Looking for Type 38 / 6.5 Jap experience

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  • Last Post 04 July 2015
armalite53 posted this 04 August 2014

Have the opportunity to purchase a Type 38 Japanese service rifle in good condition with 20 rounds of Norma factory ammo. Does anyone have any experience in using this rifle in a postal match?

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armalite53 posted this 06 August 2014

Hmm...48 hours, 75 views and no replies. Do I detect a certain hesitancy about fooling with a T38 for military bench rest? Perhaps that very loooong factory bullet inserted into the Norma case indicates a traumatic frustration level?

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RicinYakima posted this 06 August 2014

Or the sights are so bad that no one has ever considered using an Arisaka in a match? Just a thought as one of the 75 viewers without an answer. Ric

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armalite53 posted this 06 August 2014

Hi Ric, Is there that much difference between the T38 and T99 sights? The only reason I considered an Arisaka is that many shooters are enthusiastic about their Type 99s. Of course, that's 7.7mm as opposed to 6.5mm but it's still a modified Mauser.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 06 August 2014

the following is not so much about your exact rifle as about * competition * .

if your goal is to put your name at the top of some list of all the shooters, and thereby establish yourself as likely superior in multiple respects ... your best chances probably lie in the direction of using what the latest winners are using ... and then obsess in loading techniques and lots and lots of practice. this is interesting, and respectable, and possibly admirable ( g ) .

if you take the opportunity of a gathering of shooters to see how you and your current equipment does against your previous preparations, you might find that even more satifying, even if you wind up often buying the beer ...


when i was contemplating shooting in the great military matches at nw iowa, i had a couple of swiss straight pulls, type of which were winning their share ... but after some thought, i decided to go with either a mas 36, or a swede 38, neither of which show up much at a serious meet. eventually due to health problems i didn't get to resurrect my extensive military skills at matches; but expect those guns would have landed me in the bottom half of the score lists, but near the top of a grins list ...


i always look down the results page to see if anybody is playing with anything but a mosin, or swiss, or springfield. it would give me, for one, a kick to see a 6.5 jap listed there in the future.

just ramblin ... ken

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RicinYakima posted this 06 August 2014

Thurman,

Fronts are triangle points up and rears are triangle points down. Getting them to the same relative position with each other and the target is very very hard! So, put better iron sights on it for Mod-Iron or scope it.

My first bolt action rifle was a 1920's 6.5 Jap in 1959. It was beautifully made and finished. I could hit anything I could see with the barrel resting (I was about 4'8” and weighted about 90 pounds at the time). After the GI ammo can of loose rounds ran out, my Dad couldn't find any more for me, so the rifle got sold. It was a lot more fun to shoot than my older brother's Trapdoor with black power loads.

Ric

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armalite53 posted this 07 August 2014

Ken, You hit the nail on the head. I own a K31 that I'm still working up a load for (need to buy the right mold), but when I stumbled across this rifle I became intrigued with the thought of a future project. I am also distracted by shiny objects. A fun factor vs frustration ratio is what I'm looking for. I also now appreciate what Ric was saying about the sights. I own a Martini-Henry and trying to align the tip of the front post (Greener calls it a barlycorn) can be quite difficult.

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JeffinNZ posted this 07 August 2014

Yeap, but how good would it be to win with a 6.5 Jap?

Cheers from New Zealand

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armalite53 posted this 07 August 2014

Jeff,It would indeed be great fun to compete with a unique rifle. I call this an idiosyncrasy, my wife calls it a character defect.

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4060may posted this 07 August 2014

since no one has actually jumped in with an Arisaka here goes My Uncle bought back a Jap Carbine from the Philipines..he was on Luzon for the Invasion, he passed on and I ended up with it This is in 1986 so forgive me if I don't remember it all My friend Rich and I were in on the fire lapping experiment for Merrill Martin, I used this gun...didn't help the accuracy..but did make the barrel easy to clean

I obtained some brass from many sources..even tried to make some from 30-06...hard to do, but doable I had four molds for 6.5. Saeco, Lyman and a LEE special order cruise missile...the LEE was too big to use, ended up with the Saeco sized to .268 after opening up a Lyman sizer gas checked and WC680 powder, F210 primers, no leading

with GREAT difficulty....trigger was bout 12 pounds..I could stay on the 100yd target at 100yds, with battle sights the Arisaka trigger is just enough different than all the mausers, I didn'feel competent to mess with it.... one day we were at Ridgway shooting a Silhouette match and kind of hitting pigs at 300M with it..then it was “bet you can't hit a ram" 20 shots later I hit 2...but I did hit them...group at 500M was about 5 feet...sights did not help..hard to see even at 25yds So good luck ...I traded mine for a new, from the closet model 36 Marlin made in 1946.....

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4060may posted this 07 August 2014

one more thing I had RCBS FL sizing dies, not good for cast...I modified a set of LEE collet dies for 6.5 X55...making a larger pin to accommodate the larger bullet...the bullet fit in mine was not the greatest....I would think a better fit and a rifle , things would be a little better again good luck

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armalite53 posted this 07 August 2014

Thanks Chuck,Looks like you've got some very sound reasons why we won't see 6.5 Jap winning postal matches any time in the near future. This one isn't a carbine. As a matter of fact it's one long rascal, especially with the bayonet attached (it would actually be a nice collector's item were it not for the ground mum). I guess the Imperial Army thought they needed naginatas more than rifles.Thanks to everybody for your comments: If I buy this, it will be for the fun factor only, but for an “as issued” military shooter, I reckon I'd better stick with the Swiss.

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armalite53 posted this 18 August 2014

Just an update: Had an opportunity to test fire the T-38 that we've been discussing, shooting factory Norma ammo with a 156 grain bullet. Ric is absolutely correct. These sights suck! Further 4060 may is right about the 12 lbs. of trigger. Definitely for funsies only.

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6mmintl posted this 02 July 2015

Ive had a type one and T38 bores are typically pitted/worn/oversize due to not being chrome plated.

Triggers can be reworked to 2.5lbs with clipping return spring, polishing of sear/striker.

The front sight can be reworked (welded up and machined into post) or replaced by swede Mauser sight.

The biggest problem is bore size(.268"-.270") , condition (pitted/worn), Throat (long for 160 grain round nose ball),and rifling twist rate when trying to use cast bullets.

Its a fine line to find the correct load/powder/bullet for the bore size, same with the 6.5mm swede, or carcano, or dutch rifle.

Its a lot of work with very limited results for the work involved.

The 7.7mm jap T99 has polygonal rifling and you need hard cast bullets and mild velocities for best results which are disappointing.

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JeffinNZ posted this 04 July 2015

I have a Carcano which is similar enough to compare. It shoots best with alloy of 12bhn minimum. ACWW is inconsistent. Today I was shooting a 15bhn alloy with 2 MOA success.

Regarding bullets, the Lee Cruise Missile suffers from “Wobbly Bottom Syndrome". Accuracy but produces oval holes. I have been using my NOE 269 145 lately and it is a winner. .268-.269 sizing is best for my rifle. Both cast .2705 inch. 18.3gr 2400 produces 1800fps + and 2 MOA using a ghost ring sight mounted on the front of the action.

Sooooo, if you get some brass and give a whirl you can have some fun but probably won't win the CBA matches.

Cheers from New Zealand

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