.45 acp Mauser 98 using a Rhineland Kit and an ATI stock

[zgunbear]

That's right you read it correctly, I am building a .45 acp Mauser.

I ordered the kit from Rhineland.

I had an ATI Mauser scout stock I had intended for another project but I decided to use it for this instead.

I have a ton of 45 brass and loaded ammo with only a Smith and Wesson 625 revolver to shoot it through, so why not a .45 carbine.

I am using a Spanish La Carona Mauser i got for $115. It had been radically bubbaized before I got it. The bore was rough and the stock had been hacked up really bad, however the action was nice and smooth and just needed to have all the crud cleaned out of it.

So I got the barrel off the action cleaned it out.

I Installed the Rhineland barrel and lock nut on the action following their instructions. I head spaced it with a dummy round. I will be going to a shop this weekend to double check the head space with a set of gauges just to be safe.

the two biggest challenges will be cutting out the bottom of the ATI stock for the magazine adapter and getting roll pins or some other type of pin to go through the stock to hold the magazine adapter in. Unless someone has the other version ATI stock that uses the metal trigger guard they are willing to trade for one with a molded trigger guard.

Here is where the project stands at the moment

So I think it is off to a good beginning.

[Westwindmike]

Keep us posted. I like this concept!

[Garufa]

This has Dolomite Supafly written all over it. Maybe he'll chime in at some point.

Good luck with the project.

Edited February 25, 2011 by Garufa

[zgunbear]

Thanks. I need to decide if I want to park, blue or Duracoat the barrel next. Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...

[Murgatroy]

This has Dolomite Supafly written all over it. Maybe he'll chime in at some point.

Good luck with the project.

That was my first thought.

[hipower]

Looks really nice. Can I have it?

[Dolomite_supafly]

I'll post pictures in the morning of my 45 ACP Savage I built for my wife. It makes for a very handy gun. I media blasted mine then used Brownells Oxpho Blue Creme to blue it. After oiling it the gun looms great and the finish has held up very well.

The best part is it is a relatively quiet gun.

If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Dolomite

[Jasongar8]

Sounds like a cool build. Have you thought about putting a suppressor on it? It would be a very quite set-up.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I like this!

[zgunbear]

maybe someday I will suppress it right now just want to get it built and shot it. Been waiting on the kit since October.

[Jasongar8]

maybe someday I will suppress it right now just want to get it built and shot it. Been waiting on the kit since October.

Ouch! I have been waiting on a part since December and I am getting impatient, I can't imagine waiting since October.

[I_Like_Pie]

I think that many years ago there was a similar kit for Enfields....they used grease gun mags.

There were a couple at the shows in the late 90's but I haven't heard anything from them sense. It seems that this is a similar thing. The cool thing about them was the big old can at the end of the barrel....I can imagine it would be a very quiet setup.

[Dolomite_supafly]

As promised, my wife's 45 ACP bolt gun.

The action is a Savage/Stevens 200 with the same bolt head as a .308 Remington, .473. The barrel is a 16 twist Shilen match barrel with a .451 groove that was finished like a Remington action with a shoulder rather than use a barrel nut. The barrel is cut to an overall length of 17" and 1" in diameter up to the chamber. The front sights are Tech Sights that are made for .920 barreled 10/22's. I had the end of the barrel machined for a press fit of the Tech Sites. The rear sights are Williams WGRS with a ghost ring. The barrel, action and bolt were all media blasted with medium aluminum oxide then blued using Brownells Oxpho Blue. I have about 5 applications of the blue and it made for a nice dark and durable finish.

Anyways, here are the pictures, enjoy:

Front sight:

A few views:

Rear sight:

Sight picture:

The rifle was built for my wife to use for nuisance animals that show up on our property. She has a few other guns she can use but they are either too loud to be used without ears or don't have enough knock down to reliably drop them if the shot isn't perfect. She is a phenomenal shot but sometimes the shots need to be made in the middle of the night in less than ideal conditions and in the past the animals have escaped to no doubt die a miserable death. She liked the idea of ghost ring irons over a red dot because there is nothing to turn on before shooting. The stock is going to be getting replaced at some point, this stock is my project stock that every Savage wears when I am working on them. I can say that even with less than ideal shots this puts down the nuisance animals well. It is also quiet enough that most neighbors don't hear it and it doesn't "ring" your ears if you do have to shoot without hearing protection.

Here are some loads, the 250 grain SST's remind me of a midget 450 Bushmater:

The others are 230 grain GDHP's that work really well. I recently picked up some Power Pistol and that really woke the gun up. I have loaded some 200 grain SWC's over the max load of PP and it is amazing how it shoots now, both in power level and the trajectory. It is pretty much point and shoot well past 50 yards which is all we need it for. Even with the max load the primers are still nice and round.

Another advantage to this setup is I can use HEAVY bullets. I recently loaded some 300 grain SP's until I started to see pressure signs. It definitely hits hard but has the drop of a mortar, it is great out to about 35 yards though. I think I will try some slower powders to get the velocity up a bit before the pressure builds and see what happens. I have been looking locally for some even heavier stuff to try, I would love to find some 400+ grainers just for grins but I don't think the throat is long enough. It doesn't use a magazine, I was going to fit one but my wife liked the simplicity of it being a single shot.

Dolomite

[zgunbear]

Nice rifle. If I change my mind and go with a traditional stock I may use your rear sight idea

[dlm37015]

i built an enfield a few years ago still have alot of fun with it.have been building a 94 mauser in 44 mag having a little cutting down the bolt but thats what makes it fun

[Guest GunTroll]

Nice!

By chance did I talk to you at a TGO gun shoot last Oct about this project?

[zgunbear]

Yes you did. This weekend tackling the hard part.

Going to do the stock cut out for the magazine adapter. Can't wait to finish it so I can shoot it.

[zgunbear]

Double post

Edited February 25, 2011 by zgunbear

[Oh Shoot]

As promised, my wife's 45 ACP bolt gun....

Can testify that baby is indeed a sweet shooter. Whatever Dolomite's lead nose hand loads I ran through it were, it had less recoil and noise than my Hi-Point carbine in the wimpy 9mm persuasion.

- OS

[Dolomite_supafly]

Can testify that baby is indeed a sweet shooter. Whatever Dolomite's lead nose hand loads I ran through it were, it had less recoil and noise than my Hi-Point carbine in the wimpy 9mm persuasion.

- OS

When you coming back out?

Need to and bring a few people from here with you.

Dolomite

[zgunbear]

Took the plunge on the stock started cutting out the magazine area to fit the adapter for 1911 magazines

now I need to finish fitting it and go buy the 1911 magazine catch assembly and some magazines.

[Verne]

Ok so this has got me thinking and searching online (two bad combination's for my wallet). I already have a .45 can and am always wanting to see how quiet I can get something plus when out on the property it would be handy for in 4 legged pest.

So where do you find one of these kits? I have searched and not having much luck, guess my google fu is weak. Not set on anyone conversion from what I can find. It could be any of them but would prefer one like Dolomites using a Savage base. So where do I need to go from here?

Thanks in advance.

Edited March 5, 2011 by Verne

[Dolomite_supafly]

Ok so this has got me thinking and searching online (two bad combination's for my wallet). I already have a .45 can and am always wanting to see how quiet I can get something plus when out on the property it would be handy for in 4 legged pest.

So where do you find one of these kits? I have searched and not having much luck, guess my google fu is weak. Not set on anyone conversion from what I can find. It could be any of them but would prefer one like Dolomites using a Savage base. So where do I need to go from here?

Thanks in advance.

The barrel is available from Brownells:

SHILEN : PISTOL BARREL

SKU: 787-451-160

The rear sights are Williams WGRS, also available from Brownells:

WILLIAMS GUN SIGHT : "WGRS" RECEIVER SIGHTS

SKU: 962-000-068

The front sight is a Tech Sight for a .920 barrel 10/22:

Tech-SIGHTS Precision Shooting Accessories

.920 Barrel Dovetail Adaptor for Ruger 10/22

Item #: TS157 for $15

Front Sight Tower Assembly:

Item #: TSR110 for $22

***************************************

Take the barrel blank to a smith and have them thread, chamber and turn the muzzle for the .920 sight base. Install it into the Savage receiver and set headspace, it is easy as pie on a Savage. Especially for a low pressure round like the 45 ACP. Then press fit the sight base onto the .920 portion at the muzzle. Install the WGRS sights and zero.

I took a chance on the sight heights and it is like they were made for eachother.

Problem with using a Savage is the empties get dropped just out of the chamber so you have to do one of two things. One, mill the receiver aft of the barrel end so the empties can get ejected without getting caught up. Or two, flip the ejector to disable it and pluck the empties off the bolt face. I use the later method as it doesn't permanently alter the gun. My wife doesn't mid it either. It is easier than fishing the empty out of the receiver and we can load and fire quite fast using this second method.

It makes for a nice, easy shooting gun with enough knock down to take care of anything it might come across here in East Tennessee. It is also relatively quiet as well with factory ammunition.

Dolomite

[I_Like_Pie]

I wonder if one could make a dual port Savage model 12 receiver work with a fat cased 45, .44 or .357? throw round in one side and have them eject out the other? I will have to take a look at this because it would eliminate the "mag" problem.

[Dolomite_supafly]

I wonder if one could make a dual port Savage model 12 receiver work with a fat cased 45, .44 or .357? throw round in one side and have them eject out the other? I will have to take a look at this because it would eliminate the "mag" problem.

To be honest plucking the empty off the bolt face is easier than trying to work out the ejection without permanently altering something. The ejector is in the bolt face so it ejects the casing up inside of the receiver in the locking lug area. When that happens you have to tilt the guns muzle up and give it a shake to get the empty to fall out.

I tried working out an ejector that was receiver mounted but it would require machining the bolt head at a minimum. If I had to have it eject rounds I would rather machine the receiver. With such a low pressure cartridge it isn't going to affect the safety or durability of the gun.

With the longer cases it may not be needed but with pistol cases it will need to be altered in order to eject the empties.

Dolomite