Arisaka action test

[jcj54]

Arisaka completly surrounds the cartridge with the barrel shank and has very good gas venting in event of ruptured case. 1903 has unsupported case for about 1/8" ahead of extractor groove and poor gas venting on low number rifles. Very late war Arisaka rifles were of poor quality steel, you could not get me to shoot one. I won't shoot a low number 03 either.

[dave]

There are those who say late war jap rifles have good steel also. I never did any tests on them (and would not know how) as most people who give such "opinions". All Mauser type rifles have unsupported heads (a few exceptions) altho 1/8" seems an exaggeration to me. The Model 70 Win. is nothing but a sportered 1903 and they have been chambered in some pretty hearty calibers. I was only pointing out that general statements can not be made on the basis of one or two rifles, '03's included. I would not shoot the late war japs or LN '03 either, merely because there is no need to, there are plenty of 'good' ones around.

[Johnny P]

Learned scholars like Dr. Lyon use only the 1903's recorded by Hatcher to calculate your chance of having one fail as if they were the only ones that failed, but no one knows that total number. A search through SRS reveals receivers that failed before Hatcher started his study. The total number will never be known.

[aintright]

Well , I scoped it , put a 3-9x40 Japan made Tasco on it and zeroed it with Rem. 180gr. Cor Lokts . Shot two three shot groups with them and 3-4 inches was the results . So I hand loaded some 165 SGK over 52.6 gr. of IMR 4350 and ran the bullet out to 3.675" and still easily closed the bolt with no show of lands contact . Grouping wasn't much better , at least the holes where true . I'm not sure if the run out was due to the 311 bore or throat erosion . I am going to get some 311 bullets and try them , or maybe drop the smith and see what his bore scope shows on the throat . As a matter of fact , I will go by the smith and let him look at it as it appears someone may have filed the muzzle flat , if this is the case I will get him to re crown it if the throat and bore look worth the trouble .
Kenneth

[CHW2021]

As I remember, the Arisaka was one of the final refinements of the mauser design. The improvements that made this rifle stronger than the earlier 1903 and similar rifles included a chromed bore, different steel (and more quality control during manufacture) and more efficient gas porting. Also, the breech design allowed complete case head support to increase strength.
The Arisaka rifle was well designed and updated from the earlier bolt guns of WW2.

[dave]

Arisaka's have been around, same basic action, since early 1900's. Not "up dated " in WW11, unless you call stamped parts and poor machining Up-dating! Chrome bores does nothing for strength and only a comparative few had chrome bores.

[psteinmayer]

+1 on Dave's response. The 99's quality of manufacture decreased significantly and exponentially as the war dragged on... and Japan's impending defeat! Those of us lucky enough to have an early Type 99 (Toyo Kogyo Series 31 in my case) are rewarded with an excellent rifle of impressive quality. 99's of last ditch status are almost unshootable!

[S.B.]

Julius(sp) Hatcher wrote the article you're looking for in one of his books.
Steve

[joem]

I had a sported type 99. Traded it in for something else cause ammo was expensive. Wish I had kept it now that I reload.

[aintright]

not so sure about this . I was going to prep some brass and order some 311 bullets and see how she did . But when I went to resize the brass it was a bear to get the die all the way down . Even then it left a significant bulge at the base of the case . I'm not sure if this is something to worry about or not . If the case is completely supported , why would it bulge ?
Kenneth