[Jim the Hillbilly]

I just purchased a Jap 38 carbine in great shape. Inside of trigger and barrel channel clogged with dark heavy grease. Bore great and bluing is 95 %. Got cleaned up and ready to shoot with some Norma ammo.
Any thoughts on reloading, powders etc.
Also have a long rifle of same vintage and cal.
Would like to find cleaning rod and bayonet for the carbine.

 

[RCO]

I use H4895 in my 6.5 and 7.7 jap. I get the best accuracy with the Hornady 160gr round nose in the 6.5. Fun caliber to shoot, plenty accurate and low recoil.

 

[Green Lizzard]

most of them run larger than true 6.5s, but they still shoot good and foul pretty quick. i think mine is near .269

 

[Jim the Hillbilly]

Anyone tried any lead gaschecked bullets?
I just got 100 brass, dies and a box of ammo. Only have one box of bullets 100 grain for my 264 so I need to get more bullets. Powder supplies are good so a Shootin I Will go!

 

[Merle1]

most of them run larger than true 6.5s, but they still shoot good and foul pretty quick. i think mine is near .269

Hornady makes a .268 dia 160 gr RN intended for the Carcano. It might be worth slugging your bore & proceeding from there.
Another possibility is cast bullets - lots of flexibility in size there.

 

[coss]

I also use a mid-range load of H4895. I've tried Speer 120 gr bullets, and they shot way too high for the sights even at gentle loadings. The Prvi Partizan 139 or 140 grain bullets shots very accurately, and true to the sights.

 

[Shenandoah]

My experience mirrors Green Lizzard's. You might slug the bore. I shot cast bullets in mine for several years while I had it. 130 grain cast lead with gas check, sized 269 did well with 24.2 grains of IMR 4198. Back then I used reformed 35 Remington brass with the bullet set out to correct overall length. Had to relieve the bolt a bit under the extractor groove with a dremel tool as the rim on a 35 Remington is a bit smaller than the 6.5 Japanese brass. Now Prvi saves you all that trouble. Shenandoah

 

[old-machinist]

My carbine shoots 120 gr. spitzers well but has been rechambered to 6.5-.257 Roberts. At least that makes it easy to find brass.