WSM
Rugeritis
Word from the OP...bubba may have gotten his hands on this gun after all...
Japanese Model 38
- Thread starter lawrencewendall
- Start date
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j8064
Garrett Co Hooligan #1
Bubba's handiwork can sometimes be undone - sometimes not. Sometimes years of neglect can be fixed - sometimes not. Without details and/or pics it's all a mystery.
I encourage the OP to not throw the baby out with the bathwater. If he has a salvageable T-38, it'd be worth exploring options IMHO. They were on a par with (and better than) many other bolt action rifles of their day. Arisaka's have their place in history and they surely don't make 'em anymore.
I encourage the OP to not throw the baby out with the bathwater. If he has a salvageable T-38, it'd be worth exploring options IMHO. They were on a par with (and better than) many other bolt action rifles of their day. Arisaka's have their place in history and they surely don't make 'em anymore.
WSM
Rugeritis
pics are incoming, i'm talking to him on the phone 
. He was digging all day today and he said the stock and sights are not original. The stock doesn't look like any of the other type 38 stocks and the sights are in english and yardage.
. He was digging all day today and he said the stock and sights are not original. The stock doesn't look like any of the other type 38 stocks and the sights are in english and yardage.
j8064
Garrett Co Hooligan #1
For an obsolete WWII cartridge, that doesn't surprise me. The specs are within "spitting distance" of each other. That's no wonder since so few Japanese rifle and ammo production records and specs from the WWII era exist today. To a degree, it's a "close spec" from modern manufacturers of ammo.
Like most battle rifles of the era, the Arisaka rifle chambers were likely over-sized to accept any ammo from any arsenal in battle conditions (i.e. "pick a round up out of the mud a shoot it"). They weren't concerned at all about reloading the case as we are with these relics today.
If the rifle's action is sound, it could be possible to restore it to safe shooting condition. Even if it's never shootable, it's a relic that should be preserved and saved.
While I don't pretend to be an expert, I've restored a number of old rifles. With each, my main goal has been to give them back some of their original dignity - even if only for a little while.
lawrencewendall
Been There, Done That
- Oct 10, 2009
- 1,746
before I post this pics, let me give you a little bit of history behind this gun/weapon/firearm (did I cover every term for the armory correct readers?)
My Dad was not country (hillbilly) raised. At some point, he moved our family to the country (before I was born) but continued to work in the city (2.5 hours away). Eventually he was turned on to hunting to sustain the family (with a family of 10 kids, this was a no brainer). My Dad "borrowed" a rifle from a coworker for the upcoming deer season. It was a 6.5x50 Arisaka complete with ammo. My Dad, as well as some of my older brothers, used this gun for a couple of years. After my Dad went out on a limb and bought his own 30 ot 6, he decided to return the Arisaka to the owner but learned his co-worker had died and had no surviving relatives. The ammo had been shot up and eventually the gun became a Halloween prop (plenty of military uniforms from my brothers in Vietnam).
Move ahead 20-30 years. My Dad was "getting his things in order". One of these things was the Arisaka. He was going to throw it away but I asked him for it. So now I have it. It may not be pristine or original but it is one thing from my Dad.
Here it is. I've been told that this is a Savage stock. Don't know.
Based on the symbols, it appears that this was manufactured in the Nagoya arsenal
My Dad was not country (hillbilly) raised. At some point, he moved our family to the country (before I was born) but continued to work in the city (2.5 hours away). Eventually he was turned on to hunting to sustain the family (with a family of 10 kids, this was a no brainer). My Dad "borrowed" a rifle from a coworker for the upcoming deer season. It was a 6.5x50 Arisaka complete with ammo. My Dad, as well as some of my older brothers, used this gun for a couple of years. After my Dad went out on a limb and bought his own 30 ot 6, he decided to return the Arisaka to the owner but learned his co-worker had died and had no surviving relatives. The ammo had been shot up and eventually the gun became a Halloween prop (plenty of military uniforms from my brothers in Vietnam).
Move ahead 20-30 years. My Dad was "getting his things in order". One of these things was the Arisaka. He was going to throw it away but I asked him for it. So now I have it. It may not be pristine or original but it is one thing from my Dad.
Here it is. I've been told that this is a Savage stock. Don't know.
Based on the symbols, it appears that this was manufactured in the Nagoya arsenal
Attachments
lawrencewendall
Been There, Done That
- Oct 10, 2009
- 1,746
WSM
Rugeritis
Definitely looks bubba'd a bit from where I'm sitting.
WSM
Rugeritis
Bent bolt handle too....
j8064
Garrett Co Hooligan #1
Lawrence,
From the pics, what you seem to have there is a sporterized Arisaka. There's little likelihood it could be restored to it's original configuration without major expense. Many of the WWII "bring back" Arisaka's were sporterized for hunting rifles at the time. As a collector's item or restoration project it would have little value IMO.
Nonetheless, you have a terrific first hand family history of this particular rifle. If I were you I'd keep that alive.
From the looks of your pics, it may not be as difficult as you think to put it back into shooting condition. Add-on or cut-down stocks and aftermarket sights don't always alter the action and shoot-ability of an old relic.
Your rifle is not in its original configuration, but it is an heirloom. If it were mine, I'd clean it up and see if I could give it back a few more rounds at the range.
Thanks for sharing!
From the pics, what you seem to have there is a sporterized Arisaka. There's little likelihood it could be restored to it's original configuration without major expense. Many of the WWII "bring back" Arisaka's were sporterized for hunting rifles at the time. As a collector's item or restoration project it would have little value IMO.
Nonetheless, you have a terrific first hand family history of this particular rifle. If I were you I'd keep that alive.
From the looks of your pics, it may not be as difficult as you think to put it back into shooting condition. Add-on or cut-down stocks and aftermarket sights don't always alter the action and shoot-ability of an old relic.
Your rifle is not in its original configuration, but it is an heirloom. If it were mine, I'd clean it up and see if I could give it back a few more rounds at the range.
Thanks for sharing!
lawrencewendall
Been There, Done That
- Oct 10, 2009
- 1,746
Been doing some more research. 3 different sites give 3 different specs
Norma
Italian War Site
and finally Wikipedia
Specifications
Case type Semi-rimmed, bottlenecked
Bullet diameter 6.705 mm (0.2640 in)
Neck diameter 7.34 mm (0.289 in)
Shoulder diameter 10.59 mm (0.417 in)
Base diameter 11.35 mm (0.447 in)
Rim diameter 11.84 mm (0.466 in)
Rim thickness 1.143 mm (0.0450 in)
Case length 50.39 mm (1.984 in)
Overall length 75.69 mm (2.980 in)
Primer type Large rifle
Go figure!
Just got my brass in that I bought off of gunbroker.com ($40 for 100 casings plus shipping). I could have got them new from http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/12642 for $46 plus shipping but these appear unfired and unprimed. They are the same PRVI BRASS 6.5x50 JAP (6.5x51R) UNPRM 100/BAG. Here's the specs according to my own caliper:
Specifications
Neck diameter 6.85 mm (0.270 in)
Shoulder diameter 10.23 (0.403 in)
Base diameter 11.35 mm (0.447 in)
Rim diameter 11.89 mm (0.468 in)
Rim thickness 1.143 mm (0.0450 in)
Case length 50.8 mm (2.000 in)
They appear to be in specs. Once I get the bullets and dies, it may be off the Scott's with a minimal load to see if this bessie will even fire without putting an eye out.
boule
Ultimate Member
Got dies, bullets, load data.....
lawrencewendall
Been There, Done That
- Oct 10, 2009
- 1,746
Does anyone have 257 Roberts brass I could test to see if it will even chamber?
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