Ariska 7.7

[luvall]

In herited a 7.7 arisaka that was rechambered to 308, but did not change out barrel. The 308 rounds have trouble feeding sine the case is .shorter than 7.7. Is it possible to use the 7.62x54 Russian ?
The 7.7 was 7.7x 58
just trying to work out feeding issues but not sure about making such an attempt.

 

[mkgr22]

You cannot use the Russian 7.62x54r. For one thing, the Russian cartridge has a rim that would keep the bolt from grasping the cartridge head.

If you are absolutely certain your rifle has been altered to .308 Winchester, then that is the only round you should use in it, with the exception of maybe the 7.62x51 NATO.

To make this re-chambering, someone would have had to shorten the barrel and cut a new chamber. If that was done properly, then the rifle would still be safe, but to feed the .308 cartridge, a spacer a little under a half in thick would be placed in the magazine well, and the follower may need to be trimmed to accommodate that.

 

[BGDave]

I've heard of converting them to 30.06 and even 8mm mauser. Groove diameter of the Arisaka is .311, 308 and 30.06 is .308. Your accuracy may be adversely affected. Now, the 8mm conversions would be dicey. Believe that bullet runs .323. Lot of squeeze going on. I'm enough of an old lady I'd do a chamber cast just to be sure. If it turnes out it is .308 you could always reload .311 bullets in a 308 case. Naturally this is internet advice. So, good luck with your rifle.

 

[LarryHoosier]

That is a new one for me! Seems strange to do that since 7.7 Japanese is readily available and 30-06 also a possibility? Maybe a gunsmith with too much time on his hands and a stockpile of 308 ammo. I would definitely cast that chamber unless the bbl is clearly marked.

 

[luvall]

It was convert and sporterized back in the 1950's. Dad used it for years hunting deer (northeastern PA).He harvested many deer hunting in the woods with most deer killed within 75 yars. As you can imagine beyond 75 yards accuracy isn't great. For where he hunted it worked but the shorter 308 rounds move about upon recoil. Sometimes a second shot was impossible due to misfeeds. Dad was a great shot and rarely needed 2 shots.
i was hoping to find an easy fix to feeding and accuracy. I guess it will be a sentimental gift. The value is very low and not worth cost of making any true fix.
thanks for all the great replies. INGO has such experienced members.

 

[BGDave]

You cannot use the Russian 7.62x54r. For one thing, the Russian cartridge has a rim that would keep the bolt from grasping the cartridge head.

If you are absolutely certain your rifle has been altered to .308 Winchester, then that is the only round you should use in it, with the exception of maybe the 7.62x51 NATO.

To make this re-chambering, someone would have had to shorten the barrel and cut a new chamber. If that was done properly, then the rifle would still be safe, but to feed the .308 cartridge, a spacer a little under a half in thick would be placed in the magazine well, and the follower may need to be trimmed to accommodate that.

This. A spacer in the magazine well. Easy fix. Remington 742s had spacers in the mags for short cartridges.

 

[Disposable Heart]

Larry Hoosier hit it on the head: With sporterized rifles like that, .30-06 (or 7.7-06 as it were ) was a more common adaptation.

First things first: It's kinda pricey but make sure it's going to be done right: Have a chamber mold cast to make sure it's .308. Some rounds can chamber in a chamber not designed for it...
Second (and BGDave already hit it): Your inaccuracy may be from undersized component bullets. The bore diameter on the 7.7 was a bit larger than .308 and can cause some inaccuracy there. Similar situations have occurred with the 7.62x39 cartridge when people first began manufacturing it in the US: They tried using .308 component bullets and had resultant poor accuracy. Thus my joke about 7.7-06, you may have a weird situation that would require handloading for utmost accuracy.

 

[Scout]

Do you have to take it to a gunsmith to do the chamber mold? I have two of these and know nothing about them. (previous owner history)

 

[BGDave]

Quick and dirty check would be to try and chamber an EMPTY 30.06 case and an EMPTY 8mm mauser case. The bolt shoud stop well short of closing. Then try an EMPTY 7.7 case, the bolt should close on this one. Then just because, I'd take a real good look at the chamber with the bolt out. I can't stress stongly enough to use an empty case for all checks.

 

[luvall]

I've heard of converting them to 30.06 and even 8mm mauser. Groove diameter of the Arisaka is .311, 308 and 30.06 is .308. Your accuracy may be adversely affected. Now, the 8mm conversions would be dicey. Believe that bullet runs .323. Lot of squeeze going on. I'm enough of an old lady I'd do a chamber cast just to be sure. If it turnes out it is .308 you could always reload .311 bullets in a 308 case. Naturally this is internet advice. So, good luck with your rifle.

I want to try the .311 in 308 brass. what is a good receipe for reloading. I think the first attempt should be a light load as a test fire.

 

[cedarthicket]

If the rifle were mine, and it is chambered for the .308 Winchester, and it has a history of safely handling .308 Winchester rounds, I would be inclined to start with a powder charge a couple grains less than the suggested starting load given in one of the published reloading manuals or online reloading data from various powder and bullet manufacturers. For example, Hodgdon's site shows Hodgdon, IMR, and Winchester powders. Alliant's site, of course, shows Alliant powders.

However, before loading up a bunch of rounds I would first make up a dummy round with the bullet and case to be used, but no primer and no powder. You can use this dummy round to make sure it will chamber without the bullet touching the rifling and without the slightly "oversize" .311 bullets causing the case neck to swell and "hang up" in the chamber. On second thought, you may want to make up 3 of these dummy rounds to check how well the loaded rounds will feed, whether you modify the magazine well or not.

I am confident the larger diameter bullets will help accuracy. Good luck and good shooting!

 

[BMDRAKE71]

Your possibly had the rifle rechambered into 308Win by having a gunsmith take a turn or 2 (7mm total cut off) of the threads of the barrel and then cut an equivalent distance off the shoulder before it was rechambered with that new cartridge. You will probably be best served loading the rifle with .311 or .312 diameter bullets once you determine that is how the chamber was redone. A common rechamber 30-40 years ago was to cut a 300 Savage chamber but 308win is more prevalent now. Myself. I elected to keep one of my T99 in the original 7.7x58 chamber and then I found one which had been recut to a 30-06 chamber. Its really a 7.7-06 or 31-06 however you want to call it, but loaded with the right diameter bullet its as accurate as my other WWII Milsurp rifles (3-4 MOA).

Bruce

 

[elemonator]

Are you sure its .308? In the 50s? 06 would be wayyyyy more common,there's a 7mm difference in the length from .308 to 7.7 JAP,does it rupture the cases on the 308?

 

[citizenkane]

There were a bunch of arisakas converted to 30.06 back in the day. I used to have one that was supposed to have been done for Korean use in the war. I later found out that the one I had was a fake. I also used to have a type 38 carbine that had been converted to 7.62x39. That was an interesting little piece but I was afraid to ever try and shoot it.