My nephew got a Mauser in the 7.7 Japanese caliber, and I am wondering where one can possibly find a custom stock for it. It is an older one, ribbed barrel, spoon bolt handle, removable cross bolt wedge. The stock is damaged on the fore end both side. I"ll post pics later. Is there someone who makes stocks for these old timers??
It sounds like an old M98 "guild" sporter if it has the spoon bolt, ribbed barrel and keyed fore end.
I would also bet it's a 7x57 and not a 7mm Jap.
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I would think it is probably worth having someone see if the damage can be repaired instead of replacing the stock. I have seen some wooden stocks returned to service that were badly damaged, especially on older "classic" rifles. With older rifles I like to see the wood saved when it is possible.
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hard to imagine anyone deliberately chambering a Mauser for the 7.7 Jap caliber.
Here's an Arisaka, with bolt open and the dust cover on, but you can see the shape of the rear of the bolt, which would never be mistaken for a Mauser. Maybe this will help clear up the confusion:
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The Japanese captured a lot of VZ 24 BRNO Mausers from the Chinese and re-issued them to their own troops (Navy I think)in 1937, but I believe they were all in 8X57.
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It is 7.7, and the rifle appears to have been made in the early 20th century, before the 7.7 was suppose to be made. It has the makers name on the barrel rib, and I can't get a closeup of it. Any ideas, and someone to repair the stock??
Pictures appear to go from rifle002.jpg to rifle017.jpg
4, 5, and 6 show barrel and action parts to help ID the rifle.
My guess is the caliber is more likely 7.65 Mauser than 7.7 Japanese. Early caliber designations were even less standardized than now. If it is to be restored to firing condition a chamber cast would be needed to make sure what it is.
Slugging tells the caliber(barrel internal dimensions), but not the cartridge case. There are several other cartridges with the same internal barrel dimensions as the 7.7 Japanese.
You really need a chamber cast if the rifle is to be fired.
Can you tell us the name on the barrel and the name on the side of the scope? The 7.7 proof mark seen on the bottom of the barrel is the BORE diameter at time of proof. Most likely one of the 8mm rounds. It looks like it was a fine rifle at one time but has seen better days, the cost for a professional restoration would most likely exceed the value of the rifle.
bcp is probably correct that it is a 7.65 Belgian/Argentine chamber. Below are the comparative cartridge dimensions shown in drawings scrounged from the Norma web site and edited. (I hope they don't mind.)
The cartridges are remarkably similar in head diameter, diameter at shoulder, and bullet diameter. A chamber casting may not immediately show differences, because the principal ones appear to be headspace and neck length. A chamber casting doesn't do well with headspace, and neck length in such an old rifle may not conform to current CIP standards.
The routine recommendation applies even more strongly here: the rifle should be checked by a competent gunsmith with appropriate headspace gauges before firing.
Strange things happened in WWII. Dad had an Italian Carcano chambered in 6.5 Jap...not 6.5 Ital.
O
Just as a first guess - The rifle was one of the "Type I" Arisakas, made in Italy in the late 1930s for the Japanese Naval Marines. It was a typical Arisaka with a mauser-type box magazine, a two-piece buttstock, etc, but the action was a Carcano.
There are images of several Type I rifles (as in I for Italy, not the Roman numeral one) about half-way down this web page: http://oldrifles.com/japanese.htm
Strange things happened in WWII. Dad had an Italian Carcano chambered in 6.5 Jap...not 6.5 Ital.
O
Just as a first guess - The rifle was one of the "Type I" Arisakas, made in Italy in the late 1930s for the Japanese Naval Marines. It was a typical Arisaka with a mauser-type box magazine, a two-piece buttstock, etc, but the action was a Carcano.
There are images of several Type I rifles (as in I for Italy, not the Roman numeral one) about half-way down this web page: http://oldrifles.com/japanese.htm
--Bob
Bob, put me down as freaking impressed. That is my nominee for amazing firearms trivia factoid of the month. I am constantly amazed at all the stuff people on this forum know.
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![[Linked Image]](http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p151/Steve_NO/arisaka-99b.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](http://home.earthlink.net/~kakeen1/abooks/77v765.jpg)
I am constantly amazed at all the stuff people on this forum know.