In 1897, when the 6.5 Arisakaicon round was adopted, the big players in the Pacific were the Britishicon, the Dutch, and a few years later, the US. I've noted the 6.5 Arisaka can be formed from the .303 British, the 6.5 Dutch, and the US Kragicon. I wonder if this fact might have played a part in the adoption of such a small cartridge, with the Japanese at that time looking towards the possibility of making use of captured stores of ammo. The Dutch ammo would be especially easy to modify for the type 30 or 38 rilfes. An early Type 38 that I have has a chamber long enough in the neck to accept the Dutch ammo.
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