Experiences with bolt guns?

[1950Target]

Does anyone have any experiences with SIAMESE MAUSERS or Rnfields in BPCs?

I ask because quite a few years ago I bought three SIAMESE MAUSERS they are all nice I'm thinking of one in .45-70 and maybe a more recently developed cartridge such as .50 Alaskan.

I just met a dealer who is shutting down and she has three of the GIBBS Enfields in .45-70 that I can get a good deal on. How is the strength of these Enfields are they safe with the Ruger No. 1 classs handloads? Or more in the class of a Marlin 1895?

I'd be interested in learning of any experiences anyone has had with any of these rifles.

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

[waksupi]

I have heard they have feeding issues, due to the rimmed cartridges.

[felix]

Mauser actions are strong (55Kcup); Enfields are weak (40Kcup) in comparison. Modern BR actions, for example, take 65Kcup in stride. ... felix

[1950Target]

Both the Simaese and Enfields were originally designed for rimmed cartridges but I can see how the different geometry of the original bottleneck cartridges 8X56R and .303 as opposed to .45-70 type torpedos could cause problems.

I'm a big fan of the Mauser I've fot so many in different configurations manufavtures and I know they are strong but I've never owned or been very impressed with the Enfirld Actions or thei derivatives.

Paul Maiser actually designed each action to feed the specified cartridge, so while there are similarities there are also distinct differences.

My brother had a Siamese that he built into a .45-70with a Numrich "kit" back in the early 80s but he never shot it much. When he passed it passed to his son whom I am sure has never done anything with it. My brother had two Marlin 1895s a 1974 production straight grip micro groove which he did a great deal of loading for and hunting and that is today his son's primary dear rifle. And he had a recent "COWBOY" version with PG 26" OCT and full magazine but he took sick not long after getting it and I think it is unfired.

I think the Mauser may have been shot a couple dozen times but those kits came with 26" bbls and he always talked about it being too heavy and wanting to get it shortened to 20 or 22, its pretty much a safe queen, but he liked it and kept it, just didn't do much with it.

[looseprojectile]

I have a Siamese Mauser that I got at a funshow for $150.00.
I thought it was a 45 70, turns out it is a 450 Alaskan.
Dies are way expensive and recoil will curl yer toenails.
And yes it did present a problem with feeding which I seem to have solved.
This gun was an unfinished kit consisting of the barreled action and unfinished sporter stock. It has turned into a fairly neat very large rifle. I installed a ramp front sight and a Redfield rear peep. The metal such as the magazine box had to be altered to fit the sporter stock. This makes for quite a project as it is on an angle due to the original and present rimmed cartridge, made from .348 Win.
Have not shot it much though it should handle most any load that a man could stand behind. Did I say this is a big gun?

Life is good

[oldhickory]

Are these Gibbs Enfields P14s or number 1s, 4s, etc? The P14 is strong enough for .458 Winchester Magnum after being checked by a competent gunsmith. Number 1s and 4s would have to be regulated to Winchester 1886/ Marlin 1895 pressures.

As for the Siamese Mauser conversions, I had one back in the 70s. No feeding problem, and accuracy was good...However, the fellow who built it must have intended to use only 350gr "J" words in it as the chamber was so short, that's all that would chamber! It was a very effective .45 cal. boolit puller if you tried to extract a live cartridge!

[NickSS]

The siamiese mouser is plenty strong enough for ruger number 1 class loads. I built one in 45-70 and had to releave the feed rails in the action with a dremmel tool to get it to feed well from the magazine. The gibbs enfield are built on number 1 MKIII actions for the ones I have seen and they are not up to ruger #1 loads but they will handle anything that is safe in a 95 Marlin. As for using them in BPCR matches most that I have gone to do not allow bolt action rifles even if they were made before 1900. I know because I tried to use my 1871 Mauser and was turned away from a match.

[Dan Cash]

Does anyone have any experiences with SIAMESE MAUSERS or Rnfields in BPCs?

I ask because quite a few years ago I bought three SIAMESE MAUSERS they are all nice I'm thinking of one in .45-70 and maybe a more recently developed cartridge such as .50 Alaskan.

I just met a dealer who is shutting down and she has three of the GIBBS Enfields in .45-70 that I can get a good deal on. How is the strength of these Enfields are they safe with the Ruger No. 1 classs handloads? Or more in the class of a Marlin 1895?

I'd be interested in learning of any experiences anyone has had with any of these rifles.

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

What is your definition of a good deal for the Gibbs Enfields? If you pick them up, I could be interested in one.
Dan

[mtnman31]

I've got an Enfield Gibbs 45-70 and it is a nice rifle. The rifle finish is very clean and the stock was nicely refinished with some sort of black paint(?) that is tough as nails. It has some nice Williams sights on it as well. I think as far as feeding issues go you just can't expect it to feed as smooth as a bottleneck cartridge. It is rimmed and you just need to take a little caution when you load the shells into the magazine. I personally don't have any feeding issues with it, but I don't cycle the action like I am fending off a human wave assault. Also, don't expect to load a loooonng 500+ grain bullet into the magazine; it is just not long enough. As for bullet weights, I don't even know what the barrel twist is. All of my loads have been in the 300-400 grain range.

I have never pushed the envelope on reloads and pressure. It has handled some jacketed loads at moderate pressures. I have yet to develop a "go to" load with cast bullets. It is a rifle that I have been very satisfied with and have no regrets about purchasing. Plus, I consider it one of those oddities that you just don't see every day.

I'm with Dan, I'd be interested in a new rifle for my shelf. If you pass on them let me know what they are asking and how to get in touch; I might be interested.

[Uncle R.]

I ask because quite a few years ago I bought three SIAMESE MAUSERS they are all nice I'm thinking of one in .45-70 and maybe a more recently developed cartridge such as .50 Alaskan.


Man, I'm flat envious. I'd love to get my hands on a well-built Siamese Mauser in .45-70 (Or build one myself) but they're dang hard to find around here and the few I've seen had very high asking prices. I wish I'd had the foresight back when they were cheap, but I was young and foolish and smitten with "high velocity" cartridges. I would have laughed at anyone using a .45-70 for anything.
:roll:
I've said it before... <GROAN!>
I'd love to be young again, but not if I had to be that dumb again!
Uncle R.

[JeffinNZ]

I have a .38-303 built around an early Lee Enfield action (MLE). It works fine - great even. The action is of little consequence really unless club rules dictate different.

[RMulhern]

They make pretty good 'boat anchor' material!

[HPT]

Here's my Siamese Mauser in .45-70. Built it as a bear stopper (used 350 gr RN @ 2150 FPS). It shoots the same BP load as my Sharps with equal accuracy, but the Sharps just looks a lot cooler. Feeding is hard on lead bullets, better to stick with jackets or load 1 at a time.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z41/VonN_photos/P8042582.jpg
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z41/VonN_photos/1_HowardsBear.jpg

[Larry Gibson]

I built my Siamese Mauser 45-70 ( I call it a 450-400-70) back in '74. I've had no problems with feeding whatsoever with the rimmed cartridge. I load about every type of load for it from 210 gr Rapine 460210s at 1050 fps to Lee 500 gr GC'd bullets at 2150 fps. I also shoot J bullets from 300 to 400 gr in it. I push a 400 gr Original Barnes SP at 2300 fps out of it. I have throated the barrel for that bullet seated to magazine length which gives 45-90/.458 Mag level of powder capacity. Having it also set up to test pressures with I beleive the Siamese Mauser takes the 45-70 to a 4th level of performance above the usual listed 3rd level with the Ruger #1. If one has a Ruger #1 thus throated it too is into a 4th level of performance. At 8 1/2 lbs it does let you know you've pulled a trigger with such loads!

Larry Gibson

[TRX]

Not a bolt action, but I found this thread when I was searching for information about converting P14/17 Enfields to .45-70.

http://www.gunco.net/forums/f244/not-quite-intermediate-45-70-conversion-36133/

Pookie has some pictures of the conversion on his web site. Also, there's some discussion of a .50-110:

http://www.gunco.net/forums/f244/50-110-romanian-fpk-36134/

Both rifles were built on the "PSL" style 7.62x52R receivers.

My own rifle is using a 21st century case (.50 Beowulf), but I just ordered a Lee Minie ball mould which will make the proper .501" cast boolits I will be using. I will probably load up a few with FFg just for kicks, though the Beowulf's case capacity is quite small compared to proper BP cartridges. The Lee Minie variant was the right weight and I felt the rounded nose might make it easier to feed in an autoloader.