Reloading Data 6.5 Jap

Looking for data, dimensions, powder recommendations for the 6.5 in a Arisaka sporter? CL

Here are a few from Hodgdon website.
Using 100 gr through 160 gr bullets.

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Yet some more

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And even more

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Wow! Thanks Hawkeye. By spring when its warm enough to start reloading and shooting again I may have made up my mind! :lol: CL

cloverleaf":24u8uclz said:

Wow! Thanks Hawkeye. By spring when its warm enough to start reloading and shooting again I may have made up my mind! [emoji38] CL

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You're very welcome!
Yes, nothing like tinkering up a good load!

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The 6.5x50 Jap is actually a really good round. Plus, the Type 38 Jap rifle is known to be the strongest of the Mauser variants.
As you have probably already noticed, the case is a semi-rimmed case.

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Work up to these but the Sierra manual list these two loads as their suggested hunting loads for the 6.5x50
Arisaka which I have found in most of their data to be about spot on.
THESE ARE MAX LOADS so back off a couple grs and work up slowly.
120 gr 43 gr H-380 for 2700 fps & 140 gr 39.9 grs IMR 4350 for 2400 fps from the 19" barrel carbine.

Here is something that I have also found that helps with many old military rifles. Many, especially the 6.5 calibers were designed to use really long heavy RN bullets. They have very long throats and lighter bullets have to jump a mile to the lands. I have found that by using a Lee Factory Crimp Die which is designed to use with any style bullet to put a medium crimp on the bullets it increases accuracy. I could go into my theory as to how this works but will not. But it has worked for me.

I have used the .264 cal calibers from mild to wild and they are really great on deer. One great bullet that I have fund lately is the Speer Gold Dot. I have been shooting the 120 gr. in my 6.5 Grendel at 2550 fps and it is very accurate and it's terminal effect on deer is AWESOME. They also make it in 140 gr. Great deer bullets I have also used 120 Sierra Pro Hunter, Nosler Ballistic tip, 129 Hornady Interlock, 130 Nosler AccuBond, 140 Hornady Interlock and Sierra Game King to take MANY deer and they all do a great job. As has been said these Arisaka actions are super strong. One thing I have found over the years on most old military rifles as well as those that have been sported is that the muzzle crowns are usually in bad conditions. You can fix this and vastly improve accuracy easy yourself. Get a brass round head bolt larger than your bore diameter. Get some valve grinding compound at the local auto parts. Chuck the bolt in a variable speed drill with the round head exposed. Place some valve grinding compound on the bolt head. With the rifle held in a vice or something using the drill at very slow speed press the bolt head against the muzzle of the rifle and it will center itself. Do this for about 30 seconds then remove and clean off the muzzle and see if it has cut a full depth to allow rifling to be the same all the way around. Do this process until all edges of rifling have been cut sharp and even. It does not take much to do this but it will improve accuracy dramatically. Good luck.

Current loads w/ 139 and 110 Gr Speers that Dad worked up years ago using 4350. Cant recall the charge weight. I just figured with all the renewed interest in 6.5 I had some new bullet choices. Time to experiment! Again thanks for the help. CL

Those are nice groups.
With the new powders today, I wouldn't doubt it if you could get them almost all in one hole.
I forgot to ask, does it have a 20 inch barrel, or a 22, or 24 inch barrel?

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No idea- being a sporterized infantry rifle (my guess) I suspect it has been cut back. W/o digging it out of the safe I would say "22. The "dots in the photo are quite large, I would guess 2-3 inch. Not really expecting better groups (although always fun). The trigger pull is 8# and there's enough creep to use a come along . Still unique and fun example of old school sporterizing/gunsmithing. To cool not to shoot! CL

I've been loading mine, a T38 carbine, with either BL-C2 or IMR 4350 and a flat based 120 grain Sierra SP. I'm referencing Hornady load data, away from my notes right now, so I can't give you weights, but I'm staying a couple grains below max. PRVI brass. Loads are about as accurate and consistent as I could hope for with the crude sights and awful trigger pull found on this rifle.

Nice mild recoil and the loads shoot to my sights at 200 yards. Fun to ring steel at the local club.

Just did some looking. The BL-C2 load was from hodgedon data. I'm running 36gr. Can't find notes on the IMR4350 load, but it's in the same ballpark with the Hornady data. It's a very efficient cartridge, I've been kicking around the idea of getting a custom TC barrel made up for it for shorter range whitetail and silhouette.

Depending on the year your rifle was made, whether it's from an earlier or later model, it might have a slightly oversized bore if it was made later when the war was winding down for the Japanese.
Now, just for gee-wiz purposes, an old Hornady, and an old Cartridges of the World circa late 80's, states that you can load the 6.5 Jap a little warmer, due to it being such a strong action. It said you can get performance equal to the 6.5x55 Swede.
Polaris is right, it is an extremely efficient case.
If you decide to go a little warmer, just check the cases for pressure signs .
The 6.5 cartridges of yesteryear make excellent deer rifles if sporterized right.
The 6.5x55 Swede has been one of my favorite cartridges since I've been 16 years old, and that has been 35 years ago, way before the current 6.5mm rifle trend came along.
The 6.5's shoot bigger than their paper ballistics lead you to believe. They're a lot better to shoot than a .243! And I really like the .243 as well, but I like the 6.5mm rounds more. Easy on the shoulder, but highly lethal to receive.
My latest 6.5 is in the Ruger American Predator, the 6.5 Creedmoor. And that round just duplicates the 6.5x55 velocities. I'm pretty sure I'm really going to like it, too.

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