I wonder why all my friends are eccentric?

Anyway, had breakfast with one of the guys I shoot with, and he's been inspired by an old-timer (80+, wow!) who likes to raise eyebrows at the club by shooting tiny little groups with a Siamese Mauser that's been chambered for 45-70.

I guess this was a popular conversion at some time.

Short of finding a 45-70 Siamese, how hard is this conversion?

Bolt face issues?

Feeding rails?

Magazine and follower?

Thanks,

flaco

quote:

eccentric

Humm...
I have one of these. As with a lot of Mauser conversions, it's a PITA to get it to feed properly. Other than that, it's pretty much a blast. Mine shoots quite well with 50grs of RE7 and the Hornady 350RN. A pretty modest loading. I have loaded up to 61 grains of 3031, but case life is short, and there is really no need to try and make it a .458mag.

I've got one also, they are lots of fun. Kind of a poor man's big bore. The conversion isn't all that difficult for a guy that know what he's doing.

"Short of finding a 45-70 Siamese, how hard is this conversion??"

Bolt face issues?
Feeding rails?
Magazine and follower?

Uh, all of the above pretty much sums it up! Add in the scarcity of spare parts if you screw something up and it could be costly. This IS NOT the same as turning a Turk into a 30-06!

I have one that I built in 1989 when a customer ordered a Douglass 458 bbl. and then moved to another state. I found 2 Siamese rifles at local gunshows. Mine has never seen a jacketed bullet. It loves 24 gr. of 2400 behind a 300 gr RCBS hard cast bullet. The other action was also barreled for a friend and he was determined to get as close to .458 Win. velocities as possible. I remember him using RE7 and 300 gr. Sierra hollowpoints. He did return for a muzzle brake.

it's one of the things on my list.. i've stocked 2 and shot a couple..

oupa,
it's really not much more work than a 338win on a 98.

and to all
it's just neat.
jeffe