Jap rifles are strong

[John Sukey]

Many years ago a guy brought his rifle to the gunsmith to find out why it kicked so hard. The rifle had been rechambered to 30-06. Problem, it was NOT a 7.7, but rather a 6.5
The 30 caliber bullet was being swaged down to 6.5 each time he fired it. But he did take a deer with it.

[Michael Tompkins]

I recall reading an article several years ago in which the U.S. Gov't Ordnance Dept. conducted destruction tests after hostilities ended on the military bolt-action rifles of WWII. The Japanese Type 99 survived the test beyond pressures which destroyed the M1903 Springfield and Mauser K98k. The Type 14 Nambu pistol was also shown to be the most inheirently acurate pistol of all of the types of side-arms examined. Mike

[dave]

The story about the 6.6/30-06 appeared in a Rifleman Mag in 1959, I believe. I have the exact date written down. The guy complained about the recoil of the rifle, no mention of deer. He sent it to NRA and they tested it several times, tied in a tire. You must remember tho that such tests are on individual rifles and they are being strained beyond design. They made hundreds of thousnds rifles, some at the end pretty shoddy. I would not want to say they are ALL overly strong.

[kcw]

I recall reading an article several years ago in which the U.S. Gov't Ordnance Dept. conducted destruction tests after hostilities ended on the military bolt-action rifles of WWII. The Japanese Type 99 survived the test beyond pressures which destroyed the M1903 Springfield and Mauser K98k. The Type 14 Nambu pistol was also shown to be the most inheirently acurate pistol of all of the types of side-arms examined. Mike

If I recall the outcome of that testing, the headspace on the M1917 tested opened up to the point that it wouldn't reliably fire. The Jap rifle continued to fire rounds after al the others had quit, up until the time that the bolt "welded" in the closed position, finally making the gun inoperable.

[JimF]

The story about the 6.6/30-06 appeared in a Rifleman Mag in 1959, I believe. . . . . .

Yup . . . .

May, 1959 . . Page 52!

I have that article in my "gleanings" binder (contains info that I wish to reference regularly . . . internet, magazine articles, etc.)

Tough old war horses, eh? --Jim

[randy langford]

About 10 years prior to the rifleman article Frank Hass put a last ditch 99 through a torture test
First he rechambered it for 30-06 cut it a full .010 deeper than normal.
First load was case full of 3031 not much happened with this load.
Next was a case full of 4198 primer pockets spread web split case head spread to snug fit in bolt head but nothing else.
Third load was case full of 2400 bolt, barrel and receiver still intact the extractor was gone, follower spring and floorplate was gone bolt stop was sprung bolt was still in place bolt could not be opened by hand bight side of receiver was bulged barrel had moved forward about one thread out of the action
barrel was reused on another action chamber checked out fine not expanded at all .
These actions are very strong!

[Tuna]

I think it was PO Ackley that did a torture test on all of the surplus bolt actions he could find. He managed to blow up all of them except a type 38.

[fguffey]

Many years ago a guy brought his rifle to the gunsmith to find out why it kicked so hard. The rifle had been rechambered to 30-06. Problem, it was NOT a 7.7, but rather a 6.5
The 30 caliber bullet was being swaged down to 6.5 each time he fired it. But he did take a deer with it.

In northen/centeral Texas, a shooter checked a rifle into a gunsmith shop, his intentions? Sue everyone, starting with the gun manufacturer and the ammo manufacturer. He had the rifle locked up, after about 3 hours of work the smith asked to see the receipt for the ammo and he wanted to know who owned the rifle. Boring story.

He, the shooter, had purchased 308 Winchester ammo for a 25/06, a few days later I was asked if I could imagine how long the 308 Bullet was when it left the barrel, no one found my answer boring, the up side? They did not appreciate my answer.

F. Guffey

[fguffey]

About 10 years prior to the rifleman article Frank Hass put a last ditch 99 through a torture test
First he rechambered it for 30-06 cut it a full .010 deeper than normal.
First load was case full of 3031 not much happened with this load.
Next was a case full of 4198 primer pockets spread web split case head spread to snug fit in bolt head but nothing else.
Third load was case full of 2400 bolt, barrel and receiver still intact the extractor was gone, follower spring and floorplate was gone bolt stop was sprung bolt was still in place bolt could not be opened by hand bight side of receiver was bulged barrel had moved forward about one thread out of the action
barrel was reused on another action chamber checked out fine not expanded at all .
These actions are very strong!

I am going to assume the bright side is the right side of the receiver, I have 3 Japanese receivers, all three are cut over half way through from the rear of the front receiver ring to the front of the receiver ring, when the barrel is screwed into the receiver there is not one complete thread engaged in the receiver. The cut is wide and deep.

F. Guffey

[BudT]

The north/central Texas shooter is not only "STUPID" but lucky as well. Proof that to much in line breeding is bad for the gene pool, possible Darwin award......yep.

[1mark]

BudT, I really do not think he placed his face next to the receiver when the trigger was pulled. More than likely he used an rest to hold the rifle and remained at a safe distance. Just as any one would when testing an uncertain factors. Always stay out of harms way when you can.

[BudT]

1mark, you assume that everyone is as smart as you or I.