Type 38 in caliber larger than 6.5?

[Jet Fixer]

I've recently read that some captured type 38s may have been converted to 7.62x39 or 7.92x57 Mauser by the Chinese. Any truth to this? Reason I ask is that I came across a type 38 that looked to have fair lands and grooves, although a little dark. Didn't look to be too bad around the muzzle...lands and grooves all the way out to the end, but it swallows a 6.5 round to the shoulder. No import marks that I can find. Also, has this plate nailed to the wrist of the stock. Any ideas? It has my curiosity.

Attachment 53174

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[vintage hunter]

Seems I read somewhere that after the war the Chinese continued to produce T38's at the Mukden Arsenal and some were chambered for the 7.7x58 Japanese round.
More photo's of the rifle and it's markings would be helpful in sorting what you have.

[Aragorn243]

They apparently converted a lot of Type 38's to 7.62x39

Chinese Arisakas in 7.62x39mm Forgotten Weapons

[Jet Fixer]

There are no other markings on the receiver that indicate a different caliber. Just the serial number and the mum.

[Jet Fixer]

This is all I have

Attachment 53221Attachment 53220Attachment 53222

[vintage hunter]

According to the s/n your rifle is an early no series T38 made at the Koishikawa (Tokyo) arsenal so it started life as a 6.5mm but could have been converted to 7,62x39 by the Chinese at a later date as Aragorn states.
It does have import marks as shown in the second photo.
You'll need to do a chamber cast and slug the bore to really be sure what it's chambered for.

[WarPig1976]

I know nobody here can read or write Japanese or Chinese, but does the writing on the plate not look "right" to you? Kinda looks made up to me...

IMO, the plates weren't done by a Japanese armorer, but by a person who wasn't comfortable working with wood and used what he had to make repairs more along the lines of sheet metal work. Whoever, used brass finishing brads!! and either he or someone later tried to make it look legit. I could be wrong but I'm not feeling it.

[Jet Fixer]

Here is another pic. Looks like a proof mark. I read that it was applied after modifying to 7.62. Any ideas on that?

Also, whose import mark is that? I can't make it out.
Attachment 53265

[vintage hunter]

Those markings were applied by the Japanese at the time of manufacture and have nothing to do with any possible conversion to another caliber.
I'm not sure who's import mark that is but I have a couple rifles brought in by the same outfit

[DocAV]

Chinese conversions of T38 Rifles and Carbines.
There are two groups./..the Type 79 rifle, made by the Nationalists at Mukden Arsenal in 1946, converting Old series T38s (No sight ears, pre- Kanji serials) to 7,9x57 calibre. Rufle Mum scrubbed and replaced by Chinese Characters "79 Military Supply" ( ie, 7,9mm Munitions).
The other group is the T38 Short rifles and Carbines made up for the Min Bin (Peoples Militia) in the late 1950s--early 60s, which are a simple rebore, re rifle and rechamber to 7,62x39, single shot, for Collective Farm training. ( 1974 pics of them in use by teenage girls, in front of Zhou En Lai and Gough Whitlam ( aussie socialist Prime Minister).. Converted Carbines and Shortened Rifles have the character for "modified" on the Barrel swell in front of the receiver. All original markings still there.

The 7,7x58 Rifles were T99s which were continued in Manufacture by Mukden; some were actually chambered for 7,9mm ( also re-marked "7,9 Mil supply").

Doc AV
( hold samples of both the 79 Military Supply and the T38 7,62x39 Modified. )--- Have also seen a Chinese Made "Type 65" ( T38 made in China, during Filming of "The Great Raid." ( Rifles imported from Shanghai Film Corporation.)