Arisakas

Mitch Rapp

Well-Known Fanatic
Joined
Jan 16, 2011
Messages
898
Location
Tulsa area
Was thinking about getting a mil surp rifle that my wife and children could enjoy, and deer hunt with. Was wondering if yall had any experience with the Arisakas in general, and the 6.5 mm ones specifically. I'm thinking/hoping that that would be a low recoil gun that would be well suited to smaller framed shooters.
 

dennishoddy

Moderator
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
11,701
Location
Ponca City, Ok
I don't know anything about that caliber. I had a 7.7 jap Arisaka years ago that was given to me and I sold it, because there was ammo available, but not in my area in the early 80's. Al Gore had just invented the Internet but I didn't have it. :D

Two years ago at a farm auction I bought an Arisaka that had been rebarreled to a .300 Savage. Identical ballistics to a .308. They also had a Bishop stock on it that really got my attention. Bishop is out of business now, but the wood grain and pattern is beautiful. Somebody did engraving on it which was marginal, but really gives character to the gun. I've killed a couple of deer with it, so it's good to go for me. :D
 

aeropb

Well-Known Fanatic
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
405
Location
Oklahoma City
If you handload I say go for it. Brass is available for purchase or you could form your own. And you get the super amazing .264 diameter bullets.
 

coolhandluke

Active Fanatic
Joined
Feb 17, 2011
Messages
29
Location
Yukon, OK
Kevin,

Have you thought about getting a Swede in 6.5 x 55 instead? A Swede will run about the same puchase price as an Arisaka, but you'll be getting way more gun IMO. An M38 would probably be easier for the wife or kids to manage due to it's shorter length. An M96 might be a little too long for their liking. If you can find one with the vasteras sight inserts that's a bonus.
 

dennishoddy

Moderator
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
11,701
Location
Ponca City, Ok
A lot of folks swear by the 6.5X55.

Back on the Arisaka's. I'm too lazy to look, but there was a big gun writer that used to work for one of the gun companies that said the early arisaka's were the only gun he couldn't blow up in testing.

That being said, the early models are the one he was talking about. The 7.7 Japs manufactured in the latter parts of the war were made of substandard material, and sometimes shot wood bullets, as that was all they had.

Some research about that milsurp in the arisaka would be in order. I used to keep up with it, but its been awhile and forgot.
 
Top