6.5 jap 38

[joejr]

This is a new addition to my small collection.If i can find some cheap brass and a butt plate,i will be happy.
joejr

[3006guns]

Try here for a butt plate:

http://jparts143.home.comcast.net/~jparts143/index.htm

As far as brass, you're on the waiting list with the rest of us. Graf and Sons has been expecting a shipment for some time now, so keep checking with them.

[madsenshooter]

I'd avoid the Norma if possible. Too expensive and woefully small. Even neck sized, because the rim is too thin, my brass only lasted one reload. That could be avoided by lightly greasing the cases on the first firing, or seating the bullet hard into the lands. I started making my own from .303, 30/40, or the super labor intensive .308. Haven't tried PRVI or Hornady.

[3006guns]

madsenshooter.......I thought I read (someplace) that Norma had corrected the small base problem just recently? Not sure though.

I have the PRIVI 7.7mm Japanese and it's very good stuff. I would imagine the 6.5 is the same quality......if we ever see any again!

A small strip of scotch tape around the base will keep the brass centered on the first firing and reduce the infamous "Norma bulge". Neck size only afterwards.

joejr......forgot to say congrats on a very nice example of the type 38. Finding them with the mum is getting harder these days!

[madsenshooter]

They're loading their ammo with a case based on the .303 headsize that has a thicker rim, in response to a letter I sent, but they still had lots of the old stuff to get rid of. The bulge is caused by the extractor pushing the case to the left side of the chamber. The ring ahead of the web by the fact that the rim is undersized, and on the jap, headspace is meant to be on that semi-rim. Here's a pic of the new ammo from their website, but as far as I know, everyone is still selling the old cases they had in stock, though I could be wrong. Haven't bought any since I started making my own. Wonder how many type 38s were thrown away because people thought they had a headspace problem? Mine was nearly one.

[joejr]

Thank you for the info guys.I havn't sluged the barrel yet but the bore looks better than the mosins i have seen.
joejr

[frkelly74]

35 rem brass can be made to work pretty easily. I run it into the 308 win die first to reduce the diameter of the neck and then size it in the 6.5 jap die and load it up. 220 swift will work too and 6.5 carcano but those are not as common or as cheap and need to be trimmed a lot to get to proper length.

[joejr]

3006guns,thanks for the link,he's a real nice guy to deal with.4 bucks + shipping is hard to beat.

[bruce drake]

35 REm is the case that is the same length as the original 6.5 Arisaka. REcommendation is resize is at least two stages. I go 32-30-6.5 with a cutdown 8mm Mauser resizer and then a 308 Win resize before I hit the neck one last time to 6.5. Annealing in between sizing would probably extend the life of the cases if you shoot full-power jacketed but I usually just shoot cast in my two T38s so the brass life is good enough as it is.

Bruce

[Donor8x56r]

Even neck sized, because the rim is too thin, my brass only lasted one reload. That could be avoided by lightly greasing the cases on the first firing

How does greasing cases help?Just wondering...

[frkelly74]

The light greasing will help the brass form to the chamber more fully without stretching the brass unduly at the head. This can prevent premature case failure due to head separation. It is not for full house loadings though and not for prolonged every day use. It will hammer the bolt face due to the fact that the brass will not grip the inside of the chamber at all and can cause the bolt lugs to set back and then you will have a rifle with excess head space. It is an advanced technique to be used in a knowledgeable way by an experienced reloader to accomplish a specific end result.

[Rogue6]

The best deal I've found on loaded 65x50mm ammunition was from "mr nambu," who can be reached via http://www.macsguns.com/. I think I paid $20 a box plus reasonable shipping. About 3 MOA at 100 yards off sandbags, which I thought was decent.

[madsenshooter]

How does greasing cases help?Just wondering...

The sides of the case don't grip the chamber when they expand, so the bolt face bears the full thrust, and the case doesn't stretch forward of the web. I didn't actually use grease, though it would work, I used Imperial sizing die wax. They still bulged, they just didn't stretch forward of the web and I got a few more loadings out of them.

[CLAYPOOL]

I had one gave to me, without a bolt. But the interesting thing was that someone way....back there had nailed shoe soles on it to increase the lenth of pull. Supposedly they were too short for some Japs.

[madsenshooter]

On some of the last ditch rifles, that was the buttplate, though I don't know if that's what you have, or something someone did later.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Privi Partisan Brass (old as Highland Brass in Australia), available at Western Firearms, Beverly Hills, Sydney Australia. They have a website and ship world wide. Father and son Business, Ken (Dad) and Dave. Good guys, great service. From memory, $AU75 per 100. I didn't asy they were going to be cheap, but thats cheap for Australia.

[Arisaka99]

I have a 7.7 that was sporterized, and it does still have the mum on it, it also has what looks to be threads on the barrel. It originally had a piece of wood about an inch thick nailed onto the stock and painted black to look like a pad. It also had a 30-06 reamer run through it so it is now a 7.7-06. Wayne Smith helped me do a tung oil stain on it, and we put a limbsaver pad on it too. Eventually I got it D&T'd and put a receiver sight on it. Now I just have to test some more loads in it and sight it in.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I have a 7.7 that was sporterized, and it does still have the mum on it, it also has what looks to be threads on the barrel. It originally had a piece of wood about an inch thick nailed onto the stock and painted black to look like a pad. It also had a 30-06 reamer run through it so it is now a 7.7-06. Wayne Smith helped me do a tung oil stain on it, and we put a limbsaver pad on it too. Eventually I got it D&T'd and put a receiver sight on it. Now I just have to test some more loads in it and sight it in.

There was a beautiful Fajen semi inletted stock for a 7.7 Jap hanging off the back of the door into Mich Smith's Gun Shop in Sydney for many years and it was super cheap. I kept my eyes open lookign for one for a long time (we used to sporterise a lot of rifles then as the fancy Winchesters and Remingtons were very expensive). Never did find one though.

[roberto mervicini]

This is my Arisaka, made it two yrs a go, previos owner already poorly buba it, so give it a proper second life.! In regard to the brass you could make them fron 06 case, une pass trough a 7.7jap F.L. die, cut off about 1/4" trim to length and
you are ready to go. They work fine for me.
I use jacket bullets from .303 brith. (.312 ) and soon I will cast boolits using wheel w., just got the mold.
All the best
________
roberto

[roberto mervicini]

Sorry, I just realize you ask for 6.5 arisaka, I wrongly assumed it was a 7.7jap.

[3006guns]

One more thought on cases....as mentioned .35 Remington makes a good case, although the neck will be slightly shorter than the original round and it will be a rimless instead of semi rimmed. They still function just fine. I started using them when I got tired of the "Norma bulge" and couldn't lay hands on any of the new Privi stuff.

However, I only went through two stages to form them. First through a .308 Winchester die, then through a 6.5 Jap die. The result is a good case that will stand some pretty stiff loads.