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Mystery 38

17K views 25 replies 9 participants last post by  K75RT 
#1 ·
A friend gave it to me, it has a low serial no, sporterized, I think rebarreled (a270 bullet rolls around in the barrel and a 30.06 just doesn’t fit so it is bigger then a 6.5 ).
Any ideas guys ?
 

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#6 ·
that makes it @ 7mm.
I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't have an Arisaka with a 7x57 barrel screwed on it.


many of the 6.5 rifles were converted to 6.5X257 or sleeved down to 257 Roberts.
I've seen the 7.7 versions done in everything from 300 savage up through 0-6 over the years.
the 7x57 would have been a good safe recommendation back in the day.
 
#8 ·
May not be a type 38. I have not seen any of these rebarreled myself. I have seen the type 99 reworked to 3006 as many were back in the day. The pics are blurry and hard to see. Is the barrel replaced and does it have any marks or stampings on it.
 
#10 · (Edited)
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Here is what I think, it is a 38, it has been rebarreled, they used the original stock, but reworked it.
The mum was ground down and that area was redone real well, nice finish.
I refinished the stock, it was painted geen and reblued it. I know you’re supposed to leave them alone, but it was such a mess to begin with.
I hope it is a good shooter, I’ll find a 7x57 to see if that’s the right caliber.
 
#13 ·
The best and safest way to identify that chamber is by using some Cerosafe (available from Brownell's and other sources) to make a chamber casting. Here's a video that shows that process being used on a barrel. It is a little more difficult doing it on a barrel that is still attached to the action, but it is possible.
**************
 
#17 ·
I had one in my shop years ago that was done like this, it was a 7.7 that was rechambered to .300 Savage. The chamber had to be shorted to allow the barrel to be rechambered...I remember the owner telling me he loaded it with .303 bullets and it shot well...he had to have the dies adjusted for the larger diameter bullet...I have also seen the Jap 6.5 rechambered to 6.5 Swede, iirc it is basically going into the chamber with a 6.5 Swede reamer and cut until you reach headspace...
 
#22 ·
Oh man you are giving me ideas. If I can come across an old Arisaka 38. I like the 6.5x55 Swede Mauser round. The 6.5x50 reamed a bit. Ii have the reamers already. No bolt face work as close. .447 case base on the 6.5 Jap and .480 on the 6.5x55 casing base. 6.5 is .264 bullet
 
#21 ·
I have a 300 savage arisaka.
it's a real simple conversion, where you just cut the barrel off re-thread and clean up the chamber with a 300 reamer.
if you look at a 300 savage and the 7.7 round over posed with one another you can see how simple it would be.

anyway a 30 cal bullet won't fit in a 311 barrel because the rifling is 303-4 diameter on top of the lands, and the grooves are more in the 311-12 area.
a 308 bullet won't slip in [the muzzle] without hitting the rifling.
[it will drop in from the chamber end though]

I figured mine out by chambering an extra 250 savage case and then fire forming it with a load of bulls-eye and some toilet paper with a plug of wax in the neck.
 
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#25 ·
That close tolerance should not be a concern. Its well within specs I am thinking. I have did many Mauser rifles without doing any bolt face work. I did once have to install new extractor because claw was not quite long enough. I used to be able to get new non cut extractor with a long claw
 
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