My new to me Type 38 Arisaka Carbine

[5.56X45mm]

Here is my pawn shop find.... a Arisaka Type 38 Carbine. Need to do research but I believe it is a series 2. Bolt does not match the rifle per serial numbers.

What is the indentation on the top handguard for? Never seen that in pictures.

 

[TDQ64]

If you're talking about the mum "flower", then it was most likely a war bring-back as most of these the mums have been ground off. They ground the mums off prior to re-selling in other countries.

 

[5.56X45mm]

If you're talking about the mum "flower", then it was most likely a war bring-back as most of these the mums have been ground off. They ground the mums off prior to re-selling in other countries.

Oh, I know all about the Crysthanamum as the symbol of the Emperor and that when the war ended both the Japanese Imperial Army and US Forces had the 'Mums defaced.

What I'm talking about it the upper handguard. Near the front sight there is a indentation in the wood. I've never seen that before. Might be from a storage rack or maybe it was done during production.

 

[A Can of Man]

Maybe that part was damaged at some point so its owner decided to make it a little better looking by taking a shave off of it. A likely story if the said damage occurred while issued to a Japanese soldier.