Good use for an Arisaka?????

21 December 2009, 08:34

A buddy of mine was given this pile without consulting me first. The bore is toast, damn near smooth. it has been rechambered to 6.5-257 roberts He doesn't reload. And the stock is about useless other fire wood. So Other then a door stop or a wall hanger is this thing worth anything to rebuild to any degree? At the bare minimum it would need a new barrel.
Looking for options but as of right now I've told him it ain't worth the effort or money.

21 December 2009, 08:49

Toomany Tools

IMO your first reaction is correct. Not worth messing with.

21 December 2009, 09:34

claude

if you had enough of them you could stick the bayonets in the ground hang wire off them and make a fence

21 December 2009, 09:47

kcstott

quote:
Originally posted by claude:
if you had enough of them you could stick the bayonets in the ground hang wire off them and make a fence

Well we have one and that's a start. the trigger guard is big enough to route barbed wire through.

Anyway I thought as much but maybe someone had an idea.
Wall hanger it is.

21 December 2009, 10:01

Hog Killer

another vote for, fence post.

Keith

21 December 2009, 10:26

nordrseta

quote:
Originally posted by kcstott:
A buddy of mine was given this pile without consulting me first...Looking for options but as of right now I've told him it ain't worth the effort or money.

If a fella had a milling machine and some spare time he might make neat cutaway for the local hunter safety course.

21 December 2009, 10:33

kcstott

now that's an Idea. And yes I have a fully equipped shop

21 December 2009, 11:56

Mark

It depends on the condition of everything else, but I think it might be possible to pull the barrel and have it rebored and rechambered to 308.

21 December 2009, 13:42

mete

Back when I went to gunsmithing school there was a student who sporterized an Arisaka.I don't remember if he changed the cartridge but he also picked a strange wood - sycamore ! In any case it's a very strong action but you'll never get anything that doesn't look ugly !

21 December 2009, 13:43

vapodog

quote:
Good use for an Arisaka?????

They make marvelous Christmas gifts. Do you know someone that you don't like that much?

21 December 2009, 16:35

vip

If the mum wasn't ground off and the action drilled and tapped for a scope you may be able to sell the stripped action to someone looking to restore an arisaka. A couple of years ago I knew of a guy that had one he wanted to get rid of so he loaded a round of ammo with a full case of bullseye and fired it (remotely) to see what would happen. He said the rifle just jumped and the action welded itself closed. Didn't blow up though. An attestment of Ackley's opinion that they are one of the strongest actions. Paul.

21 December 2009, 20:11

nordrseta

quote:
Originally posted by kcstott:
now that's an Idea. And yes I have a fully equipped shop

If you make one be sure to post pics.

21 December 2009, 20:33

merlinron

if you have a milling machine, you're all set. put a good profiling cutter in it, start at one end, when your done, the chips don't take up as much room as the gun does!

21 December 2009, 21:54

butchloc

find one of them thar gun buybacks

21 December 2009, 22:01

Bill/Oregon

Too bad about the bore and the chamber. They are very accurate guns in 6.5 Jap.

21 December 2009, 22:55

AfricanHunter

quote:
Originally posted by kcstott:
A buddy of mine was given this pile without consulting me first. The bore is toast, damn near smooth. it has been rechambered to 6.5-257 roberts He doesn't reload. And the stock is about useless other fire wood. So Other then a door stop or a wall hanger is this thing worth anything to rebuild to any degree? At the bare minimum it would need a new barrel..

In as much as I dispise anything Jap related to WWIi, I'd cut it up with a torch and take it to the junkie as get something. They killed a lot of good American with that junkie looking stuff
Looking for options but as of right now I've told him it ain't worth the effort or money.

21 December 2009, 23:41

D Humbarger

quote:
The bore is toast, damn near smooth

Don't be too sure of that just yet. They were chromed & had orb (polygon) rifling which can appear smooth if real dirty. Just take a close look after cleaning throughly.

22 December 2009, 01:00

Stonecreek

As mentioned in an earlier post, it is believed to be a hell-for-strong action. A stainless steel high-pressure steam valve is also hell-for-strong and would make about as attractive a rifle. Its highest and best use would probably be as a basis for a restoration of an original configuration military rifle -- which somebody would probably want and which would be most useful if you anticipate an extended career as a Japanese re-enactor of the battle for Iwo Jima.

22 December 2009, 01:24

kcstott

quote:
Originally posted by D Humbarger:
quote:
The bore is toast, damn near smooth

Don't be too sure of that just yet. They were chromed & had orb (polygon) rifling which can appear smooth if real dirty. Just take a close look after cleaning throughly.

interesting because that is exactly what it looks like.

22 December 2009, 01:27

weaveman

clean bore and see if it shoots decently if it does you could use it as a beater truck gun

james

22 December 2009, 01:29

jeffeosso

get a coffee can, and some foaming bore cleaner ...

squirt it from both ends .. let sit for 2-3 hours, squirt again, let rest.. then brush it out with a .308 brush ...

and THEN patch it and look it.

if you THEN thnk you don't have anything to work with .. expect to replace stock and barrel ..

i would do it as a 308, my self.

22 December 2009, 01:33

craigster

quote:
Originally posted by AfricanHunter:
quote:
Originally posted by kcstott:
A buddy of mine was given this pile without consulting me first. The bore is toast, damn near smooth. it has been rechambered to 6.5-257 roberts He doesn't reload. And the stock is about useless other fire wood. So Other then a door stop or a wall hanger is this thing worth anything to rebuild to any degree? At the bare minimum it would need a new barrel..

In as much as I dispise anything Jap related to WWIi, I'd cut it up with a torch and take it to the junkie as get something. They killed a lot of good American with that junkie looking stuff
Looking for options but as of right now I've told him it ain't worth the effort or money.

Mausers also killed a lot of good Americans and many others as well. Is there a difference?

22 December 2009, 02:07

Rub Line

I may be in the minority here, but I hate to see an action go to waste. If you have a machine shop and some time, go ahead and screw a new tube one it, carve out a stock and you got a truck gun. sometimes ugly can be good. otherwise part it out.

22 December 2009, 02:21

merlinron

in all seriousness, P.O. Ackley said of those guns that were found along the beaches where we faught the japenese, the the barrels were coroded half way to the bore from the saltwater, but the bores,because of the hard chroming, once cleaned, looked as good as new. his testing of double loads and firing into a completly blocked barrel, showed that the actions were far stronger than any others.
too bad they were so danged ugly. i've seen several pics of them as sporters and you just can't grind the ugly off of them!.

22 December 2009, 03:53

Alberta Canuck

The first semi-custom I ever had put together was built on a M-38 Arisaka from the Tokyo arsenal. It got a 26" #4 profile Douglas barrel chambered for .25-06, an Anthony Guymon laminated varmint stock, a nice Blu-Blak bluing (which I did), a Timney trigger, Micro-Sight bolt handle, and a Lyman 6-X scope. Bolt and bolt handle were polished bright.

It was actually a very nice looking and shooting rifle when completed. It was also the best .25-06 I have ever owned for field shooting. Far outperformed my Sako Forester and my current Ruger #1-V for both accuracy and velocity.

If I were to do it again today, I'd pick either the .257AI Roberts cartridge or the .250AI Savage rather than the .25-06 because the cartridge box really isn't long enough for '06-based cases.

Still, when I finally traded in that rifle 15 years later (on a Browning Safari .458) at the Custom Gun Shop in Edmonton, the little old Jap wasn't on their shelves more than a couple of hours. One of the folks who had seen me use it in the field snapped it up....

So, my advice would be: Clean the bore then try shooting it as is. Mr. Humbarger was correct, often those poly barrels are perfectly fine...the lack of corners on the rifling can be misleading. If it turns out the barrel IS toast, then at least consider putting an A&B, a Shaw, or some other inexpensive barrel on it. It might just surprise you as a field rifle.

Edited to add:

Since you don't need beauty for a deep woods rifle, clamboring around in the snow & trees, it might be a neat vehicle to try a .338 Federal chambering in...whack them b'ars!!

22 December 2009, 04:07

D Humbarger

BTW the reciever threads are the same as the Colt Saur.

22 December 2009, 04:47

kcstott

Well for one ammo is not exactly easy to find for this thing so shooting it to check accuracy is going to be a challenge. But I will give it another cleaning and double check the bore to be sure. .308 or something just as common would be my choice as well just because a cheep barrel is easier to come by. If I did do the work for the friend I'd need to keep the costs down as he one don't have a lot of money and two this thing is going to require a lot of work to make it right.

Now as for the "Cut it in half" comment and the retort about a Mauser killing our american soldiers. Just remember your history before you chastise a rifle. Germany started the war twice yet Mausers and lugers are some of the most sought after firearms around.

The thing is the German soldiers were just doing there job too. It was the German government that was responsible for the deaths of our boys. Ol' Adolph and his cronies were the one pushing for world domination. It had nothing to do with the German grunt on the ground. He was just trying to stay alive like everyone else.

Sounds to me a few people should read "The Art of war" it will enlighten you. Don't take this the wrong way but if you take warfare personal well for one you are not a professional and two you have just stacked the deck in your enemies favor because now you will let emotion cloud your logic.

WWI and WWII aside the US created all it's own problems with countries and politics. We are are own worst enemy.

22 December 2009, 04:57

TCLouis

PO junk.
Send it to me, I am building a fence.

I haven't shot one of those since 1615 . . .
Of course it is only 1900 now.

If it is a carbine it may be one, that one of my ex's relatives decided I didn't need.
At least I can feel good knowing that they would NEVER find any ammo for it!

22 December 2009, 05:28

J.D.Steele

One of my smithing mentors had an Arisaka rechambered to 6.5-257, he called it his 257 Jap. It would put 'em all touching at 100 and was death on whitetails, as close to an all-around rifle as I've seen.

But it wuz MAJORLY ugly!

If your buddy would like to try the accuracy of the original barrel, I'll be happy to send you some once-fired resized brass or even some of my old handloads. I inherited the 6.5-257 reamer and have built several rifles in this splendid little chambering, I recommend it highly!
Regards, Joe

22 December 2009, 05:56

weaveman

if you have 6.5 x 55 dies and 257 roberts dies you can load your own ammo full length resize with 257 then expand neck and and seat bullets with 6.5 dies once brass is fired it chamber you can just use the the 6.5 dies to neck size only and reload unless the case base expands to much them you have to run the cases back thru the 257 die this method will atleast allow you to shoot it and decide whether or not to get correct dies or you may be able to set barrel back and rechamber to 6.5 x 55

james

22 December 2009, 06:10

tiggertate

quote:
Originally posted by Stonecreek:
As mentioned in an earlier post, it is believed to be a hell-for-strong action. A stainless steel high-pressure steam valve is also hell-for-strong and would make about as attractive a rifle. Its highest and best use would probably be as a basis for a restoration of an original configuration military rifle -- which somebody would probably want and which would be most useful if you anticipate an extended career as a Japanese re-enactor of the battle for Iwo Jima.

In the absence of those options, it would make a fine replica of those tacky rifle floor lamps that were for sale in Cabela's and elsewhere a hundred years ago.

22 December 2009, 06:17

Alberta Canuck

How many of you guys have ever shot a 6.5 Japanese rifle?

First off, correct ammo is available from Graf's. It is a splendid cartridge for deer.

Secondly, you cannot shoot full-length .257 Roberts cases necked up to 6.5 m/m in an original 6.5 Jap. The .257 case is 57 m/m long, while the Japanese case is 51mm long (or 52mm depending on which specs you believe).

Anyway, necking up a .257 case to 6.5 and seating a 6.5 bullet in it yields a cartridge which will not chamber in either a 6.5 Japanese OR a .257 Roberts.

A common conversion right after WWII was to run a .257 reamer and a 6.5 neck/throater reamer into an original Japanese chamber to create a cartridge known by a lot of different names, but which DID use a .257 Roberts case necked up to 6.5 m/m. There were also new reamers which combined the Roberts body and the 6.5 neck/throat. I still have one of those reamers even now, and it is labeled 6.5 Jap/.257 Roberts....

After the reamer is run in, a person CAN fire either standard .257 Roberts rounds in the rifle, or the correct 6.5/257. But if you shoot the .257 Roberts ammo in it, you'll get about the accuracy you might expect when shooting a .257" diameter bullet down a .264" groove diameter barrel.

Me, I wouldn't even do it with the right reamer. Chromed bores can be hell on reamers.

I like the cartridge, but when I use this reamer I just label it 6.5x57, 'cause that's basically what it is....and I chamber it in new barrels.

22 December 2009, 06:17

Tapper2

If you happen to know of someone that built a custom on a Howa action or a Vangard the barrel threads are the same, they may have a take-off barrel. I gave all mine to a gunsmith in Denver, CO. that uses Arisaka's almost exclsively....Tom

22 December 2009, 06:23

AfricanHunter

quote:
Originally posted by craigster:
quote:
Originally posted by AfricanHunter:
quote:
Originally posted by kcstott:
A buddy of mine was given this pile without consulting me first. The bore is toast, damn near smooth. it has been rechambered to 6.5-257 roberts He doesn't reload. And the stock is about useless other fire wood. So Other then a door stop or a wall hanger is this thing worth anything to rebuild to any degree? At the bare minimum it would need a new barrel..

In as much as I dispise anything jap related to WWIi, I'd cut it up with a torch and take it to the junkie as get something. They killed a lot of good American with that junkie looking stuff
Looking for options but as of right now I've told him it ain't worth the effort or money.

Mausers also killed a lot of good Americans and many others as well. Is there a difference?

I don't get excited about mil 98's either, but the question was about a jap (and no the aren't entitled to capital ("J") product. I only use a Brevex in the Mauser design and the French made it. Other wise English doubles or Win 70's

22 December 2009, 07:30

Mark

quote:
Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
How many of you guys have ever shot a 6.5 Japanese rifle?

First off, correct ammo is available from Graf's. It is a splendid cartridge for deer.

<SNIPPED TEXT>

My first bolt action rifle was a bubba sporterized 6.5 Arisaka. So I have a soft spot for them in my heart as well. AND I have to say that I've always liked the safety on them, pretty foolproof and easy to take off with your thumb even when scoped.

As I mentioned above, if the barrel is junk I'd look at chambering one in 308. However, if it is turning out the barrel is actually OK then I'd suggest rechambering it in 260 remington and be done with it.

The 6.5 X 50 round is pretty cool looking, but having reasonably available factory ammo is a big plus for someone who doesn't reload.

22 December 2009, 09:47

Alberta Canuck

Re-chambering to .260 MAY work, but it also MAY requiring setting the barrel back a thread or so. The parent case of the .260 (the .308) is also only 51 m/m long, and depending on the individual barrel, may not clean up the 6.5 Japanese chamber...especially as the Japanese round is throated for 156 (or even 160 grain bullets in at least some rifles.

Setting the barrel back is still possible, but it is a pain when a person wants the front and rear sights to come truly back up to the top. Not hard to do if a person pays attention, but takes a bit of extra time and care.

Edited to add: Yes, that safety is a positive user's feature. The bolt is also one of the very few which can be dis-assembled and re-assembled while it is still in the action with the bolt handle turned down. Pretty handy if it freezes up on a guy in sub-zero temps. He can just yank it apart and do whatever is required to remove any frozen oil or water. It also has the mainspring inside the striker, not around the outside of it, which makes freeze-up a lot less likely.

The gun is a user's tool, not a range or safe queen, but it was well designed for working purposes and, until the war years, very well built. Until into the war years, it had much more elaborate heat-treating than many western European or American receivers. That heat treating is what made it stronger than many Mausers of the same design vintage, though it used slightly less metal.

And before anyone brings up the "cast" actions, it is worth noting that those cast rifle actions were intended by the Japanese for drill, assembly and disassembly training, and manual of arms training purposes, not for firing....

22 December 2009, 13:27

TRX

> And before anyone brings up the "cast" actions,

Like the various Rugers, or the commercial Mauser 98 castings that have been showing up on gunbroker lately, or any of the other rifles with cast receivers.

Just because something starts as a casting doesn't mean it is bad. Proper design, material selection, and heat treat are much more important.

22 December 2009, 14:28

JBrown

quote:
Originally posted by TRX:
> And before anyone brings up the "cast" actions,

Like the various Rugers, or the commercial Mauser 98 castings that have been showing up on gunbroker lately, or any of the other rifles with cast receivers.

Just because something starts as a casting doesn't mean it is bad. Proper design, material selection, and heat treat are much more important.

Which "commercial Mauser 98" are made from castings?

Jason

"You're not hard-core, unless you live hard-core."
_______________________

Hunting in Africa is an adventure. The number of variables involved preclude the possibility of a perfect hunt. Some problems will arise. How you decide to handle them will determine how much you enjoy your hunt.

Just tell yourself, "it's all part of the adventure." Remember, if Robert Ruark had gotten upset every time problems with Harry
Selby's flat bed truck delayed the safari, Horn of the Hunter would have read like an indictment of Selby. But Ruark rolled with the punches, poured some gin, and enjoyed the adventure.

-Jason Brown

22 December 2009, 15:48

D Humbarger

the "cast actions are very quickly identified because they had NO locking lugs. They were drill rifles.

22 December 2009, 17:16

papapaul

This is sort of a discussion of changing times. It harkens back to a time when not everybody had a good deer rifle. A decent shooting rifle in any configuration had worth. Now, we are awash in decent bolt guns. How many to you have which would qualify as "Deer rifles"? 5, 10, 15, 20?? This brings back memories of trying to find a deer rifle to go hunting with, and then trying to find ammo for it.