Type 38 looks original I know it's a vet Bring back-but...

[CJN]

I have a type 38 rifle. excellent condition, all original parts. has the Mum.
however the vet had it re-chambered for 257 Roberts,AND, crudely stamped "257 ROBRTS"
on top of barrel behind sights.

So it can only shoot the Roberts ammo not the Japanese.
how much value does this take out of the rifle, it is otherwise very very nice, with sling and bayonet.

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[LTPayton88]

In my opinion, it severely hurts the value of the rifle. To the collector the rifle will have little value due to the modification and crude stamping. To the shooter today, I would say it would still hurt the value more due to the price of ammunition. Im sure 50 years ago 6.5 Jap was nearly impossible to find but today it is more readily available and once i did a quick internet search for both cartridges, on average the 257 Roberts cartridge was twice the price of 6.5 Jap. I would say a 50% decrease in value due to the modification. Your best case scenario is finding that individual who wants an original looking display piece and has no interest in shooting it. Just my 2 cents.

Travis

[Singer B]

You now have a very valuable sling (if original) and a pretty valuable bayonet (depending on condition) and a very nice 257 Robert's that isn't worth much as is. Now, if you dismantle the rifle and sell the various parts, you would have some significant value there (stock - 250 to 300, full bolt - 190, various small parts - 250). Pictures of the sling would be cool to see!

[CJN]

Interesting,. maybe parting this out is the way to go.

[LTPayton88]

Interesting,. maybe parting this out is the way to go.

If you decide to part it out id be interested in buying the magazine floor plate, magazine spring, and follower. Let me know.

[CJN]

I'll have to dig it out of the safe and take it apart,
I don't think it has ever been taken apart.

When i get this done, I'll get back to you.

will pm you when I'm ready too start selling the parts.

[LTPayton88]

will pm you when I'm ready too start selling the parts

Ok sounds good. Thanks

[J-ROD]

You could swap out the barrel…they are plenty and cheap.

[bob q]

Shooting .257 Roberts in a .6.5mm barrel would be a waste of time as the bullet would barely touch the rifling. The original barrel will have a groove size of about .265 or more . The rifle should be in 6.5mm Roberts if it was done correctly , and that is a handloading only cartridge . If is really just done in just .257 it is not go for much . Rebarreling a Type 38 is not easy as the barrels are hard to get out , a used one will not index without work . If you go with a barreled receiver it would be easy to make a correct looking shooter , but you would lose matching #'s .

[CJN]

thank you. seems like a bust to me. I'm not an Arasaka collector. I've started to part this out. will post the whole rifle soon on sales forum and sell parts to this who want them. Oh and to "singerB", the sling looks like a repro worked over to look well used.