[gunnut07]

Originally Posted by mountainman13

If I have it xrayed I will post pics. It may not be worth it depending on cost. If it is trapped I will jb weld the screws in and hang it on my wall. If not I will fix and sell it.

You won't take it apart but you would take the chance of hanging a rifle filled with 70 year old unstable explosives on your wall.

This is a huge myth. Maybe the friend of a friend of your cousin had a bout of finger in triggerites and he has the gun blow which has been known to happen. Then he was so embarrassed that he was an idiot he made up the story.

Just where are the explosives located?

What kind did they use?

Seeing as I do have some experience with explosives. I would expect that they would hallow out some of he stock and place the explosives in that. When would they have done that?

Seeing as the amount of explosives in the chamber more than likely wouldn't cause the gun to blow up.

Please provide real world examples of this happening.

[primer1]

Maybe someone used the wrong ammo

[cottontop]

This could be a myth, but I had an experienced gun collector friend years ago who told this story as a fact and said it was only done to 6.5 rifles. I haven't heard this story anymore until I read this thread. Something worth researching on a rainy day, I guess.
cottontop

[nitestalker]

Only done to 6.5 Rifles this is getting. Oh well! Hell everyone who has studied WWII history knows the facts. It was not the rifles it was the Jap swords that blew up and killed 1,000s.
In case you have forgot? It was the Americans that had the secret explosive that ended WWII.

[Mongo]

Originally Posted by mountainman13

I have a WWII bring back sitting on my bench. The bolt is in pieces and stuck in the gun. The stock does not appear to have ever been removed nor does the butt pad. Do I take it apart?
The answer (for me Atleast) is NO.
Why?
They were occasionally boobie trapped.
I will have the gun X-rayed first.
I was talking to an old timer about it and he told me about his friend who got one in and had not been warned. He removed the butt pad and heard a click. He began to move his hand towards the opening in the stock to explore what the noise was and BOOM!
He lost three fingers on his right hand and a piece of wood shot clean through his left hand. He was lucky to survive but his gunsmithing career was over.
I like my fingers where they are and post this warning because I assume you do also.

I will disassemble it for you and return it for no charge, just pay the shipping

[Blueguns]

I saw a gun at a gun show yesterday with a post-it note on it that said "$50.00 Jap?". I almost pulled the trigger and bought it as a restore job. I'm glad I didn't now.

[potentialglock]

Originally Posted by Trez

I want some pics!! Ive never heard of that, let alone ever seen one!

I would think somebody wouda checked that out before bringing it home...

Dude that's sick! And who would ever think to check for that?

[Trez]

Originally Posted by potentialglock

Dude that's sick! And who would ever think to check for that?

Whats sick about wanting to see a "booby trapped" Arisaka?
If it is in fact laden with explosives, I want to see it, I cant find a single documented account of a Arisaka like that...

I just find it very unlikely the Japanese would do that anyways, towards the end of the war they were like the Russians, pumping out guns as fast as they can, getting them in the hands of soldiers as fast as they can..

A late war Arisaka is so crude, it makes a late war Mosin look like a Weatherby...

[nitestalker]

These legends date back 70 years. Gun collectors who know WWII firearms have never seen any evidence that the Japan Military ever issued bomb laden rifles. How would you protect your own troops? Many other nations were issued Arisaka rifles. Italy used the Arisaka as did England in WWI. The early pre WWII arms of Japan were well made well finshed arms.
This 6.5 Carbine and Nambu Pistol were Pre War?

[potentialglock]

Originally Posted by Trez

Whats sick about wanting to see a "booby trapped" Arisaka?
If it is in fact laden with explosives, I want to see it, I cant find a single documented account of a Arisaka like that...

I just find it very unlikely the Japanese would do that anyways, towards the end of the war they were like the Russians, pumping out guns as fast as they can, getting them in the hands of soldiers as fast as they can..

A late war Arisaka is so crude, it makes a late war Mosin look like a Weatherby...

I thought he meant the mangled hand