I have a Siamese mauser action that I am considering building into a sporter. I have considered the 7.62x 54 R calibre. It should work with no bolt face or magazine modifications. It would produce a nice little 30 calibre rifle with ballistics between a 308 and a 30-06. Kind of boring.The other calibre I am presently considering is a .338/348 Win Improved. Bolt face will have to be opened up a little and the magazine supposedly feeds OK. Anyone out their done anything like this? Anyone have any other suggestions?? No I'm not interested in a 45-70. Thanks for your comments

I'm about to build one in .33 Winchester. I believe the head is a bit smaller than the .348, as the .33 is made on .45-70 brass, while the .348 was made on 50-110 brass (if I remember rightly...too lazy to go look the .348 up again just now, but I know the .33 is on .45-70 hulls...'cause I have owned a couple and still make ammo for my neighbor's '86 .33). If the .33 IS a smaller case-head, as I recall, it would reduce the amount you have to open the bolt face, if any.

My only decision left to make at this point is whether to "Ackley Improve" the .33W or not. My likely answer is no....can always do that later, and I just really like the old .33 Winnie round anyway. I already have a .338 Mag so don't need to "hot-rocks" the .33 Winchester.

Alberta You are correct about the size of the 33 win case being same as the 45-70. To make them work in the Siamese you either open up the bolt face or cut the rims on the cases to fit the shellholder for the 7.62x54 R. Once the bolt is chucked up taking a few more thou to accomodate the 348 is no big deal. You are also correct in saying the 33Win would make a good choice. I suspect the 338/348 will come very close to 338 Win ballistics. Kind of a short fat rimmed magnum case. Probably wouldn't handle the heavier bullets as well as the 338 Win. The Siamese mauser magazine is limited to about 3" COL.

I'd go with the 7.62x54r simply because good commercial ammuntion is cheap and you'd never have to reload for it.

I love to reload, but sometimes damn it, its just nice to be able to stop off at any local pawnshop or gun store and pick up a box of ammo and go shooting!

Woul a 450 Marlin work on this action???

I would go with either a 338/348 AI or a 375/248AI. Only because i have the reamers for it and am having dies made. I have 2 siamese mauser actions in my safe waiting to be converted. Just have to finish the other projects first.

Bigboredan I picked up a pair as well. One is the earlier type 45 Long barrel and the other is a type 66 I believe with a 24 in barrel. The rifling in the 66 is very good and the whole package came with a set of RCBS dies. So right now I'm busy forming cases from 45-70 brass. If it shoots it will likely stay a 8x52 R. I like the idea of the 338/348 Imp. That would come very close to 338 Win ballistics with lighter bullets. Do you have any other information on the 338/348 Imp?

I had originally intended to have a 45-70 made from mine but am now thinking the 500SW would be fun for something different.
A friend here locally has one I want to shoot first in 45-70 and then decide.
Frank

I have a couple of Siamese Mauser actions also. I have been wondering if one could convert one to a 405 Winchester without having feeding problems or if it would fit in the action. Anyone out there that has done this?

Another I have considered was a 444 Marlin necked down to 9.3 or 375.

Thanks,
Hoot

Hoot Murray. Isn't the 375 a .375JDJ? Packy

Hoot I don't think your 405 is going to work in a siamese mauser unless you make it a single shot. In order to function through the magazine the COL has to be 3 inches or less. The 444 rim is too small to work with the Siamese boltface.The 7.62x 54 Russian round is the only case I am aware of that is the correct size (approx .576"). 3040 cases work so so in some actions. Best option is to turn down the rims on 45-70 cases or to open up the bolt face to take the 45-70 cases or the 348 win case. I am still trying to decide between the std 7.62x54 Russian or the 338/348 Imp. I may have to find another action and build both.

Snowman,

Thanks for the information. I have only heard of a 45-70 conversion up to now. I notice that there are mixed opinions on this round in regards to feeding issues. Do you have any information or how to avoid feeding issues when doing the 45-70 conversion? Maybe I should look for something based on the 348 Win Case. Maybe a 450 Alaskan.

quote:

Originally posted by Hoot Murray:
Snowman,

Thanks for the information. I have only heard of a 45-70 conversion up to now. I notice that there are mixed opinions on this round in regards to feeding issues. Do you have any information or how to avoid feeding issues when doing the 45-70 conversion? Maybe I should look for something based on the 348 Win Case. Maybe a 450 Alaskan.

The 7.62x54r rim is actually a hair too big to work unaltered. It would require very little cleanup to function though. The 8x56R rim is darn near exactly the same as the siamese cartrdige and no slouch. It easily betters the old 33 winchester. You might consider it a rimmed .338 Federal. In fact, I'm tempted to build one on a .338 bore.

As to length, the magazine can be easily lengthened.

Fifty Alaskan!! Then you can have a real thrill! I did it and know~~

Aloha, Mark

I have a beautiful little full stocked Siamese in 30/40 that feeds and shoots flawlessly. Barel is an M14 blank that was misthreaded and used for the 30/40. Blank was a Douglas premium target blank and the steps are still in the barrel. There are pictures on here somewhere of it. Iron sights are Remington takeoffs. Don't have any Idea who built it but he really knows what he's doing. Action has been flawlessly ground and stock is out of a PLAIN piece of French but perfectly grained and executed with extreme skill. Shoots anything from factory to any handloads I put thru it. 30/40 is easy to load for and adequate for most all N.Amer game.

quote:

Originally posted by snowman:
I have a Siamese mauser action that I am considering building into a sporter. I have considered the 7.62x 54 R calibre. It should work with no bolt face or magazine modifications. It would produce a nice little 30 calibre rifle with ballistics between a 308 and a 30-06. Kind of boring.The other calibre I am presently considering is a .338/348 Win Improved. Bolt face will have to be opened up a little and the magazine supposedly feeds OK. Anyone out their done anything like this? Anyone have any other suggestions?? No I'm not interested in a 45-70. Thanks for your comments

I've heard of using 8mm bullets in necked-down .348 Win. cases. Of course, the bore has to be in good condition for this.......

The bolt face and extractor would have to be opened up, as the .348" has a rim of .610, while the Siamese 8X52R is .550".




Huntington Reloading Supplies - Special Order Dies 8mm-338 Winchester Magnum. G. 4. 56864. 8mm-348. G. 5. 56358. 8mm x 50R Austrian. G. 13. 56359. 8mm x 50R Siamese Type 45 ...

& don't forget the 450 Alaskan.

350 Rem Mag fit's and feeds without alteration

375 flanged?

303.british then style the gun after a rigby ,rigby did make these at one time ...paul

how about a 40-65, and mannlicher stock w/21" barrel? Dies area available, bullets are available, and it would be a dandy woods rifle. I built one several years back, when SM actions wer about $75 bucks from Navy Arms, wish I'd bought about a dozen.
Option "B", a historical one. 38-56 Winchester.

regards,

Rich

Thanks for all the input guys. I now have two of these rifles. One has a minty bore with a 24 in barrel that came with a set 8x52 R Siamese dies. I now have brass formed from 45-70 cases and will see how this rifle shoots. One of these may stay 8x52R. Will post results of shooting this as soon as possible. I still can't decide what to do with the last one.

some one said 30-40 Krag he was dead on the mark.l had 1 in 45-70 but shot a friends
in 30-40 danm that thing really shot it was made from a Rem 700 varmint take off
barrel he bought for like $70 a great shooter and will do anything the 308 will do.

quote:

Originally posted by snowman:
I have a Siamese mauser action that I am considering building into a sporter. I have considered the 7.62x 54 R calibre. It should work with no bolt face or magazine modifications. It would produce a nice little 30 calibre rifle with ballistics between a 308 and a 30-06. Kind of boring.The other calibre I am presently considering is a .338/348 Win Improved. Bolt face will have to be opened up a little and the magazine supposedly feeds OK. Anyone out their done anything like this? Anyone have any other suggestions?? No I'm not interested in a 45-70. Thanks for your comments

I've a Siamese Mauser I converted to 45-70 in the mid '70s. Other than opening the bolt face I've not had any feed problems what so ever. I refer to mine as a .450-400-70 as I believe it takes the 45-70 into a 4th level of loads. I throated mine to take a cartridge loaded with the 400 gr Barnes Original SP to just short of magazine length. I push these at 2305 fps with RL7 and no pressure problems. That is not a max load by the way but it is a plenty accurate load and my rifle is on the light side so recoil is fierce other than off hand or sitting. I push a 500 hard cast Lee bullet to 2050 fps which puts the rifle into the .458 catagory. With 300 gr HPs at 2600 fps it makes for a decent "varminter". It is in a Fajen/Bishop stock, has a 2.5X Leupold scope mounted on an old Redfield base with the backup apeture sight that flips up. I can try to post pictures if you are interested.

Larry Gibson

Larry,

I'd sure like to see pictures. I have one that sounds a lot like yours. The loads I use are also similar.

quote:

Originally posted by craigster:
Larry,

I'd sure like to see pictures. I have one that sounds a lot like yours. The loads I use are also similar.

Can someone explain how to post a photo here?

Larry Gibson

Larry,

I can't, but if you go to the Suggestion and Help Forum you will find the details there.

Ok, a test here of the 450-400-70 rifle. Let me know if you can open them.

Larry Gibson

http://i5.tinypic.com/262sl51.jpg

http://i1.tinypic.com/262t7w4.jpg

http://i2.tinypic.com/262ta3c.jpg

http://i4.tinypic.com/262tdw1.jpg

sound advise from MajorCaliber. 350rem mag is the one--no changes but new bbl. and headspace. have fun!!! bill439

the pictures came out great! The SM makes into so many really neat cartridge rifles.

Rich