Arisaka type 1 design questions

[tahunua001]

I don't own one but would like to some day. in the mean time I have questions about the design.

I know they are an amalgamation of Arisaka and Carcano design features built in italy for the Japanese navy but this is where the water gets murky. the Carcano is widely regarded to be one of the weakest actions of WWI/WWII era while arisakas are regarded to be among the strongest. given that the type 1 uses a carcano style bolt does this mean that it has a weak action or does the japanese meddling in the design somehow make it stronger?

also barrels. did the italians use their standard 268 diameter barrels and just shorten the chamber to take 6.5x50mm or did they actually make them in .264 diameter bores?

and as long as we are discussing those topics, does the type 1 use progressive rifling or concentric? were they microgrooved like other japanese rifles or did they use standard italian grooves?

 

[Edarnold]

According to authority Haas ('Bolt Actions') there's really nothing wrong with the strength of the Carcano action. The concerns arise from the way the bolt sleeve is retained by a small lug, so that IF the lug metal crystallizes AND a primer pierces badly the bolt sleeve MIGHT blow out. A lot of ifs, and I don't know if there are any authenticated reports of this happening. I suspect the main problem is that the action just looks clunky compared with contemporary Mauser and Mannlicher designs.
Anyway, the Japanese apparently thought the action serviceable, as did the Finns and others who got Carcanos during WW2.

 

[rule303]

It is a type I like Italy, not type 1. The barrels are built to 6.5x50 Jap specs, with .264 bores, they weren't cobbled together from surplus 6.5x52 barrels. All of the ones I have seen have been in very good condition, there is speculation that the Japanese never used them. The Type I is one of the most fun milsurps to shoot IMO.

 

[tahunua001]

alright, sorry but I posed this inquiry to two separate forums.

so far the consensus is that the Type 'I' is more than capable of accepting the pressures of 6.5x50 loads which is all I would ever want it to do, if I ever got one there would no way in hell of me rechambering it.

according to the members on the other forum the barrels use metford(micro) grooves like other japanese rifles and as of yet it's not confirmed whether they used gain twist or not but it's pointing towards yes. nobody was clear on bore diameter so it looks like score one for THR with .264 bores.

now I'll pose some other questions.

the stock, is it single piece or does it use the two piece method that japanese arisakas used?

and sights, do they use carcano style or mauser style sights?

 

[wolf695]

The 6.5 and 7.7 jap, are okay weapons, they are their copied versions of the german mauser design. I own a few because you can reload various other calibers to put in them. For example a 6.5 can use a 220 swift round with a little modifation, to the casing. There were 2 main factories in japan the cranked them out. The older models with airplane sights are most sought after by collectors. They changed the sights to staight on, after many issues with soldiers. Look for a mum on the top of the reciever, thats one sure fire way to tell what you have. After the war thousands of them were brought to the usa. They run from 50.00$ to 800.00$ depending on what model and its condition.

 

[303tom]

The Arisaka type I makes a great platform for the 6.5x55 swede !................

 

[Romeo 33 Delta]

Go for it! I like shooting mine. Frankly, it might as well be a magazine-fed M-1891 with more "usual" sights, especially the rear as far as shooting it.

Years back I picked up a Bubba Odd-ball. Someone with lots of time mated an Italian Model 38 SR 7.35 barrel to a Japanese Type I, properly shortened the fore-end and remounted the Japanese front band for the Type 30 bayonet.

So ... a Type I Model 2, magazine fed, .30 caliber, Short Rifle with a useable bayonet.

 

[tahunua001]

wolf this discussion is not about the type 38 and type 99 rifles but rather the type I built in italy as a hybrid between arisaka and carcano rifle designs.

the action has nothing in common with the arisakas built in japan. also, the anti aircraft sights were only dropped on the last ditch rifles. my type 99 still has them intact and don't quote me on this but I believe it's a 7th series so fairly late production.

and romeo, I currently can't afford one and don't know of any currently for sale so as it was stated in the OP, this is just to educate myself better on their construction.

 

[mr.trooper]

Nothing wrong with either action. Both are fine service rifles, and the Type I is no exception.

 

[Romeo 33 Delta]

Tahunua001 ... every so often I'll see them come up on GB ... generally running $250-$350 (though I did see a nice one go for about $150 ... have seen askings for $450-ish) .

But, if you can't do it right now ... I get that, but don't give up hope. I see more of them than I do Hungarian M35s or 98/40s. Probably more like a M-95M in terms of overall frequency of showing up.

 

[Ian]

The Type I uses a Japanese style two-piece stock, with the bottom of the butt dovetailed onto the main piece of wood.

Sights are basically the same as Type 38 Arisaka sights, not like a Carcano's at all.

They also use standard rifling, not progressive twist. Basically, they are Type 38 Arisakas with split bridge receivers.