Japanese Type 38 Arisaka rifles brought to the United States as wartime souvenirs were sometimes converted by rechambering to utilize more readily available .257 Roberts cartridge cases because commercially produced 6.5x50mm Arisaka cartridges were scarce prior to distribution by Norma Projektilfabrik A/S.
Comparable to the contemporary Italian 6.5x52mm (0.268 in) Carcano or the Japanese 6.5mm (0.264 in) Arisaka, it produced velocities of around 2,400 feet per second (730 m/s) with 140 or 150 grain (9.1 or 9.7 g) projectiles.
The 7.7×58mm Arisaka cartridge or Type 99 rimless 7.7 mm was chambered in the World War II Arisaka Type 99 Rifle.
Arisaka Nariakira (1852–1915), lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army, inventor of the Arisaka Rifle
Arisaka |
The weapon was shorter, (similar in length to the Karabiner 98k) when compared with the Gewehr 98 and the Arisaka Type 38.
It saw service during the War of Resistance against Japan and more than held its own against the Japanese Arisaka Type 38 rifle, though the latter was technologically superior by 30 years.
The Second World War saw the use of the bolt action rifles such as the Mauser Karabiner 98k, the Lee-Enfield SMLE, the Mosin Nagant, the Arisaka Type 38 and Type 99 rifles, and during the early years, the Springfield M1903, as well as semi-automatic battle rifles such as the Gewehr 43, the M1 Garand and the SVT-40.