Something you see on a lot of bring back rifles are what are called duffle cuts. A duffle cut is when you would cut the front several inches of the stock off under one of the barrel bands so that the disassembled rifle would fit in a duffle bag or crate without looking conspicuously like a rifle. Ideally you would repair the stock once you made it home with the weapon undiscovered with the cuts being at least partially obscured under the barrel band when reassembled.

This CMP forum thread has a pretty good example picture of a disassembled and duffle cut arisaka rifle next to the crate is was presumably shipped home in.