Siamese/Thai Mauser

[Retired Sarge]

New to me Siamese/Thai Mauser (RS 121 2445), made between 1903 and 1908. Found it at the gunshow today.

It's one of 40,000 made by the Japanese for Siam. This one is from the tail end of the 2nd 20,000 order based on the 39,316 serial number, and miraculously one of the few that didn't get the 1923 conversion from 8x50 to 8x52.

Need to get a reproduction cleaning rod for it, as originals are far and few between. Also needs a sling, bayonet and muzzle cover (Think I might have an appropriate muzzle cover stashed away). The muzzle cover is stored in the buttstock trap door. Which is interesting in the fact it's not spring loaded like you see on other rifles, this one simply slides open from the side. Like the key hole cover on old padlocks.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Took a close up of the serial number and I ended up getting one digit wrong, but I can't settle on what number it is. The second number is what is throwing me for a loop.
I originally translated it as ๓๙๓๑๖ for 39316.

Now I'm seeing it as either ๓๕๓๑๖ for 35316 or ๓๔๓๑๖ for 34316, I just can't decide on the second digit.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

Very cool.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Pointy Stabbie thing showed up today. Waiting on the cleaning rod, sling and muzzle cover. Marked with RS121 just like the rifle.

 

[tamrock]

Looks like its well made.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Looks like its well made.

Yeap it is well made and stout. While I won't do it, a lot of people have converted these to other calibers due to the strength of the receiver.

 

[WoodsDigger]

Pointy Stabbie thing showed up today. Waiting on the cleaning rod, sling and muzzle cover. Marked with RS121 just like the rifle.

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Oh , I have a bayonet like that i think it says Remington on it. Nice gun .

 

[tamrock]

Yeap it is well made and stout. While I won't do it, a lot of people have converted these to other calibers due to the strength of the receiver.

I remember hitting the pawn shops as a teenager in the 70s to check out the guns. You'd somewhat often see an old Mauser altered in some way. Most were turned into a sport rifles in some way. I'd think about buying the cooler looking ones, because they were cheaper than most of the newer rifles.

 

[Retired Sarge]

I remember hitting the pawn shops as a teenager in the 70s to check out the guns. You'd somewhat often see an old Mauser altered in some way. Most were turned into a sport rifles in some way. I'd think about buying the cooler looking ones, because they were cheaper than most of the newer rifles.

That was the driving force behind it. You could take an old Mauser, lightened the stock, drill and tap it for a scope, and end up with it for cheaper than a US purpose made hunting rifle.

Wasn't until years after WWII that people started collecting, and discovered that some rare rifles were destroyed in that process.

 

[tamrock]

That was the driving force behind it. You could take an old Mauser, lightened the stock, drill and tap it for a scope, and end up with it for cheaper than a US purpose made hunting rifle.

Wasn't until years after WWII that people started collecting, and discovered that some rare rifles were destroyed in that process.

Yeah, you don't think of as rare until there's so few left. I was just watching an older antiques roadshow the other day and an original flintlock was being appraised. The appraiser was quite surprised the old gun was never converted to a primer cap.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Well got a reproduction cleaning rod for it, brass Mauser muzzle cover (Stored in buttstock cavity), and a sling for it. So this rifle is 100% complete.

Have 4 rifles that need bayonets, one of which also needs the bayonet adapter, which is a $165.00 part. Plus a rifle that needs a firing pin, firing pin retention pin, extractor, and extractor retention pin and all my current firearms will be 100% complete. Already on the hunt for my next milsurp firearm.

Oops I lied, my CETME C parts kit needs a receiver, barrel and built to be complete.

Anyways here is my completed 1903 Siamese RS121 Type 46. One of 40,000 made.

 

[ToddsPoint]

I knew a guy that converted several military rifles to sporters. He said the Argentine Mauser was the best one to convert. It was many years ago and I don’t remember the particular reason they were better.

 

[Centsless Detecting]

Looks good complete. I think you were right on with the first translation of the serial number.

 

[NHBandit]

I remember hitting the pawn shops as a teenager in the 70s to check out the guns. You'd somewhat often see an old Mauser altered in some way. Most were turned into a sport rifles in some way. I'd think about buying the cooler looking ones, because they were cheaper than most of the newer rifles.

I love finding antique rifles that were turned into hunting rifles back in the day when they were dirt cheap. But I look for ones that haven't had the barrel chopped shorter and restore them to military configuration. Just finished a US Property marked WWII Enfield #4 that was made by Savage Arms. Bubba cut the stock shorter and tossed the upper handguard but nothing else was molested