6.5 Jap? HELP with ID

[xrangerx]

All I know is that it shoots a 6.5 Jap. Everything else is a mystery! Thanks in advance!

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii554/xrangerx/imagejpeg953.jpg

[Multigunner]

Hard to tell much about it, could be a type 38.
The bolt handle has been altered.
The stock is built up from several pieces of wood, possibly dovetailed.
I've seen similar pieced together stocks on Finn sporterised Mosin Nagants.
Finnland did have a few Japanese rifles in their inventory, mostly type 30 rifles. They did not get much use from them due to lack of ammunition.
You might look for signs of this rifle having been in Finnland at some point. But thats just a narrow possibility.

[xrangerx]

Would you put any value on it?

Thanks for your quick reply!

[xrangerx]

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii554/xrangerx/5Nd5E75K53M73L23I4c75144be48c8c7d1de4.jpg

Its the top one if this helps at all

[220swiftfn]

As in your other thread, it's an Arisaka....


Dan

[xrangerx]

Just modified? Is it worth anything? Or just something to take out and shoot every once in a while? Thanks for your help, I'm new to all this.

[Pavogrande]

Type 38 arisaka - reciever markings will clarify age and arsenal --
It appears to be a very nice sporter but has no real collector value.
Its value is just in it being a good shooter and a bit different.
My guess, if a good bore and good shooter would be about $200 --
You might check to see if it has been converted to 6.5x257roberts - Many were rechambered to the 257 case as 6.5 jap ammo was pretty much non existant in the 50'-60's --
I have new made hornady brass but I don't know if they still sell it.
my tuppence

[flounderman]

the jap stocks were made with two pieces of wood. the dark wood is something someone added for a pistol grip. some arisakas had a bent bolt. heard one place it was for a sniper rifle. normas has brass and ammunition, but it is expensive. it can be converted to a 6.5-257, which is a hand load round, but the brass is easy to make and a lot cheaper. you could, shoot 257 ammunition after the conversion. results might be better than you would expect. You can make 6.5 jap cases from 220 swift brass. I have two I opened up to the 257 chamber. what you have is basicly the 6.5 x 57. someone did some work on your rifle so it is possible it has been converted. if it was done by a gunsmith, it should have the caliber stamped on the barrel. it should say 6.5 x 257 jap. if it was done at home it might not be marked. compare a fired case to a 257 roberts case or see if it will chamber a 257 roberts. if it has not been rechambered, the roberts will not go into the chamber. the jap was a semi rimmed cartridge with a smaller base. if the bolt will close on a 257 roberts case, it has been rechambered and dangerous to shoot the original 6.5 jap in it. thr riflee has been drilled and tapped for the receiver sight, front sight installed, blued, the bolt looks like it could have been altered for a scope. can't tell from the pictures if it is drilled and tapped for scope mounts. looks to have been blued. looking at the amount of work that has been done on the rifle, I would say that there is a good chanch it has been rechambered to 6.5 x 257 roberts. I would check that out before I shot it.

[Shooter6br]

Mine has "minute of deer." accuratcy.

[xrangerx]

So if it has no markings should I be worried about shooting it? Will it work the other way? Will it refuse to chamber a 6.5 jap if it is chambered for a 257?

[Mk42gunner]

No.

The .257 Roberts case is bigger than the original 6.5 Jap csae. If it has been rechambered the 6.5 Jap will fall into the cahmber and would be very dangerous to fire.

Robert

[xrangerx]

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii554/xrangerx/Resampled_2012-07-08_10-24-28_140.jpg

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii554/xrangerx/Resampled_2012-07-08_10-24-14_730.jpg

The numbers 216 are on the top of the receiver above a Japanese symbol and on the side there is 001064484 followed by a design of 3 overlapping circles. There are also some japanese symbols just forward from the bolt.

[Japlmg]

Value is not much, in the $100 to $125 range.
As to what is currently chambered for, who knows.
If it was sporterized by a gun smith, it should be marked on the barrel shank.
If sporterized by the original owner, it may or may not be marked if it was converted.
The only way to know for sure is to make a chamber casting.
If it was me, I would buy a box of 6.5x50sr PPU ammo (the stuff Hornady sells), tie the rifle to something substantial, and fire it with a long string.
Then compare the fired case to a unfired case.
If the case is not buldged or distorted, it is still in its original 6.5x50sr chambering.
Gregg

[725]

If really in doubt about the chambering, do a chamber cast. Not too hard.

[bowfin]

Would you put any value on it?

If it shoots well, then it is worth something, at least to my way of thinking. I am a big believer in "Pretty is as pretty does." Anyone who wants a more original version of an Arisaka could certainly find one, but someone who wants a shooter might consider this a find.

There was a little article in the 2012 Gun Digest entitled "Bolt-action Baloney". The author claims that the Arisaka was superior in design and metallurgy to the other bolt-actions of its time, although its quirky safety was...well, quirky.

I recently acquired and Arisaka, and made a fool of myself trying to get the dust cover back on in under three hours...:groner:

[Trapdoor]

the 3 overrlapping circles most likely is from Tokyo Arsenal Type 38. If the serial number you refer to is more than six digits, it's pre-1933. I'll send you a link that will help you identify this a bit more shortly. Without further pics I can't do much else, but I'll try!

[Trapdoor]

http://www.cruffler.com/trivia-September00.html

http://www.castle-thunder.com/series.htm

The first link is probably what you need more than anything. If this works out for you, great. If not, pm me or email me and I'll do what I can for you.

[leadman]

Check Graf & Sons for ammo once you confirm what you need.

[TCLouis]

260 Rem may well "just" clean up the chamber.

Unlike everyone else in the world I do not mind cock-on-closing and the palm safety is easy to operate

[WilliamDahl]

MANY years ago, I had a 7.7 Jap that had been sporterized. It seemed to have "gotten lost" during a move back around 1979. It was a good shooter and I killed a few deer with it over the years. The "palm safety" was a bit different... I didn't really mind it, but it different...

[Multigunner]

The arisaka seems designed so the shooter need not have opposable thumbs.

[WilliamDahl]

The arisaka seems designed so the shooter need not have opposable thumbs.

So, you're saying that it was ADA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americans_with_Disabilities_Act_of_1990) compliant even before there was an ADA? :)

I wonder what the reasoning was behind the use of that sort of safety mechanism... Was it easier to operate with gloved hands, perhaps? Did Japan figure that it was easier for the peasant soldiers of the time to understand? It's been a long times since I fired / hunted with one, but I seem to remember thinking that it was slower to disengage the safety than the one on the Mauser.

[Multigunner]

So, you're saying that it was ADA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americans_with_Disabilities_Act_of_1990) compliant even before there was an ADA? :)

I wonder what the reasoning was behind the use of that sort of safety mechanism... Was it easier to operate with gloved hands, perhaps? Did Japan figure that it was easier for the peasant soldiers of the time to understand? It's been a long times since I fired / hunted with one, but I seem to remember thinking that it was slower to disengage the safety than the one on the Mauser.

Its been along time since I handled an Arisaka but IIRC when you engage the safety it relieves much of the pressure on the mainspring, then when you push in on the cap and turn it restores the full pressure.
The Japanese had ealier had difficulty in mass producing coil springs that would hold their temper, some on their earlier bolt action rifle designs used a flat or V spring housed in a hollow bolt knob to drive the firing pin.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Unlike everyone else in the world I do not mind cock-on-closing

I don't mind them either, I was trained on SMLEs at school whilst in the Aussie Army Cadets by two teachers who were Korean vets and one who was a WW2 vet. Spreads the load over two cycles rather than concentrating it on the opening cycle. Desirable in a battle rifle, but maybe not in a hunting/target rifle.

Having said that,the Germans had a cock on opening rifle and it didn't seem to slow them down much. The did come second though, lol.

I use Privi Partisan brass in my Jap 6.5 (it is in original trim).

Best be finding out what the chamber is before you go lashing out on components.

Your rifle is not worth much, but will make a fine hunting arm.

[Ed in North Texas]

snip

I use Privi Partisan brass in my Jap 6.5 (it is in original trim).

Best be finding out what the chamber is before you go lashing out on components.
snip



Exactly. If it has not been rechambered, Graf's has the Prvi 6.5x50 brass (and Norma if you are feeling really flush) and Lee, Hornady and Redding (in increasing order of price) die sets.

Only problem I had with the Prvi 6.5x50mm brass was about 3 cases out of 100 where the rim was a bit too thick to go into the Lee shell holder, applying a Swiss File to the extractor groove side took care of that.

Ed

[HamGunner]

If the bore is like mine, a 6.5x257, it will shoot the Hornady 160gr. Carcano bullet really decent. That bullet mics at about .267, but looks just like the .264 160gr. Hornady. I have found them both with and without a cannelure. Extremely strong actions they are. Mine is a 20 inch carbine and had a nice Bishop stock and jeweled bolt, but no re-chambering markings. The Lyman 266469 that I have drops almost a .270 dia. bullet after I worked it over and it shoots that bullet just fine. Made a mighty fine Missouri woods deer rifle with an old 2 1/2 power Weaver on it.