Type 99 "Last Ditch" Arisaka

This review covers the Arisaka Type 99 Long Rifle, a rare WWII Japanese bolt-action firearm. The video highlights its robust construction, the powerful 7.7x58mm cartridge, and its historical significance, including the Emperor's chrysanthemum marking. It distinguishes between early, well-made examples and later 'last ditch' production.

This expert-level overview of the Japanese Type 30 rifle, introduced in 1897, details its historical context, receiver safety features like gas vents, and its sighting system. The guide highlights the Type 30 bayonet lug, the five-round staggered column magazine, and the unique two-piece stock construction. It also explains the cock-on-close bolt action and its service life with the Imperial Japanese Navy, noting its replacement by the Type 38.

This video review focuses on the Japanese Type 38 rifle, highlighting its Mauser action and declaring it one of the best Mauser actions ever produced. The content emphasizes the historical and engineering aspects of this firearm.

This "From the Vault" episode features Brownells Gun Techs Steve and Keith showcasing the Japanese Arisaka Type 38 Cavalry Carbine from World War II. They highlight its shorter and lighter design compared to infantry rifles, its original intended use for cavalry and rear-echelon troops, and its suitability as a potential "jungle carbine." The discussion delves into its chambering in 6.5x50mm Arisaka, its gentle recoil, and its straightforward action, which is similar to the Type 99. Specific features like the Mauser-style bolt, claw extractor, 5-round internal magazine, reinforcement tangs, side sling swivels, and barrel length are detailed. The episode also touches on the significance of the chrysanthemum stamp on the receiver and its impact on a rifle's value, emphasizing this particular carbine's excellent condition and historical significance.

This review details the 1930s Japanese Arisaka 'wire bale' QD sling, a metal loop design predating modern plastic versions. While innovative for rapid sling removal, especially on takedown rifles like the Type 2 Paratrooper, its clips can detach if tension is lost. The sling is distinct from other Japanese QD variants and was used on models like the Type 38 and Type 99.

This review details the Japanese Type 99 Arisaka sniper rifles, highlighting their development in 1941 and standardization on the short rifle variant. Unlike other nations, Japan did not select exceptionally accurate rifles, believing standard accuracy with optics was sufficient. Production was split between Nagoya and Kokura arsenals, with Nagoya producing more units and using both 2.5x and 4x scopes, while Kokura primarily used 2.5x optics.

This video demonstrates the critical failure of a Bulgarian Arsenal SLR104 AK-74 variant when subjected to a mud test. Despite its platform's reputation, the rifle experienced immediate failures to go into battery, eject, and feed due to mud ingress. Repeated attempts to clear the weapon revealed significant friction and a complete mechanical stoppage, highlighting potential reliability issues under extreme conditions.

This video details the anatomy and historical use of 1700s grenades, focusing on their components like the external fuse and internal charge. It demonstrates the ignition process using a slow match and highlights the safety precautions necessary when handling replicas. The content also briefly showcases the hand mortar as an alternative deployment method for these early explosive devices.

This video provides a detailed instructional guide on applying a Gaza-style tourniquet, emphasizing proper technique for effective hemorrhage control. It highlights the importance of initial strap tightening before using the windlass for occlusion and securing it properly. The content also touches upon patient comfort and potential challenges during application.

This video details the historical loading process for the 1836 Colt Paterson revolver. It covers the unique disassembly required, including removing the barrel wedge and the barrel itself. The process involves setting the cylinder to half-cock, charging each chamber with 20 grains of powder and a lead ball, and using a specialized arbor tool to seat the projectile before capping and reassembly.