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Winning Bid US $735 First bid $175 Quantity 1 # of bids 16 Time left Auction has ended   Started 2025-07-28 00:00:00 Ended 2025-11-21 22:35:25

Taiyuan/Shanxi Arsenal (China), Model: Six/Five Infantry Rifle (Type 38 copy), Cal: 6.5x50mmSR, MFG: 1933, S/N: 68199, Bolt action rifle, 31 1/2'' barrel.

HISTORY: This is a Chinese made copy of the Japanese Type 38. These are unique in they were the only copy of the Type 38 made outside of Japan. These were made in the Taiyuan arsenal, in the province of Shanxi. The arsenal would make a wide array of weapons, ammo, artillery pieces, & war material. According to the Military Museum in Beijing, these rifles were made in 1929-30, however other reports show that Maximum Monthly production of them only hit 1500 rifles, making 18,000 a year. Reported S/Ns from surviving examples go up into the 110,000 range, requiring over six years of production to hit those numbers, not one. Because of this, collectors have made a serial number rage & mfg. dated from 1927-37 based on other reports & findings, but nothing is concrete. These were used by the Nationalist forces of China against Japan & the Communist Chinese forces. Once the communists took over in 1949, the PRC forces would make use of these rifles. They would eventually end up as militia rifles & would be used by them until the 70s & 80s, this rifle bearing a PRC militia mark.

CONDITION: The semi-pistol grip wood stock is very good with various nicks, dings, scuffs & scratches from use/age. The rear of the buttstock has a few grain pops/cracks. Japanese style two piece buttstock, looks like they also copied how they made the stocks for the type 38s which was uniquely Japanese. Metal proud to wood around the toe of the buttplate. The right cheek of the stock is stamped with the Chinese characters ''MIN-BING'' or ''Peoples Soldier'' meaning militia. On the right side of the stock, by the rear sight on the edge is stamped ''14''. The metal has mostly worn to a gun metal gray with spots starting to tone brown. The receiver band is marked vertically with four Chinese characters ''LIU-WU-BU-QIANG'' translating to ''SIX-FIVE-SPEAR-MAN'' interpreted to read ''SIX-FIVE-INFANTRY-RIFLE''. This is the name historians & collectors use for the rifle, but the actual government designation for the rifle model is unknown. The left side of the barrel & receiver are marked with the S/N. the root of the bolt handle is marked ''L96'', ''24''. The bore is Fair. It is bright but has thinned rifling & roughness/spots of pitting. The barrel holds a barleycorn front sight with a flip up ladder V-notch rear sight marked 4 to 24. The stock carries a steel buttplate, un-finished & toned to a brown patina. The rifle has both bottom sling loops. & has a cleaning rod. Rifle comes with a tan canvas sling marked in Chinese characters ''SHI-BU-QIANG-BEI-DAI'', translating to 38 type rifle carry strap. These were locally made slings for captured, Japanese made type 38 rifle & the Chinese made type 38 rifles. A seldom seen copy of the Type 38 that's in better than most condition. FFL or C&R Req - Value: 350 to 700

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Price

Taiyuan/Shanxi Arsenal (China), Model: Six/Five Infantry Rifle (... Item # 4492 This auction is over. No new bids can be placed. Price: US $735

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