Rechambering Type 38 Arisaka to 6.5 Swede

[Scout21]

Can anyone comment on the feasibility of rechambering a Type 38 Arisaka chambered in 6.5 Jap to 6.5 Swedish Mauser?

I've got a friend who aquired a beautifully sporterized Arisaka and they want to rechamber it to 6.5 Swede. I tried looking up some info on how involved it would be to rechamber it, but I didn't find much. I found others asking the same question across various forum posts where, in typical fashion, people completely avoided the question and instead recommended that it be rechambered in .260 Remington or 6.5-257 or some other cartridge, which my friend does not want to do. They only want to rechamber it to 6.5 Swede, although if that isn't feasible they said they'd consider 6.5 Creedmore. Otherwise, they'd just leave it alone as a wall hanger.

Would there be any feeding or extraction issues to worry about if it were rechambered?

If rechambering it is possible, it would be done by a gunsmith as we don't have to tools or skills to do the work.

 

[troy fairweather]

Be hard getting past that chrome lining. Get some ppu ammo or brass the 6.5 jap is a nice little round.

 

[eastbank]

i don,t think all japanese m-38,s had chromed bores.

 

[theotherwaldo]

I'd leave it alone.
I only have one rifle in 6.5 Japanese, an Italian-made Type 'I'.
I like it as much as any of my four Swedes.

 

[kBob]

Will the longer 6.5 Swede fit the Type 38 magazine... either front to back or feed through the mag lips?

Seriously with the relative ease of getting 6.5 Japanese brass and loading dies that would seem to make about 47 times as much sense as carving up a rifle.

-kBob

 

[Scout21]

Will the longer 6.5 Swede fit the Type 38 magazine... either front to back or feed through the mag lips?

Seriously with the relative ease of getting 6.5 Japanese brass and loading dies that would seem to make about 47 times as much sense as carving up a rifle.

-kBob

We haven't checked, the Jap has an OAL of 2.94 inches and the Swede has an OAL of 3.15.

Reloading isn't an option.

 

[Scout21]

I'd leave it alone.
I only have one rifle in 6.5 Japanese, an Italian-made Type 'I'.
I like it as much as any of my four Swedes.

If you've got both a rifle chambered in Jap and in Swede, could you possibly check to see if the Swede cartridge will fit in the Type 38 magazine?

 

[CapnMac]

Will the longer 6.5 Swede fit the Type 38 magazine... either front to back or feed through the mag lips?

Yeah, that 6.5x50 magazine is going to be a poor fit for 6.5x55
That extra 5mm is a tough hurdle.
The appeal of the availability of 6.5x55 is strong.

 

[tark]

None of the type 38s had chrome bores. Only the type 99s did. The magazine will be fine, the Japanese 6.5X50 round featured a very long bullet which can be seen in the pic. The round next to it is a 7X57 with a 175 grain RNSP. As you can see, they are the same length. Most 6.5X55 loads should fit without any issues.

Your only problem might be the bolt face. The Swedish round is .020" larger in diameter at the base

 

[rdnktrkr]

I reload for my Arisakas with a 140gr (torpedo), you can find ammo online usually around $25-30 a box, in yrs past ammo came in 50rnd boxes but I haven't seen those in a while, if there is a mil gun show or an antique gun show close to you give them a try for ammo.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Quality gunsmithing isn't cheap. Even if done right there may still be little issues which need to be resolved.

Let's just guess the reaming, addressing feed ramp if needed, and the bolt face is $300 and all is perfect, could buy a fair amount of 6.5 Japanese ammo for that $300. Also, as reloading is off the table he's going to have to buy the Swede ammo in any case, so may as well buy the Japanese.

I wouldn't do it. Too many times these "simple" things in my life turned out to NOT be simple nor cheap in the long run.

 

[tark]

Gotta agree with Ohen. And the 6.5 X 50 is a splendid round in its own right.

But it's YOUR gun and if you are like me.....you love things that are "different" from everyone else's!

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Much trouble in life comes with the fixing of something that is not broken...
I'd keep it as it is.