Siamese Mauser 45-70 Super Nitro

[TeamTomlyn]

Here’s a good one for the brain trust!

I just got handed this gorgeous Siamese Mauser chambered in “45-70 Super Nitro”

Contracted out from Germany’s 98K design; the king of Siam contracted with Japan to make 40K of these rifles between 1903 and 1908.
During production the Japanese arsenal added their own influence to the 98k design. Which from what I’ve read makes it one of the stronger Mauser actions but also makes its parts unique from other mausers.
In the 1960s these became surplus rifles and began showing up in the US. Due to the parent cartridges requiring a large bolt face it was popular to rebarrwl these for the 45-70.

Okay, cool history lesson, right? Well then this happened

Now let me save you a google search, it won’t be that easy. I have yet to find a whisper of a 45-70 Super Nitro anywhere on the interwebs.

either this has to be a 1 time wildcat elephant rifle with some kind of monster parent case.

Maybe he saw Quigley and wanted to get one up on his 45-120 by making his a Super Nitro

My guess is since the 45-70 cartridge has been around since black powder and you’ve got to be very cautious of your pressure levels. This being the latest and greatest in barrel technology of its time could handle all the CUPs/pressures and the old timer denoted that as a Super Nitro.

So before I slug the barrel and make a chamber casting what do ya think it is? Ever seen such a beast before?

 

[adamsredlines]

Never heard of such a beast, hope you find out it's something crazy cool and not just their way of saying it's a .45-70 built to handle smokeless loads.

 

[Rez Exelon]

Not even gonna lie here....if I saw that on a shelf somewhere I'd prolly buy it without asking questions. Just sounds cool.

 

[Okie4570]

What's the cartridge/chamber length?

 

[PanhandleGlocker]

Ah man not another mysterious Mauser thread!

 

[HoLeChit]

Yeap, just spent the past 2 hours trying to uncover info about it. I should have listened.

 

[panayoti]

My dad did a Siamese Mauser conversion to std 45-70. This action is stronger than the lever guns and trap Springfield's. He loaded up to about 2400 fps with 300 grain bullet. Recoil was stout. Do a chamber cast. .

 

[aarondhgraham]

I'm so glad that you posted about this. I had been frustrated for years trying to find proof that they actually existed.

Way back in 1975 I was stationed TDY at an 18 man USAF Detachment in Pinedale, Wyoming. The guys had their own USAF Rod & Gun Club which essentially gave them an FFL to purchase and sell firearms to their members.

About the time I arrived there for my 60 day stint, several members of the Detachment had just received their "Chinese Mauser's" from some importer. If I remember correctly, the price was right at $130.00 per rifle. I'm not certain if anyone knew they had been re-barreled for 45-70. I think we all just thought they were manufactured for that cartridge.

I owned a Trap-Door Springfield so I was fascinated by this monster bolt repeater. But not being an official member of the Rod & Gun club (because I was only there TDY) I couldn't order one. I spent a lot of beer trying to convince one of the guys to sell me theirs,

Elk season opened while I was there and one of the Airmen took an elk with the Mauser. At just under 100 yards the elk dropped like a stone. I was spotting from the "hide" and believe the elk was dead before he hit the ground.

At my tender age of 71 (in 18 days) I have absolutely no use for that rifle at all. But I think I would pony up a decent amount of cash just to have it my safe and shoot for recreation once in awhile. It would be a very unique bequeath for my godson after I pass. If you ever decide to part with it please allow me an opportunity to make an offer.

Great find my friend! Color me Jealous as all heck!

Aarond

.

 

[TeamTomlyn]

What's the cartridge/chamber length?

No clue yet. Just got the gun and haven’t cast the chamber yet. Plus that would take all the fun out of the goose chase if I had all the specs right off.

I figure, as well as it’s put together, maybe one of the old hats might recognize the workmanship. I’m guessing this was a gunsmiths side hustle as a milsurp version of the modern 45-70s that were coming out around the same time.

 

[TeamTomlyn]

I'm so glad that you posted about this. I had been frustrated for years trying to find proof that they actually existed.

Way back in 1975 I was stationed TDY at an 18 man USAF Detachment in Pinedale, Wyoming. The guys had their own USAF Rod & Gun Club which essentially gave them an FFL to purchase and sell firearms to their members.

About the time I arrived there for my 60 day stint, several members of the Detachment had just received their "Chinese Mauser's" from some importer. If I remember correctly, the price was right at $130.00 per rifle. I'm not certain if anyone knew they had been re-barreled for 45-70. I think we all just thought they were manufactured for that cartridge.

I owned a Trap-Door Springfield so I was fascinated by this monster bolt repeater. But not being an official member of the Rod & Gun club (because I was only there TDY) I couldn't order one. I spent a lot of beer trying to convince one of the guys to sell me theirs,

Elk season opened while I was there and one of the Airmen took an elk with the Mauser. At just under 100 yards the elk dropped like a stone. I was spotting from the "hide" and believe the elk was dead before he hit the ground.

At my tender age of 71 (in 18 days) I have absolutely no use for that rifle at all. But I think I would pony up a decent amount of cash just to have it my safe and shoot for recreation once in awhile. It would be a very unique bequeath for my godson after I pass. If you ever decide to part with it please allow me an opportunity to make an offer.

Great find my friend! Color me Jealous as all heck!

Aarond

.

What a great story, thanks for taking the time to type that out! It’s not my gun but PM your contact info and I will pass it to the owner. That way hopefully you can get first dibs if he chooses to sell it.

Your story helps connect some dots though. The cartridge that it was chambered in was 8x52mm Rimmed Siamese; which would be useless in the US. But the bolt face fits a 45-70 just fine. So they rebarrel it and it fills a nitch market of high powered 45-70s.

This “Super Nitro” thing still has me stumped for now.