Mauser.45 acp Conversion

I have one that was converted to 22 Long Rifle.

Other than time and money, I don't see any reason why a M1871 Mauser can't be converted to accept 45acp or anything up to the 45-70 without any real issues.

The pics by OK shooter are excellent.

The only issue I can see is the bolt face and that is minor imho.

OP, go for it. As mentioned, if you can't do the work yourself, it's going to be prohibitively pricey and don't ever expect to recoup the costs if you try to sell the rifle.
 
Along the lines of converting the 71 Mauser - I have a sported Gras rifle. Functional, not bad condition, the bore is shootable. But 11mm Gras doesn't seem to be an easy round to obtain.
A conversion to .45-70 (blackpowder Trapdoor Springfield level loads) should be possible, and ammunition would be easy. But the barrel threads will surely be metric, and my lathe does not have metric change gears. A take-off .45 barrel could be adapted, and I have a .45-70 reamer.
One of my incomplete projects is a Ruger 77 retrofitted with a No. 3 .45-70 barrel rechambered to .458x2". Opened out the boltface for the Magnum case.

One of the downsides to converting rifle sized actions to use pistol cartridges is that the action is scaled to use a round some 3" long. A lot of action length for a short cartridge.
These old bubba'd service rifles can be a lot of fun to rework. The basic rifle doesn't cost a lot. But if someone has to be paid to do the work, the project can get really pricey.

Tokguy has mentioned DeLisle type Lee Enfield conversions. One of the significant modifications to the SMLE action is boring the receiver out from the front, and setting the barrel back into the receiver. The bolt body, firing pin and mainspring are all shortened appropriately. This is a major modification, if it is desired to have a bolt stroke appropriate for the short pistol cartridge.
In these photos, the receiver has been bored out, and the bolt assembly shortened. That isn't a barrel - it is just a dummy machined from a piece of bar stock. The assembly is a proof of concept mock-up.

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The large extractor on the Model 71 will work OK on a 45 Colt without any modification and probably even better on a 45 auto-rimmed case. I put one together a couple of years ago and mounted a Burris Scout Scope. A lot of fun to shoot. I think you would have to add metal to the extractor to engage on a rimless 45 ACP case.
 
rgwhitman said:
The large extractor on the Model 71 will work OK on a 45 Colt without any modification and probably even better on a 45 auto-rimmed case. I put one together a couple of years ago and mounted a Burris Scout Scope. A lot of fun to shoot. I think you would have to add metal to the extractor to engage on a rimless 45 ACP case.
Click to expand...

It's not Antique then friend. That is part of the original plan. Mind you 45 Schfield is a good to go on the cartridge list and is a basic lil brother to the 45LC
And...(as I twirl my imaginary mustache and wink conspiratorially) I'm soaking it up, LOL. I've a complete 1871 ( sans wood) with a spin off 12 gauge bbl...sure be nice to have an additional bbl in 45 LC. B*tching truck gun right there
 
I don't think that affects antique status. A pre-1898 single shot centerfire below the limit of 8.3mm is modern, above is antique.

No centerfire pre-1898 repeating rifle is antique, regardless of caliber.

The CFP would not accept a pre-1898 repeater permanently converted to single shot as antique, no matter what caliber.
 
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I spent allot of time trying to figure out a way to make a 45ACP bolt rifle!

All those modified Mauser rifles just didn't interest me.

One morning it dawned on me that I already had the perfect rifle that I needed to make this project!
This rifle was my Savage M112, Series-J target rifle (222 remington).

The action is a long action, and the action has no magazine inlet. Just a concave groove on the bottom of the action that feeds the 45 ACP round perfectly all the way to the chamber!

Adjustable trigger, and the perfect platform for a super accurate 45ACP!

I just ordered a prefit .451 caliber 1" bull profile barrel 21" long through Mystic Precision.
I sourced a replacement bolt face for an old Savage 308/30-06 rifle and simply switched them. Easy as that really!

A barrel, and a bolt face, and your cooking!

My rifle was fitted with a Bushnell 2.5-15x50mm Forge tactical scope. With a slow progressive load development, this rifle shoots inside 1-1/4" at 100 on a normal basis! Not bad for a 45ACP!

One load shoots an honest 1" and 250 grain XTP bullets! So much fun on the gopher field! LOL!

Here are a few pictures if you are interested in seeing the finished product.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/UPNd3zvpCzFVK9Bk7
 
I read somewhere the the cost today to make an 91 Mauser would be about 2000...pretty swanky 45 Bolt action I'm thinking. I'm going to stay with the Teutonic option myself
 
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