan had two Arisaka rifles in use during World War II, the Type 38 and the better known Type 99.

Arisaka Type 38 History and Specifications

The Type 38 is the older of the two, developed in 1905 by the colonel of the same name (This is the case/Rikugun-Taisa) Nariakira Arisaka (1852 – 1915), who would eventually reach the rank of lieutenant general (This is the case/Rikugun-Chūjō). It was suitable for the 6.5x50mmSR Arisaka round, which had a muzzle velocity of 2,500 feet per second and a muzzle energy of 1,966 foot-pounds (2,666 Joules).

In a Article from August 2019 for Military Factory, author J.R. Potts notes that the Type 38 was highly accurate and very reliable, even under the extremely harsh conditions of the jungles of Southeast Asia and the tropical climate of the Pacific Theater. However, there were also some significant disadvantages:

“The Type 38 rifle was a ‘long gun’ and optimized for use Type 30 infantry bayonet placed on the barrel. In total, the rifle was four feet long and was one of the longest weapons still in use at the time of World War II.

“The extra 50 centimeters gained by the installed bayonet gave the Japanese soldier definitive range against a target when close combat ensued. However, the average Japanese infantryman was still only about six feet tall and so there would be inherent difficulties in handling such a long weapon. The small stature of the Japanese soldier also required a relatively small caliber with less powder charge to limit recoil when the weapon was fired from the shoulder.

Despite these shortcomings, more than 3.4 million Type 38 rifles were produced, and they were only partially replaced by the next weapon on this list when World War II occurred. Additional dimensions include a barrel length of 31.4 inches and a weight of 9 pounds (4 ounces).

Arisaka Type 99 History and Specifications

In a December 2014 article for Warfare History Network entitled “The Arisaka Rifle: Weapons for the Imperial Japanese Army’s Way of War”, says Jon Diamond, “It was also noticed during the conflict with China that the Type 38 rifle and its 6.5mm ammunition were no longer sufficient. Combat experience on the Asian mainland in the 1930s dictated the need for a higher caliber infantry rifle.

Hence the arrival of the Type 99 in 1938, suitable for the 7.7x58mm Arisaka round, which, using the 182-grain Type 97 “regular” cartridge, generated a muzzle velocity of 2,400 fps and a muzzle energy of 2,319 ft-lbs. (3,144 Joules), which equates to an 18 percent increase in the impact energy on the target, as well as an 18 percent increase in the size of the hole punched in that target.

In addition, the dimensions of the Type 99 were made more ergonomically friendly to the smaller Japanese forces; an overall length of 3 feet 8 inches, a barrel length of 25.9 inches and a weight of 8.4 pounds. The trade-off was greater recoil, of course, but the Imperial Japanese Army’s brass saw that as a worthwhile sacrifice in light of the gains in stopping power and portability. The newer rifle retained the 5-round capacity of its predecessor, as well as the Type 30 bayonet (“juken‘) and was just as accurate and reliable.

Nevertheless, Japanese soldiers found themselves at a distinct disadvantage when taking on American GIs with the aforementioned M1 Garands that had the advantages of an 8-round magazine and a significantly higher rate of fire thanks to the semi-automatic feature.

Approximately 3.5 million Type 99 Arisaka rifles were produced.

Do you want your own?

According to True Gun Value, an ARISAKA TYPE 99 rifle is currently worth an average price of $611.60 new and $576.82 used. The 12-month average price is $575.84 new and $420.42 used,” while “AN ARISAKA TYPE 38 rifle is currently worth an average price of $436.33 new. and $426.59 used. The 12-month average price is $446.73 new and $431.10 used.” Guns.Com recently sold a Type 38 for $399.99, and that same website currently lists four Type 99s, for $675.99, $700.99, $775.99 and $1,095.99. In the meantime, Weapons International has a full page of both rifle types for sale, with the Type 99 starting at $325.00 and the Type 38 starting at $479.99.

Christian D. Orr has 33 years of shooting experience, starting at the tender age of 14. His marksmanship achievements include: the single-device Air Force Small Arms Ribbon (for M16A2 rifle and M9 pistol); Reviews from gun experts from U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP), Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP); multiple medals and trophies through the Glock Sports Shooting Foundation (GSSF) and the Police and fire games in Nevada (NPAF). Chris has been an NRA Certified Basic Pistol Instructor since 2011.