jetinteriorguy
New member
Ah, interesting. Good luck with it. Post picks if you will during the build and finished product.
Rechambering an arisaka type 38
- Thread starter Connor M.
- Start date
reynolds357
New member
It's not practically doable and not safe, as has already been pointed out.
I can guarantee you that at the end of the project, you will say "I wish I had Spent $550 and bought the very nice 375 Ruger that Howa makes "
Jim Watson
New member
It is a (gunsmithing?) school project.
COTS is not an option.
I don't think the .375 R can be made to fit, but then I recall Ray Ordorica's article on a Mauser .416 Rigby.
COTS is not an option.
I don't think the .375 R can be made to fit, but then I recall Ray Ordorica's article on a Mauser .416 Rigby.
I'd talk with your instructor(s) and see if your grade will be entirely on the quality of your shop work, or if any part of it comes from the practicality and functionality of your conversion.
You can't make a working repeater using a .30-06 length round with a Type 38 action, unless you stretch the action to make it longer. You could make a single shot, but it might require removing the bolt in order to remove an unfired round. That functionally works, but its not a popular feature.
the way I see it, you're thinking of almost the equivalent of putting a V8 in a motorcycle. Technically, mechanically, it can be done. But, other than as an oddity, who would buy it? (and other than death daring thrill seekers -aka insane people- who would ride it??
)If your project is, in any way going to have any part of your grade figured on anything but your machine work, you should probably rethink the combination of TYpe 38 and .375 Ruger.
However it goes, good luck!
I have an old Type 99 that someone had rechambered to 30-06.
I had time, not much money and a machine shop and welder at my disposal.
My brother-in-law and I drilled and tapped it, it was very hard.
I cut the barrel to about 23" removed the rear sight, cut off, reshaped and welded the bolt handle back on. The problem was I used SS rod when Tig welding it. The pretty blue job did not like that!
I found a beautiful used Harry Lawson stock for next to nothing (who messes with an Arisaka), glass bedded the action, put a scope on it and loaded .311-.312 bullets for a 303 Brit in 30-06 cases with 30-06 dies. Not a hot load using IMR 4895 though it does seem to have some extra clearance close to the base looking at the fired brass. I used the brass one time and haven't shot it in 30 years.
The old gun shoots pretty good, safety is a bugger!
I had time, not much money and a machine shop and welder at my disposal.
My brother-in-law and I drilled and tapped it, it was very hard.
I cut the barrel to about 23" removed the rear sight, cut off, reshaped and welded the bolt handle back on. The problem was I used SS rod when Tig welding it. The pretty blue job did not like that!
I found a beautiful used Harry Lawson stock for next to nothing (who messes with an Arisaka), glass bedded the action, put a scope on it and loaded .311-.312 bullets for a 303 Brit in 30-06 cases with 30-06 dies. Not a hot load using IMR 4895 though it does seem to have some extra clearance close to the base looking at the fired brass. I used the brass one time and haven't shot it in 30 years.
The old gun shoots pretty good, safety is a bugger!