- Location
- Smithers, B.C.
I wouldn't mind a Type 99 with chrome bore! Where could I get one? And how much?
What Arisaka rifle to buy
- Thread starter Alfonso
- Start date
The 6.5 semi-rimmed is not a difficult cartridge to handload AND, if you can't find brass cheap, you can open up .220 Swift: base and rim both are correct!
One thing about loading the 6.5: always use cheap bullets. Many of the Match-grade bullets have quite hard jackets and the Metford rifling deforms them something awul...... so they explode about 20 yards downrange and you get a 10-yardx20-yard group at 200. Not really great shooting, one might say. I have had excellent luck with the cheap-o Remington 140-grain bulk bullets. Next project is to see how my critter likes these nice Hornady 160s....
This Summer is gonna be a LOTTA work.
Have funs!
One thing about loading the 6.5: always use cheap bullets. Many of the Match-grade bullets have quite hard jackets and the Metford rifling deforms them something awul...... so they explode about 20 yards downrange and you get a 10-yardx20-yard group at 200. Not really great shooting, one might say. I have had excellent luck with the cheap-o Remington 140-grain bulk bullets. Next project is to see how my critter likes these nice Hornady 160s....
This Summer is gonna be a LOTTA work.
Have funs!
I have owned 2,one a sweet carbine that key-holed at 50 yards and the other a rough full-length 6.5 that almost put my eyes out.I think the carbine was`re-crowned' prior to surrender and the full-length was worn-out in China.
These are said to be the strongest Mauser-type rifles ever made but the two I had had serious mechanical issues.
Buy carefully.
These are said to be the strongest Mauser-type rifles ever made but the two I had had serious mechanical issues.
Buy carefully.
Gomer, what ammo were you using? You will get keyholing in Aris and Carcanos if the pressure is too low; the bullet base doesn't expand and fill the rifling, gas blows around the thing and destabilises it on exit.
And what happened that the full-length one almost put your eyes out?
Arisakas are NOT known for big problems, and this is one that I would really like to know something about, never having encountered it myself.
My Arisaka looks like recycled crap, but it gives no problems as long as it's fed properly.
And what happened that the full-length one almost put your eyes out?
Arisakas are NOT known for big problems, and this is one that I would really like to know something about, never having encountered it myself.
My Arisaka looks like recycled crap, but it gives no problems as long as it's fed properly.
Are there any Arisakas that were considered dangerous (by design) to fire? I have a type 38, I think, in 6.5jap. Stock beat to hell, but hardware very good. Some guy at a show where I was looking for ammo told me hang it on the wall, the bolts blow back in your face. I never fired it again (only 4 rnds before that) but I would like to. Read quite a bit a few years ago, and without digging through a ton of papers, the articles said something to the effect that there was a smooth bore training model, unsafe for ammo, and if it had this type safety, and that type of "whatever" it was unsafe, otherwise they were indestructable. I could never tell if mine fit the safe criteria or not. When I bought it a gunsmith measured the headspace and said fire away. Any help? I'd love to shoot it.
Mum ground off and tokyo factory markings.
Mum ground off and tokyo factory markings.
Some of the Arisaka's floating around are training rifles and must not to fired with standard ammo, those are the ones that blow up. Rule of thumb, if the receiver tang at the back of the action is a separate part those are standard issue rifles and safe to fire. If the tang and receiver are one piece, those are training rifles and are not meant to be fired with standard ammo.
If it's a standard old Model 38, you'll have a hard time trying to damage it. I messed up once, loaded a batch with the wrong powder. Ari ate them, but they were hot enough that she actually kicked instead of that relatively-gentle shove that Aris usually give you. Primers were flat and cratered: pressures had to be 'way up there.
"To err is human," said Sidney the Profound, "Therefore, I am not human!"
"Gnax," replied Walter, "GnnnnOW?"
"Oh, allright, Walter," Sidney answered, "Here's some Cheese. Enjoy!"
"To err is human," said Sidney the Profound, "Therefore, I am not human!"
"Gnax," replied Walter, "GnnnnOW?"
"Oh, allright, Walter," Sidney answered, "Here's some Cheese. Enjoy!"
Talquin: best idea I've heard all day!
Likely CGN has more real EXPERTS online at any time than any other site on the Web.
As to advice about things, my Dad always said that advice can be helpful, just as long as you get it from somebody who isn't trying to sell you something.
Apart from training rifles, some Aris were built, right at the end of the War, with cast receivers. These are said to have been rather on the frangible side and so should never be shot. But the 6.5 was out of production in Japan by this time, so these would have been Shiki 99 rifles, the 1939 type.
Training rifles, I am told (but cannot vouch for, never having seen one) were not rifled.
This would indicate to me that if it's a 6.5 and it has rifling, likely it is strong enough. That little 6.5x50SR only operates in the 40,000-pound range and there is a LOT of iron there to handle it.
If you know the HISTORY of a rifle, that can be a help, too. I met an older American one day at the local gas station. He had veterans' plates on his car and we got talking. I was just on my way to the range with my Ari and he told me that he had one at home that he had picked up after the shooting was over on an island called Saipan. It was his one-and-only war trophy, and people had told him that it was unsafe. And he really wanted to try it. It was a 6.5, he told me and he even had some Jap shells to fit it. I told him to get a box of new stuff and taker her out and have fun. He said he would, now that he knew that they were safe.
It just p*ssed me off, that Hero (and anyone who was actually there was one) being denied the use of his own Trophy, for so many years, because of some idiot rumor.
Aris are rough and tough and they will take just about anything you can cram into them, even if they ain't pretty.
"A thousand lives for the Emperor!"
Just fine so long as one of them isn't mine!
Have fun!
Likely CGN has more real EXPERTS online at any time than any other site on the Web.
As to advice about things, my Dad always said that advice can be helpful, just as long as you get it from somebody who isn't trying to sell you something.
Apart from training rifles, some Aris were built, right at the end of the War, with cast receivers. These are said to have been rather on the frangible side and so should never be shot. But the 6.5 was out of production in Japan by this time, so these would have been Shiki 99 rifles, the 1939 type.
Training rifles, I am told (but cannot vouch for, never having seen one) were not rifled.
This would indicate to me that if it's a 6.5 and it has rifling, likely it is strong enough. That little 6.5x50SR only operates in the 40,000-pound range and there is a LOT of iron there to handle it.
If you know the HISTORY of a rifle, that can be a help, too. I met an older American one day at the local gas station. He had veterans' plates on his car and we got talking. I was just on my way to the range with my Ari and he told me that he had one at home that he had picked up after the shooting was over on an island called Saipan. It was his one-and-only war trophy, and people had told him that it was unsafe. And he really wanted to try it. It was a 6.5, he told me and he even had some Jap shells to fit it. I told him to get a box of new stuff and taker her out and have fun. He said he would, now that he knew that they were safe.
It just p*ssed me off, that Hero (and anyone who was actually there was one) being denied the use of his own Trophy, for so many years, because of some idiot rumor.
Aris are rough and tough and they will take just about anything you can cram into them, even if they ain't pretty.
"A thousand lives for the Emperor!"
Just fine so long as one of them isn't mine!
Have fun!
The 6.5 Carbine I had I loaded close to full loads,Longer bullets,etc.no difference in accuracy.The muzzle crown was visibly oblong(?) like it was damaged with a machine tool.The long 6.5 was beat to crap,bought for 20.00 at a police auction.I should have fired it from the hip first I guess.Excess chamber wear caused a primer to back out or pierce,I forget which.The excellent Arisaka bolt gas-bleed provisions minimized an otherwise white-cane purchase.All my re-loads were made of once-fired or new Norma brass.
Actually, the cast receivers were only used on a special run of Naval rifles - they weren;t typically issued to infantry. I've also never seen one in Canada and it's obvious which rifles they are, they are very roughly cast.
Some of the Arisaka 99's looks really rough but are perfectly safe. The stock and metal finishes got really rough near the end but they were still strongly built, so long as it's not a cast model or a non-firing trainer.
Some of the Arisaka 99's looks really rough but are perfectly safe. The stock and metal finishes got really rough near the end but they were still strongly built, so long as it's not a cast model or a non-firing trainer.
Interesting story, I once read in a book (I think Hatcher's Notebook?) That htye fired a Mauser 8mm round in a T99. All that happened is the bullet was squeezed down into a lead noodle. It still fired fine.
Also, as I recall, the T38 and T39 were the only two actions Ackley could not successfully blow up on purpose by overloading with pistol powders. They are stronger guns than people realize.
Also, as I recall, the T38 and T39 were the only two actions Ackley could not successfully blow up on purpose by overloading with pistol powders. They are stronger guns than people realize.
Gomer: If you still have the Carbine, take the bolt out, put a flashlight in the breech and check the bore carefully. It could be that counterboring the muzzle will clean it right up. That's why there are so many really old MNs running around with counterbored muzzles: muzzle damage repairs, generall done in Finland. They can get that way from poor cleaning practices, too, which is why one of the standard British tests on their own rifles was for 'cord wear': wear from the pull-through not being used correctly.
With the rifle, check for a chipped tip on the firing-pin or, possibly, some idiot has ground the firing-pin to a POINT. I have seen this but have never pulled the trigger on one. Don't want to, either!
Have fun, all!
With the rifle, check for a chipped tip on the firing-pin or, possibly, some idiot has ground the firing-pin to a POINT. I have seen this but have never pulled the trigger on one. Don't want to, either!
Have fun, all!
- Location
- Smithers, B.C.
Having owned an Arisaka, I miss mine. The sad thing is the bore was not really good on it, despite my many reloading exploits. I could not hit the paper 5 times out of 10 at 125 yards. Still a wonderful little carbine to anyone who owns one with a decent bore. From what I understand, alot of Brits who came back from Japanese territory and Malaysia brought back 6.5X50SR Type 38's. These they converted to a couple different cartridges, one of the more uncommon, but still safe: .303 British. I even heard of Type 99's having this done as apparently the bullet diameter is the same, and the cartridge is just rimless in comparison. Also 8mm was used highly as a conversion from the 7.7 Jap.
Cheers,
Drachenblut
Cheers,
Drachenblut
Drachenblut is quite right as to the ammo: 7.7 Jap rimless, 7.7 Jap semi-rimmed and 7.7 Jap rimmed all are just different casings for the .303 bullet and load. The 7.7 Jap rimmed was a straight copy of the .303, was loaded for flexible aircraft guns that looked an AWFUL lot like stripped Lewises from the huge lot they got from us during the Great War.
Funny, but Italy loaded the .303 also, and well before War Two: something to do with all those Lewises and Vickers Guns THEY got from us during the Great War!
And we can't have them!
I'm gonna cry!
Funny, but Italy loaded the .303 also, and well before War Two: something to do with all those Lewises and Vickers Guns THEY got from us during the Great War!
And we can't have them!
I'm gonna cry!
Many of you may have come across this site,
http://www.radix.net/~bbrown/japanese_markings.html
but if not, posted there are charts with Ari arsenal markings and what they mean, dates of production by serial number and lots of info. I had this saved from years ago but just tried the site again and it works. There is also a similar link for german wwII stuff.
I spent some time on my Ari today and have decided the tang is seperate from the receiver (safe), the knob for the safety works the right way (referring to a long lost article I had re: one safety works one way and the other is on an unsafe model), so I think mine is safe. It is definately a model 38 (verified by markings checked against above mentioned site) therefore not subject to crappy material like in the final years of production and should be fine to fire. Now.... time.....
Thanks for info everyone. Helped a lot.
http://www.radix.net/~bbrown/japanese_markings.html
but if not, posted there are charts with Ari arsenal markings and what they mean, dates of production by serial number and lots of info. I had this saved from years ago but just tried the site again and it works. There is also a similar link for german wwII stuff.
I spent some time on my Ari today and have decided the tang is seperate from the receiver (safe), the knob for the safety works the right way (referring to a long lost article I had re: one safety works one way and the other is on an unsafe model), so I think mine is safe. It is definately a model 38 (verified by markings checked against above mentioned site) therefore not subject to crappy material like in the final years of production and should be fine to fire. Now.... time.....
Thanks for info everyone. Helped a lot.My first attempt at adding pics (no small feat with an inconsistant dial-up/country connection)
My type 38
Someone helped me out with a description of a safe ari - tang seperate from reciever. Doesn't show here but it is seperate.
Anyone know anything about a factory marking?
This is from the Norma (ammo) site
My type 38
Someone helped me out with a description of a safe ari - tang seperate from reciever. Doesn't show here but it is seperate.
Anyone know anything about a factory marking?
This is from the Norma (ammo) site
