Working on a jap type 38

[mwells72774]

Wanting to get it drilled and tapped and the bolt bent but the smiths here local won't touch the project. When I ask further they say that the jap rifles are too hard on their equipment. Are the actions that strong?

 

[Scorch]

Arisaka actions are very strong. But probably the main reason is that they are hard, as well. Hard enough that I would use carbide drills on it. Your smith may not have carbide drills. Or he may not be set up to cut metric threads, or he cannot forge the bolt or weld on a bolt handle, or whatever. Arisakas do not really lend themselves well to being the foundation for custom rifles due to the safety knob and lack of replacement triggers.

 

[tangolima]

He just didn't want to do it, that's all. It is not that difficult to drill. Arisaka is not a good candidate for mounting a scope if you want to use the safety. Why the hassle?

-TL

 

[wachtelhund1]

I also believe your gunsmith just did not want to take the project on. What are your plans for the rifle? A nice sporterized rifle or just shooter? Do your own drilling and tapping for scope bases, it is no big deal. If you're half way mechanical and have access to a drill press you can do it yourself. They have jigs for drilling and tapping bolt action rifles, but they are expensive. Watch a couple of You Tube videos and make your own jig. Midway has a good video for drilling and tapping a Mauser action. I think Midway also gas videos on bolt bending. Drill bits and taps can be ordered from Midway. Find a piece of round stock steel which will fit in the receiver and a piece of flat stock 3/16 or 1/4" steel. Mark a center line on both, drill both and tap the round stock so you can put the round stock in the receiver and bolt the flat stock to the top of the action with two bolts going though the receiver opening into the round stock. Center the flat stock on top of the action and bolt the two together tight, mark the position for the bases on the center line on the flat stock. Remove the jig and position bases on center line and mark the holes on the flat stock. Drill pilot holes with a drill press into the flat stock. Now you have your jig. Re-assemble the jig on the receiver, tighten it well and drill the scope base holes. Then tap. I have a very nice sporterized T-38. It was drilled and tapped for scope bases and the bolt was bent when I got it, but it was too short to work comfortably with a scope, so I welded a chunk of steel to the end of the bolt, ground and shaped it. I even checker the stock my self.

 

[mwells72774]

Wanting to make a nice hunting rifle.

Ive kinda got access to a machine shop but its intimidating for me. Ive got a basic understanding of drill press operations but its very basic. I might be able to work it. Are the videos on midways website?

I'll keep it in the 6.5x50 for a while since I snagged 119pcs of brass for $20

 

[wachtelhund1]

Here is a post on how to bend the bolt handle: http://www272.pair.com/stevewag/bb/bb.html

And Midway video on drilling and tapping scope bases: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-_eglLgUXg

 

[Gunplummer]

I think the "Guy" did not want to do it either. The receiver steel is easily drilled (About 38RC) but you have to use a sharp tap and be careful with it. Just turn the tap about 1/2 to one turn before backing up. This will "Break" the chips and stop the tap from becoming "Chip bound". Do not use what is referred to as a "Gun tap". Use a "Bottoming tap". Gun taps are for through holes and will break because the chips will come out like wire and the tap will jam when you try to back up. The safety on an Arisaka is probably the only military bolt action that makes scope mounting allowable with no safety modifications. I don't count the Carcano because scope mounting is generally on the side. I have used scoped Arisakas to hunt with for years mainly because they can be lightened up and the safety is extremely fast to manipulate when you get used to it.

 

[F. Guffey]

I have at least 3 receivers, while digging I will come across one of them, look at it and then remember why there is nothing about it that impresses me. I read the Japanese rifle was the strongest rifle in the world and that is always followed by something Ackely did or said. AND? I always say, forget the rifle, I want the cases. Then there is that story about this guy??that ran a 30/06 chamber reamer in to the 6.5mm50 chamber etc.. And I always say "Think about that and how impossible that would be", and we know that never works because the story about "THIS GUY" STARTS CHANGING AND MODIFICATION TO THE STORY follow".

Everyone with a Japanease receiver pick it up and make observations, feel free to post. I have 3 with 2 rifles, I have applied the leaver policy to them, I leaver the way I founder.

Deductive reasoning, if the receiver is the strongest in the world I should be able to chamber one to 8mm Remington mag.

F. Guffey

 

[mwells72774]

If it was full military then I wouldnt touch it but its been shortened and put in a sporter stock. Sadly it still has the mum

 

[Clark]

I got this Type 38 nicely sporterized with a Springfield barrel in 300 Sav for $45 at a pawn shop ~ 15 years ago.

I drilled and tapped it, and reamed it out to 308.

It is just like working on an early Mauser.

 

[mwells72774]

I'm quite jealous

 

[Gunplummer]

That is a type 99. I had one that had the barrel set back and was reamed to .300 Savage. At 100 yards it was really accurate. I don't know about farther, I never tried it past 100 on a range. I have seen others at Gun shows and flea markets, so it must have been a popular conversion.

 

[Gunplummer]

Here is my "Go to" mountain rifle. It is a T-99 action with a 7x57 barrel surplus Mauser barrel. The stock is T-38. All the hardware and anything else I could, is made out of 7075 aluminum or titainium. Some of the baked on finish is wearing off the aluminum and titanium, but it has seen some rough hunting seasons. I had a 6MM REM that was the same at one time.

Can't get photobucket to work on this forum?

 

[Clark]

Gunplummer
That is a type 99.

You forced me, Mr. Magoo, to put on his glasses are read DeHaas.
I am now correcting my spread sheet and the tags on the Arisakas around here.
I have (4) Arisakas:
1999 $100 Type 38 6.5
2000 $45 type 99 sporterized 308Win drilled and tapped [shown in pic above]
2002 $60 type 99 sporterized 300Sav Redfield peep
2011 $100 type 99 6.5

 

[mwells72774]

Clark, you cant tease us like that. Its like inviting us all to a topless bar and they are all dressed...

Have any pictures? Im trying to decide how i want to bend the bolt. Snagged a harbor freight drill press last night, so I can D&T

 

[Clark]

Pictures are easy, distinguishing a type 99 from 38 was hard.

 

[wachtelhund1]

Here is my Arisaka posted again, 6.5X57 Mauser. The original safety is intact and I still use it sometimes, not an issue even with the scope. However, I replaced the trigger with a Timmy trigger which has a side safety. A friend borrowed this gun this last deer season and dropped a Northern Wisconsin 11 point buck in its tracks with one shot.

I fired formed my brass from 7X57mm. It wears a Nitrex TR-1 scope and cheap Midway Adams & Bennett barrel (probably Green Mountain). It shoots sub-MOA groups with Hornady InterLock Bullets 264 Caliber, 6.5mm 129 Grain Spire Point bullets at 2,900 fps. For me it is a very nice sporter.

 

[mwells72774]

What are the thread patterns? If i decide to rebarrel I think I want to go 260 for ease of components.

Made a Awesome deal. Uncle with machine shop said he'd drill and tap for a couple hundred cast projectiles. For his 30-30.

 

[Gunplummer]

Here we go again. Lets see if it picks it up this time. I don't like using attachments but I can not seem to get photobucket to work. This is the 7x57 I was talking about.

 

[Gunplummer]

Thread pitch on a T-38 barrel shank is 1.75 MM. You may have feed problems with a .260. Most Arisakas do not adapt well to feed .308 based cartridges. Here is my 6.5 "Thumper" that I re-cut to 6.5x55 and use 160 Gr RN bullets. It is an ugly gun, but it knocked a lot of deer over already. The other rifle is a 6.5 carbine I picked up years ago. I had a long eye relief scope on it for a while. Looking at the stock, I would say someone had a long winter somewhere.