Well, I'll give you my 2 cents. I have an Ariska, a 6.5x257 Roberts with a mannlicher type stock from Bishop, weighs a little over 6 lbs with the Redfield peep on it. It's my first Arisaka and the only one I've paid any real attention to. People will tell you the Arisaka is a Mauser copy. Well, yes and no. The basic lay out is Mauser style, but there are some differences that I kind of like and some I don't. Biggest difference is the safety. Took me about 3 range trips to figure out I actually like it at least as well as a standard Mauser type safety. In a way I like it better simply because it's very positive and very quiet, at least mine is. I can activate mine with just my thumb either on or off while keeping my grip on the wrist of the stock. I've had some Mausers that you were hard pressed to get the safety on or off (no doubt due to parts being switched) and I never liked the thing sticking up in the air, although I understand the reasoning behind it and agree with the idea for conscripts. The Arisaka is a different way of doing the same thing and I think it's pretty decent, although it is kinda ugly. IIRC correctly the trigger is about the same layout and mines pretty decent for a military trigger. I like the Mauser style hinged floor plates better. I don't have issue sights on the Arisaka, so no comment there. I like the bolt release on both, simple and positive. As far as accuracy, my Arisaka barrel is at least as decent as most run of the mill Mausers, maybe a little better than average. It's not what I'd call shiny or new looking, but it's not like my Turk Mauser where you can see somebody pretty much scrubbed the barrel out with sand and a steel rod. The finish on my Arisaka is also pretty fair and I believe it's factory from before the war or at least early on when they were still doing a good job. Although the chyrsantimum on mine was ground off, you can see the difference in blue and the area outside that is pretty decent. I suppose I could be wrong on the blue and it could have been reblued when the barrel got cut down now that I think about it. Who knows? Take that with a grain of salt I guess. Can't comment on stocks as mines been replaced and I don't have the sliding action cover on mine either.
As far as shooting, I can't complain on mine. It is at least as accurate, with the loads I've tried and with me shooting, as any of my other Mausers, and that means a 7x57 M95, a 7.65 M91, a 8mm Yugo 98, a 8mm Turk with a sewer pipe barrel, a 7.65 1908 and at least 4 or 5 rebarreled jobs. I like the Arisaka. I've read Ackleys reports on trying to blow one up and I've also read some period pieces in the post war Rifleman regarding their safety. As long as you have a decent copy of a 6.5 (M38?) you shouldn't have any chance of a cast recvr IIRC. Outside of that, the Arisaka in both 6.5 and 7.7 are allegedly at least as strong as a 98 Mauser or '03 Springfield (low number RI's excluded of course). If the barrel is decent it may surprise you accuracy wise.
Cast? From what I've read the bores on these can run from .266ish to over .268. I ahven't tried any cast in mine. I did buy a cheap 270 mould just in case I ever feel the need and none of the 6 or 7 6.5 moulds I have work. At this point mines a dandy carry and tractor gun. I'm okay with that.