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Thread: Reloading the 7.7 Arisaka

  1. #1
    Iron Pumping Bastard aliceinchains's Avatar

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    Reloading the 7.7 Arisaka

    Well we have the option of using 30-06 brass which is longer . The shoulder gets set back rather hard during resizing so annealing is a must. And the case must be trimmed downed down a lot to make AOL.

    8X57 mauser can be used but the brass is more expensive. However the brass needs to be worked much less to be resized.


    With that said i would like some input from you gentleman who have reloaded with either type brass.
    I am sitting in my angry chair!

  2. #2
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    Back after I got my first T-99 I passed-out from the cost of Norma ammo (all that was available) so I did what an old guy at the gun show told me and picked-out some of my .30-06, .270 and .25-06 brass for conversion. The latter two were a lot more trouble than it was worth, so I now stick with .30-06 milsurp brass.

    Things work better if they're resized first before trimming, and then punching the primers and sizing the necks just before tumbling. I use an RCBS case trimmer with a 1/2" drive electric drill to turn the spindle. Way too much work if turned by hand. Some people cut the excess-off usung a tube cutter but that can be wasteful of labor and good brass if cut too short.

    I also use surplus 7.62 X 54R or .303 Brit bullets instead of commercial products unless I want better terminal performance for hunting or something like that. Some actions feed the surplus FMJ's better too.

  3. #3
    Senior Member fingolfen's Avatar

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    Honestly - I picked up a sh*tload of purpose made 7.7mm Japanese when it hit the market a few years ago. Unfortunately it all seems to be gone at this point.

    I still stink at reforming cases, so it costs more but I stick with the purpose build stuff.

    That being said - there's a recipe in Handloader magazine I'm dying to try that supposedly matches the actual WW2 load.
    Mike

    "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin

    "ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ" - King Leonidas I of Sparta

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    Iron Pumping Bastard aliceinchains's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by fingolfen View Post
    Honestly - I picked up a sh*tload of purpose made 7.7mm Japanese when it hit the market a few years ago. Unfortunately it all seems to be gone at this point.

    I still stink at reforming cases, so it costs more but I stick with the purpose build stuff.

    That being said - there's a recipe in Handloader magazine I'm dying to try that supposedly matches the actual WW2 load.




    Hey can you post the recipe fingolfen.
    I am sitting in my angry chair!

  5. #5
    Senior Member fingolfen's Avatar

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    You bet...

    Usual legal disclaimers here - I do not recommend or instruct anyone to use these loads, the source is Handloader magazine, August 2008 issue... not responsible for typos, damage, injury, etc.

    They give 4 loads for Japanese rifles.

    6.5mm Japanese

    140 grain Sierra hollowpoint boat tail
    34.0 Grains Varget powder
    Provides a velocity of 2536 fps

    140 grain Sierra spitzer
    39.0 grains of IMR-4350
    Provides a velocity of 2490 fps


    7.7mm Japanese

    174 grain Sierra hollowpoint boat tail
    45.0 Grains Varget powder
    Provides a velocity of 2404 fps

    180 grain Sierra spitzer
    50.0 grains of IMR-4350
    Provides a velocity of 2430 fps


    Norma brass was used with winchester standard Large Rifle primers.
    Mike

    "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin

    "ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ" - King Leonidas I of Sparta

  6. #6
    Iron Pumping Bastard aliceinchains's Avatar

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    Thanks Mike! I have yet to use the Varget powder. IMR-4350 i have had excellent accuracy with.
    I am sitting in my angry chair!

  7. #7
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    7.7 from 30-06

    I have used very little purpose made brass for either the 7.7 or 6.5. Years ago I made a case trimmer using a cut off 1/2" drill bit, added a short crank and made collets out of 1"
    round stock. About four turns and the case is the correct length. On top of that the brass for the most part has been military and I used a small swadge to get the crimp out of the primer pocket. All this is time consuming but to me it just extended the fun of the rifle. I now have a good stock of factory brass but haven't needed to load them. As for the swelling of the case head - factory and home made all swell the same. But you can wrap a single strip 1/4" wide of masking tape around the base of the cartridge and it will center the cartridge in the chamber so the bulge is equal all way around instead on just on one side.

    For the 6.5 - I swadge 308 cases down to a base dia. of .556" and run them through a 6.5 sizing die and relaod. All original, noma and others have a base dia. of .447" and thats the reason the swell. riceone.
    Last edited by riceone; 09-23-2010 at 08:39 PM.

  8. #8
    Iron Pumping Bastard aliceinchains's Avatar

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    Riceone i forgot about the masking tape method. Amazing how a little tape goes a long way. I must get that drilled in to my head.

    Well not literally lol.
    I am sitting in my angry chair!

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