Type 38 rifle question

[jmoore]

Japanese Type 38 barrels in usable shape aren't exactly common, though! Can't say I've ever seen a good pull-off barrel for one of these. The complex machining of the breech face makes a proper rebarrel rather more involved than most bolt action rifles.

[Patrick Chadwick]

Thanks for the suggestions, my old gunsmith buddy and I are going to attempt to clear it out tomorrow, let yall know how it comes out.

Basically, you seem to have an extreme case of "leaded barrel". I respectfully suggest that the post from riceone, which has been copied over from another forum, where I agree it was the best suggestion for the problem (bore plugged by broken-off cleaning rod) is not the solution here. The great length of lead plug, which having been poured in, will have filled any pits and scratches in the bore, not to mention the throat and part of the chamber, will make it effectively impossible to drive it out.

I think you will have to melt it out. That will require removing the barreled action, taking off everything you can (bolt catch, sights) and applying slowly increasing heat to the entire barrel. The best tool for this is not a blowtorch, but the wide-flamed torch that is used by roofers for sealing up bitumen panels on flat roofs and soldering copper or zinc guttering pipes.

Go to a roofer, place the barreled action on a couple of bricks standing on end, with the chamber end higher than the muzzle end. Heat up the entire assembly evenly, starting at the lower (muzzle) end until the lead flows out. And, as mentioned in the other thread, make witness marks for the foresight and backsight bases, in case something comes unsoldered!

Afterwards, you then have an atrociously leaded barrel to clean up. No real problem, just time. The barrel may be pitted beneath the lead - but if you don't try, you will never know - what have you got to lose?




- And good luck!

[vintage hunter]

jmoore, Patrick, i agree. Even IF the bore is good Bubba will most likely have taken it off with a pipewrench. After melting the lead out, while the barrel is still hot, run a bore brush through it as this will push out most of the remaining lead.

[Patrick Chadwick]

After melting the lead out, while the barrel is still hot, run a bore brush through it as this will push out most of the remaining lead.

Excellent idea - but you will need a looooong cleaning rod for the bore brush! And no handle on it! Or the brush not screwed on to the rod - the brush must be pushed right through and out the other end in one smooth action. If you try to pull it back, you could end up with a wire brush soldered into the bore!

[vintage hunter]

Not likely. Unless the base metal is perfectly clean and has had the correct flux applied and then heated to just the right temp lead won't bond to anything.

[riceone]

If you can find a barrel from the same series and arsenal it should fit and not be able to tell it was changed. There is a problem in switching barrels and getting the sights to be in the right place as well as the extractor cut. If the new barrel will not tighten up to the correct place you will have to remove some metal from the barrel shoulder. If it turns too far you will need a shim. If you need to turn the shoulder back and have access to a lathe, remove just a little as you can and try it and keep doing that till it fits. If it goes too far I have some shims I will send you, usually one or two will do the trick. Sometimes barrels from the same series and arsenal will tighten back to the same place. Good luck Riceone

[gew88]

Well I really lucked out, I figured it was lead in the bore, because it didn't have a metal sound when I tapped a rod against it, but never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that someone would have gotten an aluminum shotgun cleaning rod stuck so tight into a barrel. It was bradded on both ends from someone else trying to beat it out using too small of rod. I got it out and was suprised to see that there was decent rifling in the barrel, just one small rough spot, and wear at the muzzle which is to be expected. I will gather up a camera and post some pictures tomorrow. Thanks again for everyones input.

[Patrick Chadwick]

Congratulations

And the moral of the story is

... if you don't try, you will never know - what have you got to lose?

You tried and won

[vintage hunter]

It's amazing what you can find jammed in gun barrels. I had an original Enfield 1853 cavalry carbine that had a hex bolt stuck in the bore. Glad everything worked out ok for you.

[gew88]

Here are some pictures. This is just the way it came, minus the cleaning rod in the barrel. I don't claim to be a photographer, lol.