Please Help Identify This Rifle

[mallc]

I bought what appears to be a very nice rifle at a flea market yesterday. The seller's story is that it belonged an avid hunter who died in 1970 and has been sitting in a closet since his last trip.

The rifle came with two stocks, both custom and both glass bedded. I was told it was a 6.5 mm but I have not yet verified the caliber and rifle clearly has not been fired for several years. The bore was very dusty but is in excellent condition.

It has something inside the trigger guard which dosen't appear to do anything now but may have been a magazine release.

It's fitted with a Lyman front sight and nicely adjustable rear sight that has no brand name.

It has a fairly short barrel, about 18" from receiver to the muzzle. The fit of barrel to action is outstanding.

It has no brand marking.

Serial number 128--- followed by 3 interlocking circles is stamped on the left side of the receiver. Two additional stamps follow the cirlces.

The underside of the receiver is stamped with what appears to be a Greek character sort of like an A with the right leg circling over itself followed by the number 965. There is a very small raring stallion stamped under the 9.

The side of the barrel is stamped with a sideways S followed a triangle in a circle pointing toward the muzzle.

The bottom of the barrel is stamped with a 4 and then a separate set with: KC (or G) sideways S, some funky stamp and then DM (or H)

The bolt handle appears to have been sportorized.

The bolt is removed from the action by lifting a lever on the left side of the action.

Any ideas as to what this might be please?

Thanks,
Scott

 

[rcmodel]

It appears to be an extensively sporterized Jap Type 38 6.5mm Ariska of some sort, with the receiver crest ground off.

Probably better do some chamber casting and see what else might have been done to it before you even consider shooting 6.5x50mm Jap in it.

That guy with the grinder coulda had a wildcat chamber reamer too!

rcmodel

 

[Bartkowski]

Ya, looks like a modified 38 to me too. You should take it to a gunsmith to be sure its safe.

 

[MMCSRET]

I purchased a very nicely sporterized 7.7 jap that had a stock almost identical to yours, rifle was very nicely finished with a custom bolt handle and engine turned finish on the bolt body and extractor. Polish and blue very finely done, beautiful bore and a fine shooter after some load development work. Good guns and unique in this day and age. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

 

[SDC]

The overlapping circles is the mark of the arsenal that built the rifle; if the mark is two smaller circles inside a larger circle, that's the mark of the Nagoya arsenal, and if it is three circles placed at 120 degree segments around the outside of a circle of the same size (it's supposed to represent a stack of cannonballs, looking down from the top), then it's the Koishikawa arsenal.

 

[kragluver]

The Type 38 Jap rifles were known for very strong receivers (see P.O. Ackley's testing). I too would have a chamber cast done prior to assumption of caliber. Looks like a nice sporter.

 

[Vaarok]

Yep, sporterized Type 38, caliber could be 6.5 Japanese, .257 Roberts, or any number of others.

The safety is engaged by pushing and twisting the fancy-looking button on the back of the bolt, in case you didn't know or it has a trigger-blocking safety.

 

[mallc]

Thanks Guys

I found another that looks just like this one on line. It was reamed for 257 Roberts necked up to .264.

It looks like someone was building a lot of these at one time. Is there any way to chase the history?

Scott

 

[xd45gaper]

It appears to be an extensively sporterized Jap Type 38 6.5mm Ariska of some sort, with the receiver crest ground off

+1 that bolt gives it away

 

[TEDDY]

6.5 jap

I had one in 6.5/257 roberts.I know who did the sporterizing on mine.that was common cal at the time,fir 257 roberts then reload with 6.5 bullet.I still have the dies.