arisaka type 38 cavalry carbine

[DaveL]

Gentlemen,
I have a type 38 cavalry carbine that I got from my father in-law. His father "sporterized" it for deer hunting. I have managed to find the correct sights for it but all I could find for a stock was a full rifle stock, but I'm not sure where to cut it to get the right length of barrel sticking out of the stock. Could someone out there with a cavalry carbine take a measurement from the end of the barrel to the forward end of the front barrel band? I know it won't make it original but it will still be a fair to good representation of the rifle like it was when my grandfather in-law brought it home compared to the cut up "sporter" that it is now.
Thanks in advance,
DaveL

[dave]

I do not think a rifle stock can be made into a carbine stock. It would have to be a 38 model stock, hard to come by I would think. I will be back with the measurement when I get the time, its down stairs.

[DaveL]

dave,
The stock I already have is a type 38 full rifle stock. The rifle I have is a "cavalry" carbine. One of the carbines the Japanese cut down from a full rifle to "make" carbines. The easiest way I've found to tell a carbine from a "cavalry" carbine is the finger grooves (especially on a cut up stock). On the real carbines the finger grooves are shorter than they are on the rifle. The "cavalry" carbines have the long finger grooves like the type 38 rifle. If I'm wrong about this, someone please set me straight.
DaveL

[dave]

If you are talking about the T-38 cut down to a short rifle (24" barrel), I do not own one. But if talking about being cut down to a carbine (18" barrel, US definition of a carbine) then I am not familiar that this was done). The one book I have makes no mention of that.
However the distance from end of stock to end of barrel is determined by the bayonet being used. As the jap bayonets were all the same measurement wise, you can get your measurement from any jap rifle!

[DaveL]

Yes that's what I'm talking about. A T38 cut down to a short rifle with a 24" barrel. That's what I have. I also have a 99 that is a "last ditch" rifle that is like new. So I think your saying that the dimension I'm looking for is the same on the 99 as it would be on the 38, correct?
DaveL

[dave]

Well I do not know about 'last ditch' as there were several models of those. If set up for jap bayo. see if one goes on, if it does you are good to go! The bayo. lug on front band must be correct distance for muzzle ring to fit. My 38 rifle is 3 3/4" plus a hair (1/32?). one of my 99's is 3 3/4" right on. So there is a 'lil wiggle room.
I saw one of those 38 cut downs once, guy wanted 6-700 for it. It was so new looking I was suspicious, but maybe that made it real? I had no idea if it was or not! I passed.

[DaveL]

dave
Thanks for the measurement, that's exactly what I needed to know.
I read on one of the forums that the rifles they used were randomly picked to be made into "cavalry carbines" or "short rifles" from full sized rifles already in service. Which means random serial numbers. So I guess there's no way to tell if they are real or fake. I'm reasonable sure mine is an original "short rifle" because the barrel is 24" with a proper crown and the end has been machined for the proper Japanese front sight. Also it has been in my wife's family since WWII. It was sporterized (read stock cut, upper hand guard removed and the sights removed) by her grandfather.
Thanks again
DaveL

[dave]

I was confused at first because you called it cavalry carbine. That is a collectors term, "there is no evidence the Japanese referred to this rifle as anything other then a short rifle" (McCollum). "Also despite its presumed cavalry rule the sling swivels are on the bottom of the band and bottom of the butt stock, rather then on the side like both the T-38 and 44 carbines and T-99 rifle" (same book). This is common European practice, carbine has swivels on side, turned down bolt, barrel any length.
This is a 'lil strange, seems they were experimenting with short rifles but the first 99's were long rifles! Maybe they served some other special purpose?

[DaveL]

31899Hi Guys,
I just finished freshening the type 38 and thought you might like to take a look.
Dave

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