Another new to me old gun day- Arisaka 38 carbine

my old Lyman manuals recommend slugging the bore, as wide variations in groove diameter are known to exist in these rifles. It's not impossible your gun might not be suited for .264" jacketed bullets, and if not, cast slugs of the right size are the way to go. Slug your bore, so you'll know, before loading any ammo for it.

Good Luck, and enjoy! Be safe, ALWAYS wear eye protection with these old rifles.
 
Looks like fun to me. I have a sporter and a carbine and they both like jacketed bullets. Although I have heard and seen 44 AMP's warning. There's quite a few guys on here that collect them.

The only modification I want to do to them is get a Timney trigger. To bad they didn't still sell the one like the Mausers that doesn't have the safety on the side.
 
I have a type 38 carbine as well. Was grandfathers bringback. I obtained a bolt, firing pin and safety. ( it was missing). Haven’t shot it yet, I heard it was a good idea to check the headspace? Idk how I would do that. But it’s really glad I got it back up and running
 
Thanks for the advice, I am going to start with jacketed 6.5mm bullets since I already have a good supply. I'll start in the low end of the reloading manuals, I really only want to make a decent plinking load for range trips on sunny summer days.
I don't envision shooting it more than a few hundred rounds a year.
 
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Lymann 44th suggests IMR 3031 powder, 31.2 grains pushing a 140 grain pill as being a factory duplication load. ON PAGE 39

Of course do your own tests but this is what I use and it works.
 
Haven’t shot it yet, I heard it was a good idea to check the headspace? Idk how I would do that.

You do that (check the headspace) by finding a gunsmith who has (rare) or can rent/borrow the proper headspace gauges for the cartridge and having him do it.

Rifles with excessive headspace are DANGEROUS TO SHOOT. Too much room in the chamber means the case stretches too much and can rupture. Ruptured case means 40,000psi or more gas running loose looking for every place it can get out and not just down the barrel. and, did I mention its less than a foot from your face when that happens??

If the bolt isn't the one that came in the rifle when it was made, you have no idea if the headspace is safe, or not. DON'T SHOOT IT.

If it is the bolt that was in it when new, its still a good idea to get the headspace checked because a lot of things could have happened in the 60,70 or 80+ years since it was made.
 
There is not a 6.5mm Japanese rifle that will pass a headspace check . All gauges , and cases are made much smaller than the chambers . When fired the small cases will fireform [ not explode ] to the chamber and then can be neck sized to extend case life . Any headspace check on a 6.5mm J is a waste of time and money .
 
4th Series, Nagoya Arsenal, probably mid 1930s. Looks to be in really good shape, shame about the Mum.
 
ernie8, thanks for the info about headspace. I have several enfields so I have more than a passing knowledge about how to load for rifles with generous chambers.

Thank goodness that Redding makes a neck sizing die…..too bad it $75.00...sigh,.
 
I just use a shortened cheap Lee 6,5mm Swede die .

That would certainly work, but that universal 6.5 Neck die from Hornady is only $30, and you don't need to do anything to it, except buy the shell holder.
 
"...my old Lyman manuals..." Most importantly they have properly tested data. There's somewhat limited data on Hodgdon's site too.
Go here for info on all things Japanese. http://www.nambuworld.com/arisakas.htm
$29.99 per 50 for Prvi brass at Midway. Norma is currently on Back order, but it's nearly twice the price at $53.99 on sale!. Same price for the Prvi at Graf's. Norma is out of stock there too. At least you can get it without having to sell an organ. snicker.
 
There's somewhat limited data on Hodgdon's site too.

That is where I got my data. I used H4895, using their reduced power loads with 140 grain Prvi bullets. Worked great.

On edit: There is also loads listed in the Hornady manual.
 
emcon5, I also use H4895 for my milsurplus rifles with slightly reduced loads.
I am planning on starting with 140 gr bullets and the min load of 32 gr of H4895. As long as it is fairly accurate I will probably not get too creative with other loads
 
T88 rifle (not carbine) with worn bore. Normal 0.264" bullets will tumble. Only the 0.268" torpedo bullet (Hornady seconds) from Graf's works. Now Graf's has discontinued that bullet. Have to load cast bullets. Still shoots ok.

BTW you don't need a neck die if you want to size for long chamber. Just raise full length sizing die. Partial length sizing that is.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
The bore in my carbine is bright and the rifling looks great, I am going to start with jacketed bullets and see how it shoots.

A bit more info, turns out it sat in a closet for 50 YEARS. A widow sold it when clearing out her house. She had no memory of ever seeing her husband shoot it....
 
Early T-38 rifle do not have " worn bores " , they were made that way . The groove size was .268 to .270 They switched groove size , and rifling style in the early 30's . Raising a standard die [ made too small to begin with ] for a rifle with an extra over sized chamber will not work as the fired case is still swollen too much to not be sized down .
 
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