45/70’s and bolt actions and pressures

LoggerDan

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Jan 8, 2023
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AK
Today I was hanging out at my local gun shop and I saw the best example of a bolt action 45/70 I’d ever seen.
The rifle carried no stamping other than “45/70”, but judging by the rear of the bolt and the bolt release on the action, it was definitely a Mauser. Besides Argentines and checzk and German models, I’m unfamiliar with the uncommon variants. I don’t know enough to identify a Siamese model. I’ve seen them built on Eddystone service rifles and Enfields.
This was not a hacked up sporterized wannabe, it a finely crafted rifle with a graceful synthetic stock. I immediately wanted it.
I have never loaded straight wall cartridges let alone the 45/70.

What sort of pressures and velocities could a rifle like this handle? Common sense says it can take ore than even the stoutest lever action. What could you expect from this gun?
thanks.
 

Wapiti1

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Sep 18, 2017
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Indiana
At a glance the easiest way to tell a Siamese are the cover detent holes on the left side of the action. There is a hole on the rear bridge at the woodline and another on the front ring at the woodline. Both are at the edges of the ejection port. Gunsmiths usually grind off the rail the cover road on, but don't fill the detent holes.

Otherwise, the Siamese is a small ring action (front ring same diameter as the rest of the action) and looks just like a Mexican, or KAR98. These all look like a 96 Swedish with the 98 bolt shroud.

Occasionally you'll see a 93 or 95 Mauser in 45/70 as well, but not super common. I don't think that I've ever seen a 96 in 45/70, but there isn't any reason you couldn't. I've seen a bunch of Mosin Nagant converted to 45/70, but they are easy to spot.

The Siamese can take "modern" 45/70 loads. The 93 and 95, I would not load heavy.

The Siamese is the easiest conversion because it was designed for rimmed cartridges and has a slanted magazine box. It's almost as simple as rebarreling the action and going shooting. All of the others need a new mag box, and feed work to get running. A lot of work for a cheap rifle.

Jeremy
 
Joined
Jul 18, 2019
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2,052
The Hodgdon reloading website has loads for three types of 45/70 starting with low pressure that are good for the old trap door rifles.

I had the same question as you with a 45/70 I picked up and just started loading on the more conservative side. 46 gr of IMR 4198 with a Sierra 300 HP/FN is pretty accurate but I bet it’s on the slow side (1800 fps?). This is for 50 yd hunts so I’m good with that.

Good luck - sounds like a sweet rifle.
 
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