Thread: Gun City Japanese Arisaka type 38s

Originally Posted by Sideshow

Quoted from Bolt Action Rifles 4th edition

By Frank de Haas and Dr. Wayne van Zwoll

"This report is from the May 1952 issue of The American Rifleman.

It describes a Type 38 Arisaka 6.5mm which was rechambered to accept the 30-06 cartridge. The 6.5mm barrel was NOT rebored, only the chamber was enlarged. The fellow who did the rechambering accomplished it by grinding down the pilot of a 30-06 reamer so it would enter the bore. After rechambering he test fired it. Nothing much happened so he used the rifle on a hunting trip and killed a deer with it. Because the rifle kicked so hard he took it to a reputable gunsmith who discovered what the owner had done with it and what he was shooting in it. Because the rifle was still intact after firing a number of 30-06 cartridges, the gunsmith sent the rifle to the NRA. The NRA staff then fired some more 30-06 rounds through it, and it seems incredible that neither the barrel nor the action burst, for just imagine firing .308" bullets through a .2642 groove diameter barrel! If one were to deliberately plan a touture test or blow-up test on the 6.5mm Japanese rifle one could hardly think of a better scheme, even though it is a little crazy.

That this particular rifle did not burst, certainly proves that the bolt, receiver and barrel were made of the best heat-treated steels. It also shows that the breech locking system is excellent."

He then goes on to say.

"I wonder what would have happened with the 6.5mm Arisaka rifle chambered for the 30-06 cartridge if the head of one of the cartridges had cracked our split open when fired, rather than expanded evenly. I think the results would have been different."

That that I'm suggesting you go out and test fire the rifle that you have brought from GC, but I thought you might find this of interest.

Cheers

No different, outcome, except it might have been harder to extract the split shell. The Type 38 has top vent holes in the receiver, and an ingenious way to allow gases entering the bolt around the firing pin to travel backwards only to eventually be redirected forwards by the rear cap / palm safety. It effectively has four locking lugs, two primary, two secondary. In addition to two strong locking lugs, it also has (1) port side spare locking lug (hits against the bolt stop on port side, to avoid wearing the business surface of the port locking lug) and (2) the bolt handle on the starboard side, functioning as a rear locking lug.

Some additional protection to shooters eyes from the dust cover. It would stop direct debris from the top of the bolt travelling directly back, but might let some gases travel backwards underneath it. A really big bang up front would likely lift up the front of the dust cover, but it would stay attached at the rear and thus still deflect stuff from going straight back.

The thing is over engineered. Estonia even re-bored Type 38s from 6.5mmx51SR to 7.7x56R (.303 Brit).