# arisaka type 38 help



## fish master (Dec 24, 2005)

i have a rifle that was givin to me and when i did some research on i found out that it is a type 38 arisaka barrel bored to .308 on a remington stock. but i dont know much about it. wanting to put it back on an original ww2 stock and hardware but since it takes .308 the self mag loader seems to be bigger then the .308 shell. will the 308 still load correctly? unsure about the machining on it as well seems to smooth and not crudely built. since it has been sportarized it is 2'' shorter now.. any info would be helpful


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

fish master said:


> i have a rifle that was givin to me and when i did some research on i found out that it is a type 38 arisaka barrel bored to .308 on a remington stock. but i dont know much about it. wanting to put it back on an original ww2 stock and hardware but since it takes .308 the self mag loader seems to be bigger then the .308 shell. will the 308 still load correctly? unsure about the machining on it as well seems to smooth and not crudely built. since it has been sportarized it is 2'' shorter now.. any info would be helpful


 Nice looking rifle with a "mum"!
Here's my Type 38 Cavalry all original...It's shorter than the regular 38 but longer than the Carbine at 44inches. The "MUM" was ground to show respect to the Japanese Emperor since all weapons belonged to him.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

And some more photos of the same rifle....


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Arisaka type 38 serial # 13660
44” long 24.5” barrel
20” Bayonet type 30
Type 38 – 6.5 x 50mm
Kokura Arsenal
Made 1933-1940
Normal 38’s are 50” or the carbide are 38”

*Type 38 Cavalry rifle*

In the late 30s to early 40s an unknown number of Type38 rifles were converted into "Cavalry Rifles" at Nagoya arsenal, that did all rebuilds of Type 38 and Type 44 rifles and carbines.[10] The barrels were shortened to 635 mm (25.0 in) from the standard 794 mm (31.3 in) barrel and the stock shortened to match the barrel while the handguard retained its original length.[11] The end result is a Type 38 which is similar in size to the Type 99 Arisaka. The designation as a "Cavalry Rifle" is unusual as at that time the cavalry branch was in decline and it's far more likely these rifles were issued to second line troops instead.[12] There is no consistency to serial numbers or arsenal marks as the rifles were converted from existing stock. Although total production is unknown, it is estimated to have approximately 100,000 converted

And a couple more...


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## fish master (Dec 24, 2005)

my issuse is this. your barrel compaired to mine.. mine seems to new to be that old. maybe due to the reboring of it not sure...


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

fish master said:


> my issuse is this. your barrel compaired to mine.. mine seems to new to be that old. maybe due to the reboring of it not sure...


Or maybe they just put on a new barrel instead if re-boring the old? The Arisaka had the strongest bolt and receiver of any WW2 rifle. The type 99s were converted to 30.06 by many after the war.

Well as least you can see what an original stock looks like...


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Here is an Ebay Type 38 stock.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/WWII-JAPAN...134439?hash=item1c95ab95a7:g:x3wAAOSwj99Z7gq9


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## fish master (Dec 24, 2005)

its already been rebored to the .308 not the 6.5. so barrel diameter is smaller now. dont know how they went to the smaller size. did they happen to remake these models in the 80's or so?


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

fish master said:


> its already been rebored to the .308 not the 6.5. so barrel diameter is smaller now. dont know how they went to the smaller size. did they happen to remake these models in the 80's or so?


The Type 38 had 6.5x50MM ammo and the Type 99 was a 7.7x58mm which is closer to the 30.06


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## fish master (Dec 24, 2005)

thats what i cannot fig out how they bored it down to a .308 i can see boring up to..https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.308_Winchester


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

fish master said:


> its already been rebored to the .308 not the 6.5. so barrel diameter is smaller now. dont know how they went to the smaller size. did they happen to remake these models in the 80's or so?


I think the last year for the Type 38 was 1939 or 1940. You have the Mum so its definitely a pre-war rifle. And its a type 38 with the 2 gas ports and the Japanesse characters for Type 38.


fish master said:


> thats what i cannot fig out how they bored it down to a .308 i can see boring up to..


 I think they would have had to do a barrel switch to get to the .308.....Maybe take it to a gunsmith or even a gunstore that has someone behind the counter that knows whats going on.


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## fish master (Dec 24, 2005)

ya i tried fin fur but the guy was a younger guy he really could not tell me more then i already knew. i might have to find an older gunsmith.


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## MIGHTY (Sep 21, 2013)

Not to derail this thread, snakecharmer, could you post some close up pics of any markings on the bayonet or do you know much about it? PM me if you’d like. My uncle gave me one in a sheath that my grandfather kept and brought back after the war. I did a little bit of research on mine and the markings and I believe it was made in Japanese occupier Korea during the war but I could be way off. Thanks


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

MIGHTY said:


> Not to derail this thread, snakecharmer, could you post some close up pics of any markings on the bayonet or do you know much about it? PM me if you’d like. My uncle gave me one in a sheath that my grandfather kept and brought back after the war. I did a little bit of research on mine and the markings and I believe it was made in Japanese occupier Korea during the war but I could be way off. Thanks


There are a couple things to help "age' the bayonet..Hook or Square Quillon. Square Pommel or Birdshead. Grips- screws or rivet.
This may help you.... http://oldmilitarymarkings.com/japanese_markings.html


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## fish master (Dec 24, 2005)

seen one here at an antique shop down the road gonna go check it out this wekk and makke sure it really it..


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

fish master said:


> seen one here at an antique shop down the road gonna go check it out this wekk and makke sure it really it..


Let us know what they are selling it for.


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## Drm50 (Dec 26, 2014)

I can't tell much from the pics, I'm not a collector of Jap rifles but I know a good bit about the
rifles as far as shooting, conversions, ect. The rifles after the surrender had Flower ground off
by order of McArthur to let Japs save face. Ones that came out earlier have their Mum intact.
The 6.5s were converted to 6.5x 257 Roberts. Most Jap ammo was dumped in ocean so there
wasn't any brass avaible except Norma. At one time a box of Norma 6.5 Jap cost more than gun
was worth. The 7.7 Japs have .311" bore, same as 303Brit and 7.65 Belgian. You can get by with
3006 brass loaded with 311 bullets. Early Japs were made with good steel and design was stout.
Later guns were of questionable quality steel and should not be relied on. I've never seen a
6.5 rebored to anything else. If it's 308 it's a rebarrel more than likely. The 7.7s lwere the ones
they were mono blocking and wildcating in 50s & 60s. Personally I could never see putting money
in a custom with such a crude action. As most weapons from eastern nations they were made rugged but not the best for accuracy. Both 6.5 and 7.7 do best with RN bullets, I have loaded and
shot a lot of them. A Jap barrel has steps in it, so if your barrel has one smooth contour it is a
replacement. Pic shows 7.7 Jap on the Left of it is a 3006 and 303 Brit. On right is 6.5 Jap with
308 (7.62 NATO) beside it. Both Jap rounds are Norma factory loads.3006 brass has to be sized and trimmed to form 7.7 Jap.


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## Dovans (Nov 15, 2011)

Professor... Thank you


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## Drm50 (Dec 26, 2014)

fish master said:


> thats what i cannot fig out how they bored it down to a .308 i can see boring up to..https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.308_Winchester


6.5mm is bullit diameter= .264" in American 
7.62 mm = .308"
7.7mm = .311
So if it was a rebore it was bored "up", the only way to go to a smaller diameter in a rifle barrel
is to sleeve it.


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## fish master (Dec 24, 2005)

ok i just seen this vid how to rebarrel. i see now. the receiver is separate from the barrel. did not know that... looks to be one piece on my rifle. i seen the original type 38 has the step downs that why i was confused that mine looks to modern as in machining.. now i have 5 rifles.. in one.. wow.. well i was going to try to restore it somewhat just to say i have one.. but at this point i just hope it fires... anyone wanna be the first? or got some clamps to try it....?


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## fish master (Dec 24, 2005)

ok i took the monstrosity apart and it seems its all arisaka except the stock and barrel. lil lost on the bolt tho. the original one has a lil square block that connects to the bolt and bolt handle.(IN PIC) mine does not have that.. and does not have the numbers on it.


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## Drm50 (Dec 26, 2014)

Do you know if this rifle is a completed project? There are questions, like has it been head spaced?
Barrels were sold in all the gun magazines back in the day and any mechanic could screw in a barrel. Also, I don't think that is a Remington stock , it's aftermarket. If stock hasn't been properly
inletted firing it could split stock. I wouldn't be in a big hurry to shoot it until you have it checked
out by other than a clerk at a gun dept some where. Take it to a gun show and look for a guy with
a table full of Jap rifles. Most will tell you exactly what you have and you can go from there. Never fire a rifle that is clamped solid, gun has to move or stock takes
all the recoil and will split.


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## MIGHTY (Sep 21, 2013)

Thanks for the bayonet info snake.


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## fish master (Dec 24, 2005)

ended up selling it to the gunsmith down the road... got this on a good deal thanks for the info and replies... fish master


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