Mauser conversions

[badguybuster]

I have a hankering for one of those Mauser 45-70 conversions. Any of ya'll have one? Opinions? Issues? Things to look out for?

[offshore44]

I had the same itch awhile ago. Shot fellow shooter's 45-70 Siamese Mauser and got the biggest charge out of it. Way to cool.

I did a lot of digging around and came to the conclusion that I would either purchase one that was already made up and tested good, or purchase another big bore rifle. I chose the latter route.

The M98 design doesn't do well with a rimmed case. It can be done, but it is expensive and very time consuming. The results are often disappointing. It also requires a 'smith that is a past master with the M98. The Siamese Mauser is the best bet for a conversion. They are getting expensive and very hard to come by.

I ended up with a CZ 550 American Safari in 485 Win Mag. Wonderful cast boolit rifle. Responds very well to paper patching. For a custom rifle there is also the 458 American, and a fairly large selection of other 45 cals that are in the same ball park as the 45-70, but rimless. Good luck with your quest, and do your homework. Big bore bolt guns are a hoot with cast.

[Ithaca Gunner]

I bought one back in the '80s, nicely done, shot well, but the throat was a bit short for my boolits, that was the only complaint.

[Uncle Grinch]

I've got one I had built back in the late sixties by E.R. Shaw. It sports a 20 inch barrel with peep sights and is parkerized. Real nice short range deer and hog killer. Got a chamber insert for 45 ACP that does decent with cast boolits, not real accureate with them but fun to shoot.

[lancem]

Not quite the same but I just got a Gibbs conversion, Enfield No 4 Mk1 action converted to 45-70. Just put 20-30 rounds through it this afternoon messing around. Finally have some empty brass to load up and really start having fun. Saw a Mauser 45-70 on GB last week, maybe it's still there, price was around $1K if I remember right...

[Tdart]

Make one up in 458X2". Basically a 45/70 if you want to load it that way, plus a little more if you are so inclined. It is belted and can be made to feed a lot easier.

[Larry Gibson]

I built mine in the early '70s. It weighs 8 1/2" lbs as you see it. I throated it to seat the Barnes Original 400 SP to just under mag length. With those and 400 & 500 gr cast seated to mag length gives 45-90 case capacity. I push the Barnes 400 SP and a Lyman 457483 GC'd cast at 2300 fps and the 500 gr GC'd Lee at 2050 fps. That is 458 Win Mag territory. With trapdoor and lever action level loads it is a joy to shoot. With those top end loads in isn't bad standing or sitting but from the bench I often wonder where that Joe Frazier left hook came from........

Larry Gibson

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Larry that is a fine looking rifle ! Are you forming a list of possible buyers ?
Closest I can come to a Mauser caliber .45-70 is an old Remington Lee. It sits in the Danville War Museum when I am "down here" but is one of those that gets removed"for barrel maintenance". It works best with good old 3F and a fat 40-1 400 grainer. No where near what a modern action could dish out but would still be viable for any critter I will ever see.
I like the idea of a caliber .458 Mag. All that case room for some really heavy cast boolits. Wonder how a 650 grainer would do on an unsuspecting "piggy" ?
Mike in Peru

[elk hunter]

I built one in the 70's on a Siamese action and used it for several years and put a lot of elk meat in the freezer with it. I also built one, for a friend, on a P-14 Enfield action that worked well. I still have one Siamese action that I need to decide what I'm going to use it for. I also traded into a 71-84 Mauser that was made into a 45-70 short rifle, it of course is only good for Trapdoor level loads, but still fun to shoot. After building a 458 Winchester on a 98 Mauser I don't shoot the 45-70 bolt guns very much. The 458 will do everything the 45-70 does and more and when loaded to the top OH BOY does it do more.

[Col4570]

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/002-20_zps51190dbd.jpg (http://s1052.photobucket.com/user/livebattery/media/002-20_zps51190dbd.jpg.html)
This is one I built some years ago,based on the Mauser 71 single shot action.It is in 45.70 Cal.I have used the original furniture.The stock is one I modified from an old Austrian .22 Rifle.

[aspangler]

Not the same but you might consider (if you are going to build one) a Mosin 91/30 or one of the variants. I built one last year on the M38 action using a Green Mountain blank and it will hold 5 shot clover leaves at 100 yards. Plenty strong to handle all the recoil that you will want to take. [smilie=l:

[Larry Gibson]

Good morning
Larry that is a fine looking rifle ! Are you forming a list of possible buyers ?
Closest I can come to a Mauser caliber .45-70 is an old Remington Lee. It sits in the Danville War Museum when I am "down here" but is one of those that gets removed"for barrel maintenance". It works best with good old 3F and a fat 40-1 400 grainer. No where near what a modern action could dish out but would still be viable for any critter I will ever see.
I like the idea of a caliber .458 Mag. All that case room for some really heavy cast boolits. Wonder how a 650 grainer would do on an unsuspecting "piggy" ?
Mike in Peru

No on the potential list of buyers.....a grandson has spoken for it. Sounds like fun with the "Danville" special! Not sure I'd want to try the 650s.....the 500s do fine on piggies and after that Joe Frazier left hook a Marciano right cross wouldn't be any fun...........

Larry Gibson

[No_1]

I have a Siamese 45/70. It is a nice rifle but a bit heavy. The top rifle is another Siamese in 30-40 Krag. I missed one a few years back on gunbroker in 348 Winchester. I like Siamese Mausers!

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p206/no_one_photos/SIAMESE%20MAUSERS/DSC01129.jpg (http://s129.photobucket.com/user/no_one_photos/media/SIAMESE%20MAUSERS/DSC01129.jpg.html)

[rr2241tx]

This Siamese was converted in 1974 by Federal Arms who supplied the barrel. The Fajen stock is wonderful. The scope is a Redfield Wide Field 4X. I have recently discovered that beveled base brass will allow the extractor to ride over the rim of a single fed cartridge without having to feed it from the magazine. It came into my hands three years ago and is my favorite deer rifle. I generally use 1886 level loads in it but it shoots Trapdoor and Ruger #1 loads equally well.

[EDG]

I built one in 1972 from a complete rifle that cost me $12.
It shot well with jacketed bullets. I think I goofed and let the smith install a 14" twist 458 barrel when it should have been a 20" twist. I never did well with jacketed bullets but I have learner a lot since then.
With jacketed bullets it was little different than shooting any other bolt gun. I sold the rifle long ago. Later I decided that a single shot was not a bad thing and that the 45-70 is better served in single shots. I have shot Browning and Ruger single shots much more than I ever shot that Siamese.