I inherited my Grandpa's rifle 20 years ago and am finally finding time to look into it, was told by my Dad that it was a Arisaka (think its a 6.5 model 38) action with a 300 savage barrel, I'm looking to find/make ammo for it and am looking for advise/info on doing so, my nephew reloads a fair amount of ammo for himself and a few friends, he has AR-15 and various other rifles and guns, have more pictures, any help would be greatly appreciated, also got Gramps Remington Model 11 shotgun that I have shot and enjoyed for years, thanks Grant
Granpa's Rifle
- Thread starter gttech451
- Start date
Geezerbiker
New member
It looks like a well done conversion on a type 38. I would need to see the left side of the receiver. I can't tell if it's been rebarreled or just rechambered but I'm betting on rebarreled. A chamber cast would be a very good idea...
Tony
Tony
Mike Irwin
Staff
Definitely an Arisaka.
I've heard of Type 38s being reworked to .300 Savage, given that the cases are almost the same length (.300 is about 1mm longer, IIRC).
It took someone who knew what they were doing to make the adjustments to the magazine to ensure proper feeding.
.300 savage is commonly available; worse comes to worst you can always run .308 Winchester into a .300 Savage die, trim to length, and reload using the LOWEST .300 Savage recipe for your chosen powder/bullet combination and carefully working your way up.
I've heard of Type 38s being reworked to .300 Savage, given that the cases are almost the same length (.300 is about 1mm longer, IIRC).
It took someone who knew what they were doing to make the adjustments to the magazine to ensure proper feeding.
.300 savage is commonly available; worse comes to worst you can always run .308 Winchester into a .300 Savage die, trim to length, and reload using the LOWEST .300 Savage recipe for your chosen powder/bullet combination and carefully working your way up.
Mike Irwin
Staff
If the barrel were from a Savage, it would be so marked with Savage's address and such.
However, the Type 38 rifle used a barrel roughly 800mm long (31 inches and change) and with metric threads.
I sincerely doubt if Savage ever made any barrels of that length or with metric threads.
Also, given what I can see in the picture, the barrel where it screwed into the receiver looks like an Arisaka barrel.
It wasn't unknown for the barrels to be bored out and rerifled.
I suppose that it's possible that another barrel from another gun was fitted, but it would be, I think, more difficult to adapt the barrel extension threads that it would be to rebore and rerifle the barrel.
EDIT IN:
OK, I just saw the picture you showed of the front sight - it's either a replacement barrel or the original barrel has been shortened somewhat.
However, the Type 38 rifle used a barrel roughly 800mm long (31 inches and change) and with metric threads.
I sincerely doubt if Savage ever made any barrels of that length or with metric threads.
Also, given what I can see in the picture, the barrel where it screwed into the receiver looks like an Arisaka barrel.
It wasn't unknown for the barrels to be bored out and rerifled.
I suppose that it's possible that another barrel from another gun was fitted, but it would be, I think, more difficult to adapt the barrel extension threads that it would be to rebore and rerifle the barrel.
EDIT IN:
OK, I just saw the picture you showed of the front sight - it's either a replacement barrel or the original barrel has been shortened somewhat.
Geezerbiker
New member
It's a type 38 for sure. I'm thinking the barrel is a replacement rather than a reworked original. I looked over my guns and the type 99 had the pressure relief hole on the right side of the receiver and the 38 has 2 on top.
I'd do a chamber cast and slug the bore before putting any ammo in it. These are very strong actions and I wouldn't worry about shooting any factory loads in it if, it is indeed chambered for .300 Savage...
The thing is there were several 6.5mm wildcat rounds for the type 38, the most notable was the 6.5/.257 Roberts but I wouldn't be surprised at a 6.5/.300 Savage...
Tony
I'd do a chamber cast and slug the bore before putting any ammo in it. These are very strong actions and I wouldn't worry about shooting any factory loads in it if, it is indeed chambered for .300 Savage...
The thing is there were several 6.5mm wildcat rounds for the type 38, the most notable was the 6.5/.257 Roberts but I wouldn't be surprised at a 6.5/.300 Savage...
Tony
Mike Irwin
Staff
I don't know of anyone in the 1950s through 1970s who was making replacement barrels for the Type 38.
It's interesting to think about, though, that a company out there was offering barrels in different chamberings.
Whoever turned the bolt down did a very nice job, so it's possible that that someone took a barrel blank and turned the proper threads and chambered it.
"the most notable was the 6.5/.257 Roberts but I wouldn't be surprised at a 6.5/.300 Savage..."
Good point.
It's interesting to think about, though, that a company out there was offering barrels in different chamberings.
Whoever turned the bolt down did a very nice job, so it's possible that that someone took a barrel blank and turned the proper threads and chambered it.
"the most notable was the 6.5/.257 Roberts but I wouldn't be surprised at a 6.5/.300 Savage..."
Good point.
Gunplummer
New member
It is a replacement barrel. It has way too heavy a taper up by the chamber to have been a reworked factory barrel. I never heard of a 6.5 / .300 but you never know. I have a T-99 I bought at a yard sale years ago that was reworked. I saw lots of others at shows also. The one I own is darn accurate @ 100 yards. They just moved the barrel back and re-cut the chamber.