Posted: 6/20/2006 9:09:50 AM EDT
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My buddy's dad supposedly has a "Seven Seven Jap" rifle. He wants me to find some ammo online for him. Can't find anything? What exactly is this? One would assume some sort of 7.7mm Japanese ammo. www.chuckhawks.com/7-7mmArisaka.htm ??? |
Yeah I don't know of his dad even shooting this thing. Apparently now he wants to. My friend and I are leaving for basic in 2 months, so we're gonna get some people together in a couple weeks and have a huge range day, bringing all our weapons. Know where I can get some? |
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My personal opinion, don't shoot it. Modern loads in an antique could cause a catastrophic failure of the weapon. If you also take into consideration war time production of these rifles meant very little QC, and hit or miss metalurgy, it's an accident waiting to happen. |
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Holy crap, the price has climbed greatly since I was last looking for some: ammunitionplus.com/store.asp?Action=2&Category=1&SubCategory=NOR Geez. At $38.50 per box, it better be loaded with gold bullets. Sounds like rolling your own is the best way to go with this caliber. I saw some components online, but I am not sure how expensive this would be to set up. Even reloading for this caliber may require lots of work to be economical. |
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I have an Arisaka and the better part of a box of Norma. They have a very strong Mauser action. Have a smith check it out for you. If you want to shoot it a lot, either take up reloading or get a second mortgage. Mine has been relegated to "Conversation Piece." 7.62x51 is close enough to 7.7 for me. 
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The 7.7mm Arisaka is a very strong action; the strongest of all the WWII era bolt actions, but have it checked out anyway to be on the safe side. The Old Western Scrounger was one of the only sources I know of for finished ammo and he's out of business. It's not too hard to reload for. RCBS has 7.7mm Ari dies and brass can be formed from .30-'06 cases as well as being purchased (at high cost) from Norma. It takes the same bullets (.311" dia.) as the British .303 Lee-Enfield; Hornady and Sierra have them readily available. Frankly, unless your friend is highly motivated to shoot this thing it's hardly worth it, being basically just one more garden variety Mauser action rifle. The one I shot could produce 3" groups (approx. 1' to the left due to a badly out of adjustment front sight). It was a friend's. He WAS highly motivated to shoot the thing being that it had been brought back from the Philippines by his dad during WWII. It's a project that might be hard to put into service on the firing range on short notice. |
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Coolio: Are you sure that "Old Western Scrounger....and he's out of business?" The old owner has sold the business to new owner. A quick Goggle got me this, Old Western Scrouger. 7.7 ARISAKA 150GR SP @ $35/20 and it is in stock. |
Oh, that very well could be, warlord. My last intel was that the owner had suspended operations indefinately due to a law suit. If his business is back up that's good news. |
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I have a Model 99 Japanese Arisaka which is chambered in 7.7 Jap. I found some Hornady at the Tulsa Arms Show for $18.99 per box of 20. These guns are very strong. The "last ditch" guns were a little inferior to the early years but are still considered to be good guns. I am planning on reloading in the future. |