Mauser in .500 S&W doable?

[CountryGent]

I can't get the idea of a .500 S&W Magnum carbine out of my brain-pan. The lever-gun idea being chief among them, but now that I've acquired a light handling bolt-action, my thoughts turn that pattern of arm.

I've seen Mauser-action rifles in everything from tiny calibers all the way up ridiculously powerful cartridges. Perhaps germane to the discussion, I've seen light-ish Mauser type rifles in .45/70 Government.

My questions would be posed thusly:

• How difficult would such a conversion be?
• Any trouble making it a box-fed repeater?
• What Mauser, specifically, would make the most sense?
• Has anyone done this? (My little employment of Google as to this question says "no", but I didn't dig too deep. Many moons ago I do, vaguely, recall seeing a Mauser converted to .50Æ and fed from sleeved DE magazines.)

Thanks!

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[Xaevian]

Siamese Mausers seem to have been a popular .45/70 conversion back in the day. Have never seen one myself, though. That's pretty much as far as my limited knowledge goes, however. Best of luck!

 

[Member 34319]

If you want to spend some $$$!

Model 89 - 500 S&W - Big Horn Armory

Honoring the long tradition of great American sporting rifles, the new Model 89 .500 S&W Magnum provides hunters with pride in ownership, and a powerful advantage afield.

www.bighornarmory.com

 

[Member 34319]

Might also be worth seeing about chambering something in 500 automax.

 

[CountryGent]

I have not heard of the .500 Automax, but it sounds like something I need to research.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Your going to need a Commercial Magnum Mauser in the .416 Rigby size action!
That's how I did my .500 Jeffery build!
Its totally doable, but with the much shorter case length, it's going to need tuning!
I bet our buddy @Velzey would have some wisdom and prolly a source for actions!
I too would love a nifty little carbine in .500 S&W, something like the Ruger Hawk Eye Guide!

 

[Sarchet]

Siamese Mausers seem to have been a popular .45/70 conversion back in the day. Have never seen one myself, though. That's pretty much as far as my limited knowledge goes, however. Best of luck!

The Siamese rifles were already chambered in a rimmed cartridge and had some unique features like a slanted magazine box that made the conversion a lot easier. 500 S&W being shorter than a rifle round though, you could probably make a magazine insert to serve the same purpose. The biggest issues with the magazine is that you'll have to design it to avoid rimlock, and figure out the new feed lips. The bolt face will need to be opened up a bit. Would be a neat rifle though!

 

[coop44]

Look at a turkish mauser receiver, looks like a large ring mauser on the outside but the barrel shank that screws into the receiver is small ring. This means more meat and stronger gun. Siamese mausers are getting tough to find. Personally I would use the 50 Beowulf, no exposed rim and close to 45/70 in numbers.

 

[CountryGent]

The .50 Beowulf is an interesting idea. Thanks.

 

[Red98422]

There is also the option of a P14 Enfield action if your not 100% needing a Mauser.

They have been re-chambered in very serious calibers and as they were originally chambered in a rimmed cartridge that might make converting to a box fed repeater easier

 

[chickenman]

chech out rhineland arms. they make many barrels for mauser actions. they might get you what you need. I remember they made 450 bushmaster barrels.

here is my mauser in 460 Rowland I built with there 45acp kit.