smoakingun
New member
I am finally taking the leap and building a rifle for myself. I have an 7.7mm arisaka and havve decided to build it from scratch myself. can anyone recomend any books to walk me through the process?
custom rifle
- Thread starter smoakingun
- Start date
I build several rifles a month, and here is my advice: the Arisaka is a very strong action, but parts for it are virtually unavailable. Assuming you want a custom rifle, not just a sporterized milsurp, this means that you will be paying for custom everything. My recommendation is to go and buy a used Remington 700, Winchester Model 70, or commercial Mauser 98 and strip it for the action, then proceed with your build from that point.
sc928porsche
New member
Although the ariska is one of the strongest actions, machine work is difficult. Once done however, it makes a very nice custom.
I second Scorch's opinion. I have nowhere near his experience but lately I'm having great fun putting together a couple SMLE's for my wife and I. This is mine so far:
Taking it tomorrow to have the irons put on. All said and done I'll have roughly $350 in it. It's a good way to wet your feet. They're cheap and easy to work with. I'd also suggest a Mauser based rifle.
Taking it tomorrow to have the irons put on. All said and done I'll have roughly $350 in it. It's a good way to wet your feet. They're cheap and easy to work with. I'd also suggest a Mauser based rifle.
RaySendero
New member
I enjoy restoring or sporterizing old military bolt action rifles as my hobbie. I did this one 7.7x58 Arisaka:
That's an old 1970s Fajen stock - I did the stock fit, refinish and the glass bedding. I also installed the custom trigger - Had my GS install the custom turned-down bolt and drill/tap the weaver scope mount. I added the Weaver Quad rings and scope.
Reloading for it, I got it to shoot pretty well:
I've since traded the rifle, dies, cases, etc. because neither me nor my GS could get the safety to be 100% reliable. I hunted with it with good success but was never comfortable with the idea of one day passing it to my son or a grandkid due to the safety.
My recomendation is NOT to do an Arisaka for your first rifle build.
Get an old 95, 96 or 98 Mauser and build your first rifle starting with one of them. Leave that Arisaka for a later project. I personally, wil not do another.
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sc928porsche
New member
Operating the safety on the Ariska when a hunting scope has been mounted is almost impossible. Its (safety) design isnt all that good either. This can be easily taken care of with a timeny trigger w/safety. It will also make the rifle a little more pleasureable to fire.
smoakingun
New member
I inherited the barreled action from my grandfather, he brought back two from the war, both with mums in tact, he stripped both, slugged both barrels, the one with a good bore he sportered back in the 60's. the other he packed in cosmoline and put on a shelf. I figured it would be a good learning experience. If I need parts, I'll make them. I will be building this rifle from scratch. I still have a few decisions to make such as caliber and barrel contour, but right now the reciever is in white, and the polishing has begun. I wrestled with the safety idea, and decided to just equip the rifle with express sights. What I need is some kind of text to walk me through the process of blueprinting and assembling the rifle. I also plan to shape my own stock.
smoakingun
New member
Success!! I fabricated a barrel vice and action wrench, and now the two are separated. Now to build a jig to hold it in the mill
sc928porsche
New member
The triggers on the ariskas that I own had a lot of creep to them and trying to engage and release the safety with the scope on them was not done easily. Add to that, the fact that the safety is not one of the best designs and that gives you all the more reason to replace the trigger with a timeny w/safety. Now my trigger is at a crisp 3lbs and the slide safety is easy to use and works well. Both type 38's were restocked with richards microfit stocks (I really like their products and have been using them for many years).