Yesterday's Weapons Forums

Ok I'm filling out my Siamese Mauser form and the question I have is the mentioned caliber on the sheet which states 8x50r the same as the Steyr 8x50r? And what is a writs tangs? or is it wrist tangs!

Just checking.

Thanks

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Mark

Resident of the Northern Republic of Free California

"People should not be afraid of their Government, the Government should be afraid of the people." - V

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote" - Ben Franklin

_________________
Mark

Resident of the Northern Republic of Free California

"People should not be afraid of their Government, the Government should be afraid of the people." - V

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote" - Ben Franklin

Re this Quote:
The weapon was originally chambered for the 8x50Rmm Siamese Type 45 (2445) cartridge which was adopted in the year 1902 a full year before adopting the Type 45 Infantry Rifle, these were for used in the Steyr made Model 95 Mannlicher Rifle that was exported to Siam.
It is correct ... the cartridge was adopted one year before the rifle was but it was not for use in that rifle that was exported. I was incorrect in this article as I learned later ... I am in the process of re-writing this article by the way.
Note: The Siamese Type 45 is not interchangeable with the Austrian 8x50Rmm cartridge even though that round was used as a basis for the development of the Siamese Type 45 cartridge.
From your pictures ... yours is still in the original caliber 8x50Rmm Type 45 as the rear sight has not been altered.
Your does not have the wrist tang inletting.
As for ammo ... it is definetely a handload caliber. You can get brass from Buffalo Arms and dies from RCBS but are very expensive.

Here is the load data I worked up for the 8x50Rmm Type 45:

Original Cartridge:
Case Length ... 1.983 / 50.3682 mm
Overall Length ... 2.970 / 75.4380 mm
Bullet Diameter: .321 ... 237 gr. round nose, lead cored, cupro-nickel clad, FMJ
FPS: 2050 MPS: 625

I used the Woodleigh .323 220gr. Round Nose Soft Nose SD: .301 BC: .355 bullet as this was the closest to the original specs above and the results:
IMR 4895 ... 40.8grs. = 2050 fps
IMR 4895 ... 41.0grs. = 2055 fps
Overall Length is 2.970
* These were chonographed in 48 degree weather and therefore the possibility of the cartridges bieng cold could change the velocity in warmer weather

100 yard target ... 8x50Rmm Type 45

Lebel and Keith

Thanks for the info! Bummer getting the ammo for it is so hard, I would have to admit I was skeptical about the ammo being the same.

Thanks again for the information.

_________________
Mark

Resident of the Northern Republic of Free California

"People should not be afraid of their Government, the Government should be afraid of the people." - V

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote" - Ben Franklin

Dang Mybusa you are hogging two topic areas on this so I have to switch back and forth on my repies. If you will ship it to me I will make a chamber cast or you can get some cerrosafe from Midway on sale right now. It melts over boiling water and does a great job.

BTW that is one of the nicest looking Siamese I have seen.

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oldestnavy. I was never in the Navy. The Avatar is the Greek Naval ensign. I believe the Greeks had one of the first and oldest navies in the world.

Yes sorry about the double post. I posted it first in the collectors and then I remembered I saw it here in the Japan section. I was going to delete the other one but folks had already posted comments.

_________________
Mark

Resident of the Northern Republic of Free California

"People should not be afraid of their Government, the Government should be afraid of the people." - V

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote" - Ben Franklin

Original ammunition is going to be very, very hard to find as most of it is on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
The story is that Interarms originally purchased almost all the Siamese Mausers from Thailand in which a large supply of 8x50R and 8x52R cartridges was in the contract and when it arrived it was found that almost 90% of the ammunition was in poor condition ranging from split necks to excessively rampant corrosion that Interarms had no choice but to dump it into the Atlantic Ocean, so I can imagine that they lost a huge chunk of money on the deal.
Interarms apparently had little choice but to market the weapons as an ideal action to sporterize (cough... cough) into .45-70.
Patrick

Well thats a big bummer! Heck no wonder I can't find any. At what time was this? I ask only because there are no import marks on my rifle and I was wondered if there are any import marked ones? Also with my serial number 135XX is there a way to tell when it was made?

Thanks

_________________
Mark

Resident of the Northern Republic of Free California

"People should not be afraid of their Government, the Government should be afraid of the people." - V

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote" - Ben Franklin

I understand these were imported before the GCA of 1968 ... I have not seen a Siamese Mauser with import markings either.
There were two seperate contracts placed with the Imperial Japanese Army Arsenal called "Tokyo Artillery Arsenal" located in the Kowisikawa District of Tokyo for two batches of 20,000 for each of the rifles (400,00 total) in 1903 and 1904 ... Yours will be in the first batch so 1903 would be the date it was made.
Patrick

Lebel

Again thanks for the info! I have had this rifle for many years but never thought of it until the request for the info. I have the sheet filled out and will mail it to Allan. There is not much out there about these rifles, I kinda think of it as one of my odd ball Mauser's along with the M71 single shot.

Thanks big time

Mark

_________________
Mark

Resident of the Northern Republic of Free California

"People should not be afraid of their Government, the Government should be afraid of the people." - V

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote" - Ben Franklin