Out of the ordinary 45 ACP rifle project.

[Dthunter]

Hello fellow shooters!

I have a savage model 112, Series “J” rifle chambered in 222 Remington.
I havent shot the rifle in probably 10 years, but I donot want to let it go.

So I am considering an unusual modification, to rejuvenate some interest and fun.

I have a collection of high precision long range rifles, so I dont really need another one of those “right now” lol!

If I can source a 18.5”, .451 barrel, that is close to 1” diameter and no taper, I was thinking this could be an interesting project.

With just switching out the old bolt face with a new .308 diameter one, that should solve my bolt fit to the 45 ACP case.

The action is not machined for a magazine well, so I should be able to simply drop the short little stubby round onto the floor plate and feed away.

The action has a trigger that is around 6-8 ounces from benchrest shooting in years past.

I think this project could really find the accuracy potential and of this round and be fun as heck plunking big old bullets in tight clusters!

I know this cartridge can shoot suprisingly accurate groups. My JR carbine can print 1” groups at 50 yards, so this combo should be able to maintain that size out further to maybe near 100.

I plan to shoot both J-words and cast bullets.
All will be likely be in the 230 grain range.

So what do you guys think of any problems I may encounter in this project?

[adcoch1]

Sounds fun, but a long action for the 45acp? Seems like a waste! Yeah, bolt head and barrel and you should be good to go. Any load you can imagine for 45 acp should be possible, definitely more than an auto pistol can handle. You could pick up a savage 308 and convert that, maybe swap over your trigger...

[Texas by God]

Fun- do it and take pics.

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[Tatume]

I've read about several such conversions, and the owners were always pleased. I've wanted to do it myself, but haven't gotten around to it. I think you'll have a lot of fun.

[firebyprolong]

I really can't foresee any problems with your plan since you've taken the mag out of the equation. 45 acp rifles are just fun, kinda like throwing a softball really fast. On top of that it's a savage, if you don't like it after it's done just unscrew said 45 barrel and sell it to another gun nut.

[skeettx]

Should be straight forward, maybe some forend inletting perhaps
Enjoy the adventure

[truckjohn]

The issue is not what the action can take so much as what the brass can take... Neither pistol brass nor the pistol primer cups are designed for the sort of pressure that a modern sporting rifle generates.. You will be fine if you stick with conventional pistol loads..

It sounds like a super fun project to me.. I have thought long and hard about redoing a Handi rifle in 45acp...

Also - don't overlook modern self defense purpose loads such as Hydro-shocks and such for "Critter getter" duty...

[Drm50]

Me and a buddy fooled with a Enfield 06 converting to 45acp. Only barrel we could come up with at the time was a used SMG barrel from Numerich. We messed around and got it barreled and shot it as single shot. We wanted to use Thompson mags like a Delise Brit Commando gun they had in WW2 as a surpressed 45acp. We didn't get it done and had butchered the rifle. We used 1917 Enfield, Brits used their 303. There is some You Tube vidio on making up 45acp on bolt actions. Ours was crap because of used SMG barrel but I've herd with a good barrel 451" they are tack drivers at reasonable range. I have no reason to doubt it because I have shot original 27 & 28 Thompsons with new barrels and they shoot like a 22 for plinking. After they have been cowboyed not so much. The ones I shot were privately owned and guy had the barrels replaced because the bores were washed out.

[JoeJames]

I whomped up one about 25 years ago: Volunteer Arms 45 acp barrel, Golden State cast 03-A3 receiver, used 03-A3 stock reconfigured for the barrel length.

[jdfoxinc]

Maby .460 Rowland? You can shoot .45 ACP in the same chamber.

[Texas by God]

Green Mountain 603 447 1095 for a start....

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[tbx-4]

Dthunter,
You don't need a 18.5" barrel for 45acp unless Canada requires that for minimum length but in the states it's 16".

Standard 45acp ball ammo doesn't gain any more velocity after about 8".

Sound like a nice little plinker. Good luck!

[DanishM1Garand]

Maby .460 Rowland? You can shoot .45 ACP in the same chamber.

If you start having trouble with brass just shorten 30-06, 7.62 nato, or other caliber.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

I whomped up one about 25 years ago: Volunteer Arms 45 acp barrel, Golden State cast 03-A3 receiver, used 03-A3 stock reconfigured for the barrel length.

I'd love to have one of those!

[jeffugreene]

.460 Rowland, you can still fire .45ACP threw it for “plinker” rounds


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[Dthunter]

Tbx:

Yup, it is our Canadian commie laws that are the reason for a minimum of 18.5”.

No choice what so ever!


Velocity isnt my goal, accuracy is.

Although by using a slightly slower burn rate, and increased volume over a slow work up, could most certainly yield noticeable velocity increases.

[dk17hmr]

Rowland is a slightly longer case. Chamber it in 45acp, use 45 Super brass from starline and load it with 460 Rowland data.

I have a Savage with a 45acp barrel on it. Great critter killer and extremely accurate. Mine will do 1.5" at 100 and clover leaf at 50 yards with a wide variety of ammo.

For rabbits and plinking I shoot a 200gr swc at about 1000fps for blowing up pdogs I shot a 165gr Hydra shock at 1925fps.





Shot with a 260gr cast. The 165gr pdog pics are pretty bad.




260gr at 950fps out 300blackouts the 300blackout at close range.

Longshot powder, Blazer small primer brass, and 185gr XTPs at 1400fps work great for an all around killing combo. If it were legal in my state I would be big game hunting with a 260gr at 950-1000 suppressed of course.

[Baltimoreed]

I whomped up one about 25 years ago: Volunteer Arms 45 acp barrel, Golden State cast 03-A3 receiver, used 03-A3 stock reconfigured for the barrel length.

I really like your build. Super neat rifle. Would it feed one round from the mag? I had similar thoughts using a ‘03 but keeping it .30 caliber but using 7.92x33 brass. I was thinking that I could divide the magazine in half, have 2 separate followers and use the cut off to differentiate between the front half and back half. Did some preliminary stuff but I remilitarized my sporterized donor ‘03 so it’s not available now. I had to reconfigure my stock also as the bbl is only 21 inches. Too many irons in the fire.

[John Taylor]

Several years back I shortened up a Mauser 93 and installed a GM barrel. Problem is that I have not found a stock for the short action. Was thinking of trying to make it work with a 1911 mag but the square bottom of the bolt does not like it. I have been so backed up with work that I have not done any more with it.

[JoeJames]

I really like your build. Super neat rifle. Would it feed one round from the mag? I had similar thoughts using a ‘03 but keeping it .30 caliber but using 7.92x33 brass. I was thinking that I could divide the magazine in half, have 2 separate followers and use the cut off to differentiate between the front half and back half. Did some preliminary stuff but I remilitarized my sporterized donor ‘03 so it’s not available now. I had to reconfigure my stock also as the bbl is only 21 inches. Too many irons in the fire.

That was an earlier picture, before I got the "Mauser 45 ACP Conversion Kits-Military – Rhineland Arms". It was configured for the 98 Mauser, so I had to do some tinkering with the stamped floor plate of the 03-A3. It is still a work in progress. One note: in order to get the Rhineland conversion to feed reliably I had to grind off part of the extractor as indicated in their instructions.