Quoted: Stopped in at the pawn shop today and they had what looked like a beautiful 7.7 Arisaka for $140.  Got excited for a minute.  Looked all original, but some idiot had drilled and tapped the receiver for a scope mount.  Looked like the mum was intact under the mount too.  Any idea on value if the scope mount hadn't been added?

$300+, depending on if all matching parts.

Quoted: I didn't examine it thoroughly but it looked to be all matching.  Beautiful bore too.

I think even at $140 if it's in excellent condition with the holes, I'd still buy it.  Would try to get an authentic scope, mount it, see what kind of groups it can give with handloads.

The bore is probably chrome-lined then.  They were all chrome-lined up until 1942, when they started chroming some and not others, by the end of the war most weren't.  And because of the chrome job, the grooves will look worn down, but that's not the case.

-mark