Type 38 Safety Issue

[MLMaier01]

If you have wrong safety knob it won't work. I have been through this before.

Purchase McCollum's Book and you can figure it out.https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=44585&page=1

Read the above link.

Hi there. I have verified that the bolt and safety knob are numbers matching with the receiver.

[AGB-1]

Arisaka Type 38 Questions

Read: posts #2 and #3. Post #3 carefully about matching numbers.

[MLMaier01]

Like I have said, I have checked the bolt several and the knob several times. The numbers match.

[vintage hunter]

If you have wrong safety knob it won't work. I have been through this before.

Purchase McCollum's Book and you can figure it out.https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=44585&page=1

Read the above link.

It may not be a drop in fit due to mfg tolerances but otherwise with a little fitting the three variations are interchangeable. At least that's been my experience.

ML, its been a couple years since I fooled with an Arisaka but when I get home this evening I'll dig one out and refresh my memory on a couple things. In the mean time try engaging your safety again by hitting the knob smartly with the heel of your hand then turn it in. Sometimes it takes a good whack to get the parts settled in again after disassembly.

ETA: after refreshing my memory on how the Arisaka safety works I'm of the opinion that either your spring is weak, or hanging on something and not letting the safety knob fully engage. First try giving it a good whack with the heel of your hand as advised above. If that doesn't do it pull the bolt and disassemble it. See the small square lug on the bolt body behind the bolt handle? Thats what keeps the bolt from opening with the safety engaged. It fits into the square notch in the safety skirt. Next, do you see the lug on the safety stem that fits in the tracks inside the striker? And finally do you see the pawl at the bottom of the safety knob that rides in the track in the reciever? It serves as a guide and a stop for the knob so it cant be rotated too much. It stops the knob in precisely the right spot to let the lug on the safety stem change tracks inside the striker, if the timing is not spot on the safety wont work properly. Measure the spring, I checked 3 of mine and they are between 3 11/16" and 4 1/16" in length. Make sure they aren't broken or kinked. Next, take the striker and with the spring out insert the safety knob, with the striker oriented so sear catch is at 6 o'clock, like it would be if it were in the rifle, manipulate the safety in its tracks to make sure there are no burrs or debris impeding it operation. When you reassemble it put a dab of grease on the spring, safety knob stem and outside of the strike to lube everything so they move freely against one another. If all that checks out I'm at a loss...

[MLMaier01]

I was talking with a friend about this issue today and he and I both came to the conclusion that if it worked before, I am following the correct procedure for disassembly and reassembly, and if it is numbers matching, then something is keeping the striker from fully cocking back upon closing the action. When he researched the matter, the information he found stated that the striker must be fully cocked in order for the bolt to lock up when the safety is on. It is, at least, a direction for me to go in.

[vintage hunter]

I was talking with a friend about this issue today and he and I both came to the conclusion that if it worked before, I am following the correct procedure for disassembly and reassembly, and if it is numbers matching, then something is keeping the striker from fully cocking back upon closing the action. When he researched the matter, the information he found stated that the striker must be fully cocked in order for the bolt to lock up when the safety is on. It is, at least, a direction for me to go in.

Dont know where he got the info but arisakas dont have a half cock notch, and I'm reasonable sure that the striker has to be fully cocked before the bolt will even close. Nor can you hold the trigger back while closing the bolt to release spring tension like you can other designs.
Did you do as I suggested and whack the knob good with the heel of your hand ? One of mine has a slight kink in the spring and when I take the bolt apart and reassemble it the safety wont fully engage until I whack the knob to get everything in its proper place. After that it works fine until I take the bolt apart again.

[MLMaier01]

No, there is no half cock. That much is true for almost every bolt action rifle. What he means is that the cocking piece or spring is hanging up on something.

I haven't had a chance to try those things yet. I will have another look at it tomorrow and let you know what I find.

[MLMaier01]

It may not be a drop in fit due to mfg tolerances but otherwise with a little fitting the three variations are interchangeable. At least that's been my experience.

ML, its been a couple years since I fooled with an Arisaka but when I get home this evening I'll dig one out and refresh my memory on a couple things. In the mean time try engaging your safety again by hitting the knob smartly with the heel of your hand then turn it in. Sometimes it takes a good whack to get the parts settled in again after disassembly.

ETA: after refreshing my memory on how the Arisaka safety works I'm of the opinion that either your spring is weak, or hanging on something and not letting the safety knob fully engage. First try giving it a good whack with the heel of your hand as advised above. If that doesn't do it pull the bolt and disassemble it. See the small square lug on the bolt body behind the bolt handle? Thats what keeps the bolt from opening with the safety engaged. It fits into the square notch in the safety skirt. Next, do you see the lug on the safety stem that fits in the tracks inside the striker? And finally do you see the pawl at the bottom of the safety knob that rides in the track in the reciever? It serves as a guide and a stop for the knob so it cant be rotated too much. It stops the knob in precisely the right spot to let the lug on the safety stem change tracks inside the striker, if the timing is not spot on the safety wont work properly. Measure the spring, I checked 3 of mine and they are between 3 11/16" and 4 1/16" in length. Make sure they aren't broken or kinked. Next, take the striker and with the spring out insert the safety knob, with the striker oriented so sear catch is at 6 o'clock, like it would be if it were in the rifle, manipulate the safety in its tracks to make sure there are no burrs or debris impeding it operation. When you reassemble it put a dab of grease on the spring, safety knob stem and outside of the strike to lube everything so they move freely against one another. If all that checks out I'm at a loss...

No burrs, nothing impeding the operation of any sort. Spring is 4.01 inches long, and is undamaged. Timing is all correct. Still, the bolt will not lock up. I am at a loss too. I do not want to accept this situation. I do not feel safe firing this rifle unless the safety completely locks up the bolt when engaged.

[MLMaier01]

Having disassembled and reassembled the bolt on my sporterized Arisaka type 38, it locks up perfectly. The numbers have been ground off or otherwise worn away so there is no way for me to tell if the numbers on it match or not. Why would the safety work on what is likely a hodge-podge of parts and not on one where all the serial numbers match. This is really starting to get annoying.

[Aragorn243]

Since you have two, take them both apart and compare the pieces being careful not to mix them up. See if something looks different.