Convert Steyr m95 to 45-70 ?

[Driller640]

I was just thinking about converting a surplus rifle to 45-70, and the Steyr m95 in 8x56R can be had for $90. Has anyone done this/and what did the job require?? Thanks EH!

[chevyiron420]

EH, i have one in 7.62x54r, and someone here has one in 30-40. i read some posts from someone about a 45\70 but i dont think it was on this forum. i just cant remember where it was. i think he had trouble with the rim dia. and maybe had to turn his rims down. i also think it would only feed with one bullet?? anyway dont build a light rifle if you want to shoot some higher velocity rounds in it. my 45\70 is built on a siamese mauser and its light with a 18 inch tube. the first loads i made up were in the 50,000 range. the first shot moved the scope in the rings, split my eye open, bloodied my nose, and knocked my teeth loose.just didnt think it thru! i have take a new interest in this gun now about 15 years later and load starting loads for the marlin in it and have found it is very accurate.-phil:castmine:

[Bret4207]

Rim diameter will be your limiting factor. Were I to alter an M95 I'd got for 30/40 Krag, 35/40 Krag, or a 40 cal on the Krag or 303 Brit case. Probably be slick as snot with a 7x57 Rimmed too!

[acsteve]

is their a problem of feeding and extraction reliability. Thought the steeply sloping case body was needed to aid in feeding and extraction? Instead of 35/40 why not 35-8x56r. What would a custom reamer and die set cost?

[Hackleback]

I did see one of these conversions sitting in the rack at Cabelas last year. It was a neat little rifle, but I did not know if it was a safe conversion so I walked. On the conversion I saw, it appeared that the barrel shank was left in the action and the new barrel was threaded into the shank. After doing some reading, it sounds like the actions are fairly strong...

[chevyiron420]

another thing to think about is the taper of the new case to be used. if you notice the 8x56r or the 8x50r have a pretty straight case body. if the new case has to much taper it wont feed well thru the clips. it seems to bind up on the rims because the rounds stack up differently and want to curve, if you know what i mean. i have some feeding trouble with my rifle chambered for 7.62x54r. i think it was buckshot that gave me some tips on tweeking the clips but i aint tryed it yet.-phil

[KCSO]

Hey don't forget the 444! The case fits and feed from the factory clips and it makes up into a nice hunting carbine. The ctg can be loaded to the same pressures as the Marlin rifles.

[JeffinNZ]

.444 sounds like a good idea but get a fast enough twist to spin up heavier bullets too.

[acsteve]

could a 444 conversion be done on the existing m95 barrel. I heard they do this to marlins converted to 375 win

[C1PNR]

Am I nuts, or do I remember Buckshot doing this very conversion a few years ago. IIRC, he was pretty pleased with the result.

Or I may be all wet, again, er, still.[smilie=1:

[twotrees]

38-55 or the 303-35 should slide thru that thing like corn thru a goose.

Humm, SOG has them and an Ohio buddy owes me more than 2 of them are worth!!! Hummm.............


Dang it Y'all are going to cost me money .........


Again !!!!!

[Buckshot]

..............There are no flies on the 1895 Steyr so far as strength goes. The originals launched a 208gr slug at about 2300 fps, and that from a 19" tube.

The 2 main problems with the M95 and conversions is the complication of the seperate rotating bolthead. A complication if it needs to be altered, but if not then no big deal. Finally it's en-bloc clip is a very important part of the feeding process, and it is designed to hold the cartridge so it's correctly presented to the breech for feeding.

http://www.fototime.com/F2618D4764522E3/standard.jpg

The photo above shows the M95 converted to 30-40 Krag, with the 30-40's in the clip. Due to the 8x56R's larger diameter, the 30-40 has a tendancy to ride higher in the clip. This is due to both the lips of the clip being too wide for the 30-40 and the Krag's stack at more of an angle. In the photo you can see the very simple modification made to the clip at the pink lines. The upper front lips of the clip are merely bent down enough to point the nose of the boolit at the breech.

http://www.fototime.com/8D145DDB43DD2B5/standard.jpg

Merely bending the top of the clips feed lips doesn't answer the problem of looseness of the 5 smaller rounds in the clip when carrying them in your pocket. When in the rifle the follower applies upward pressure so no problem there. Carrying loaded clips requires another simple mod, and that is on the bottom of the clip. A similar mod is made as that down to the top of the clip. You bend the lips in to apply a bit of pressure to the bottom cartridge.

You will have to tray them in the rifle to make sure the follower can pass between the altered lips of the clip, or you'll have feed issues if it drags or hangs up.

I recall checking to see if the 45-70 was a viable conversion, and IIRC the body would have issues in the clip recess. While the 8x56R case can be created from the 45-70 as the base measurements are very similar, the 8x56R has a pretty good taper to it and the fit issue is toward the front.

Other problems are that the trigger sucks channel water and may even be worse then the Mosin Nagant. Then you have the unavailability of extractors. They're just not available and without it you're down to carrying a stick to poke the empties out with :-)

.................Buckshot

[budman46]

hello buckshot...how about some info on that nice aperture sight on the pictured m95. i've got old eyeballs and the standard sight is a chore. :(

budman46

[Gunfreak25]

These rifles also do just fine in their original chambering. :D

[Buckshot]

hello buckshot...how about some info on that nice aperture sight on the pictured m95. i've got old eyeballs and the standard sight is a chore. :(

budman46

..............It's just the old Ly 57 SME reversed. You have to remove the eyepiece and move it to the backside also. The milled radius of the body is almost a perfect fit on the Steyr's action too.

I keep forgetting to check the 40-65 vs the 8x56R to see how similar the OD's are where the sides of the clips contact the cases. That would make a nice conversion too.

..................Buckshot

[Frank46]

neck up the 8x56 from 8mm to 9.5mm and you have a wildcat 375 caliber rifle. Put a 1x14 twist barrel on and you can shoot both cast and condums as well. Think they make 200, 220, 225, 235 grain weight bullets on the low end. The last two are spitzers, the first two are flat points for the 375 win. Might be worth a shot. Frank

[budman46]

hello buckshot, budman again...did you have to replace the front sight blade to compensate for the lyman 57?