7.7x58 mm Jap Ammo available

Just thought I would let everyone know... I was at Cabelas in Dundee Michigan last Saturday, and I found brand new boxes of Graf and Sons 7.7x58 Jap ammo on the shelf. There were two different loadings: 150 grain soft point for $28.95 a box, and 180 grain S5T point (plastic tip) for $30.95 a box. Both use the Privi brass, which is already annealed and great for reloading! I bought 2 boxes of the SST bullet rounds, and I'm probably going back next weekend to get more! Considering the scarcity of Norma, and the complete disappearance of Hornady 7.7 ammo... this is great news!

I keep having to stop myself mid sentence when people ask if you can get 7.7JAP. I start to tell them it is available at Academy. But then I have to clarify, "....at some Academys, some of the time." Some will have 6.5 and 7.7, others will have one but not the other, and some will have neither. This is the main reason I don't shoot my Arisakas.

Cabelas online has Norma and Graf in stock. Ventura Ammunition has reloads but I think pricey. SG Ammo has the Hornaday 150SST. Its out there. I buy a little at a time to build up inventory if the price is somewhat acceptable.

That's good to know gtodan... Thanks!

I understand this is not a reloading forum but years ago a shooter, collector, reloader was trying to locate 7.7 cases, he was a serious shooter. I formed 80 +/- a few cases and shipped them to him. When I formed the cases I formed 20 cases that were minimum length, I formed 20 cases that were go-gage length, I formed 20 cases that were no go-gage length and the rest were field gage length.

The logic; he did not know the length of the chamber from the shoulder to the bolt face. The minimum length sized cases allowed the bolt to close, go-gage length sized cases allowed the bolt to close with slight resistance; the no go-gage length cases would not allow the bolt to close nor would the field gage length sized cases.

To use the no go-gage length cases and the field gage length cases he had to size and trim the cases.

F. Guffey

If you can't find brass, just form it out of 30/06 brass. Take the capping pin out of the die, lube up the case and run it into the sizing die, trim to length.

Midway has had Privi Partizan 7.7x58 brass on a pretty regular basis now. The Privi brass is WAYYYYYYYY less expensive than the Norma brass too!

Does the chamber length vary that much in these rifles?

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Originally Posted by fguffey

I understand this is not a reloading forum but years ago a shooter, collector, reloader was trying to locate 7.7 cases, he was a serious shooter. I formed 80 +/- a few cases and shipped them to him. When I formed the cases I formed 20 cases that were minimum length, I formed 20 cases that were go-gage length, I formed 20 cases that were no go-gage length and the rest were field gage length.

The logic; he did not know the length of the chamber from the shoulder to the bolt face. The minimum length sized cases allowed the bolt to close, go-gage length sized cases allowed the bolt to close with slight resistance; the no go-gage length cases would not allow the bolt to close nor would the field gage length sized cases.

To use the no go-gage length cases and the field gage length cases he had to size and trim the cases.

F. Guffey

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Type 99 rifles have a very generous chamber... presumably to account for dirt and debris in the field of battle. When resizing my brass, they're always expanded to the point that they require a lot of lube and a lot of effort to size! As for variance in chamber length, I can't really say... but as far as chamber diameter - especially in the neck area, they usually have tons of room!

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Originally Posted by gtodan

Does the chamber length vary that much in these rifles?

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No, I did not know the length of his chamber so I formed the cases for different length chamber. He loaded the minimum length cases then chambered and fired then; that meant his chamber was go-gage length. He also loaded the go-gage length cases and then chambered and fired them. The no go-gage length cases would not chamber.

F. Guffey

I have been lucky I guess over the last 5 years or so I located about 20 odd boxes of Norma 7.7 and 6.5 at no more than $20 per box. Given its probably from the 60's or 70's but I am a lot older than that

Cabelas online has a lot of stuff listed they don't actually have. They're not the only place that does that though. Their web site doesn't list any 7.7 Jap ammo.
Midway lists Norma and Prvi 6.5 and 7.7 Jap. The Prvi stuff being brass only and currently on back order.

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Originally Posted by DRAGONFLYDF

If you can't find brass, just form it out of 30/06 brass. Take the capping pin out of the die, lube up the case and run it into the sizing die, trim to length.

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Am I remembering wrongly, but is that not one of the classic "do NOT do" recommendations from years back when a lot of bringbacks were being shot by GIs, and before proper ammo was available? Or, was that simply an old wive's tale even at the time?

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Originally Posted by Dick Hosmer

Am I remembering wrongly, but is that not one of the classic "do NOT do" recommendations from years back when a lot of bringbacks were being shot by GIs, and before proper ammo was available? Or, was that simply an old wive's tale even at the time?

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Way back, when dirt was young, and commercial 7.7 Jap was unavailable, I formed it from U.S., GI brass.
When fired, it formed the bulge just in front of the rim.
Much later, when commercial stuff was available, I tried some in the same rifle.
The very same bulge was there!
Fast forward to today . . . .
My reformed GI brass has OUTLASTED the more modern, commercial stuff!

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Originally Posted by JimF

Fast forward to today . . . .
My reformed GI brass has OUTLASTED the more modern, commercial stuff!

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Yup, the old stuff are always much tougher than the modern ones.

Re: Reformed brass. One thought. Load as normal for forming load. Wrap a turn or two of cellophane tape around the brass just above the rim. Fire as normal. IIRC, that was supposed to prevent any blow outs. Maybe. Have fired a lot of handloads in old military rifles with "generous" chamber dimensions. Never had a blow out. Don't want one. HTH. Sincerely. bruce.

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Originally Posted by bruce

Re: Reformed brass. One thought. Load as normal for forming load. Wrap a turn or two of cellophane tape around the brass just above the rim. Fire as normal. IIRC, that was supposed to prevent any blow outs. Maybe. Have fired a lot of handloads in old military rifles with "generous" chamber dimensions. Never had a blow out. Don't want one. HTH. Sincerely. bruce.

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Theory I suppose is to limit the opportunity for case expansion and rupture. Not the sort of thing I'd want to risk a collectable Arisaka rifle on.

Sometimes you get lucky, I was at the range last Sunday, and as usual I was scrounging through the brass bucket. Usually nothing but .223 and steel case 7.62X39 and the 7.62X54R but sometimes I get lucky and find 30-30 someone has discarded. This time I thought I saw some 30-06 but looking at the headstamp it was Norma 7.7 Jap. I couldn't believe it,40 rounds. I immediately went over to the trash can and there at the bottom were the two boxes with a price tag of $48.99 a box. SCORE!!! I felt like a kid a Christmas. I wish I had some of the money people throw away.

Awesome find!!! Wish I could get lucky like that....