I know it's kind of a pointless creation, but I'm wondering if there are any bolt-action rifles that hold more than the usual handful of rounds. Ergonomics and practicality aside, maybe they're out there. Or maybe there's one that can use magazines from other rifles. Just curious.
High-capacity bolt-action rifles?
- Thread starter Shmackey
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Beetle Bailey
Member
Hmm. . .the old Lee Enfields have a 10 round magazine, which for a bolt-action is kinda high capacity. A few Ishapore (Indian) Lee Enfields were converted to shoot .308 and IINM you can put 12 rounds in that magazine.
My memory is fading now, but a week or two ago someone had a thread up about a new production Enfield that would shoot .308 and accept M14 magazines, but I don't know the details.
My memory is fading now, but a week or two ago someone had a thread up about a new production Enfield that would shoot .308 and accept M14 magazines, but I don't know the details.
MLC
Member.
I think that Robar makes a M14, Remington 700 magazine conversion.
Greg L
Member
The Germans had a Mauser adaptation in WWI that took a 20 round mag (IIRC).
After spending much of the afternoon shooting an 8mm Mauser, something larger than 5 would have been nice (especially when the others there were chasing a coke can around with their AK's & I was frantically trying to get the 5 rounds loaded & get back in on the fun
).
Greg
After spending much of the afternoon shooting an 8mm Mauser, something larger than 5 would have been nice (especially when the others there were chasing a coke can around with their AK's & I was frantically trying to get the 5 rounds loaded & get back in on the fun
).Greg
Deadman
Member
Schmackey, try and find out who the U.S. distributor for the AIA 7.62x39 and 7.62x51 Enfield clones is.
Because the rifles take AK and M14 magazines respectively.
Because the rifles take AK and M14 magazines respectively.
Hutch
Member
And now for the oddball... The Spanish "Destroyer" carbine, a turnbolt that had a 20-30 round stick mag, chambered in some odd 9mm caliber. Maybe 9mm Largo or Steyr-Hahn or sumthin'.
spacemanspiff
Senior Member
as i recalll the germans used the 20-round magazine in their mausers during WWII as well.
i think it was a box magazine. seen one once on auction arms or gunbroker last year.
i think it was a box magazine. seen one once on auction arms or gunbroker last year.
JNewell
Member
IIRC, there was a T&E done on the '03 during WW1 to allow it to feed from a 20-rd box magazine, possibly the BAR magazine. As the posts above indicate, you're not the first person to think of this. I don't know why the idea has never really taken off -- it may be that the fact that it hasn't tells us something? Dunno. Interesting question, though.
grendelbane
Member
One problem with a bolt gun and a hi cap mag is that it simply wears the average person out to try and fire 20 rounds if they have to work the bolt each time. At that point, it starts becoming work, and stops being fun.
Get a British .303, 10 rounds out of one of the slicker bolt actions available, and it will wear you out if you are blasting.
20 is more than twice as bad. Also, if you are actually using your rifle in a serious situation, that long mag won't let you get as close to the ground as you really might like.
Get a British .303, 10 rounds out of one of the slicker bolt actions available, and it will wear you out if you are blasting.
20 is more than twice as bad. Also, if you are actually using your rifle in a serious situation, that long mag won't let you get as close to the ground as you really might like.
The only thing I ever recall getting worn out by my Mosin Nagant is my shoulder. I'm not so sure about getting worn out by working the action of a rifle.
My bet on the lack of High-Cap bolt actions would be that by the time High-Cap became the big thing, bolt actions were obsolete. Semi and full autos empty magazines a lot quicker which in turn makes higher capacity magazines more desirable. Once semi and full autos came, bolts actions began to see very limited use and and those uses (sharpshooting, hunting, etc.) don't really call for high-caps. People who just want to throw a lot of lead down range don't want to use a bolt gun to do it. That's my take on it.
But to get back to the original post... There were indeed Mausers converted to fire 20 rounds and there are current productions Enfields made to use AK and FAL magazines. I would imagine that the latter use those magazines more for economic reasons than high-cap reasons, but I could be wrong.
My bet on the lack of High-Cap bolt actions would be that by the time High-Cap became the big thing, bolt actions were obsolete. Semi and full autos empty magazines a lot quicker which in turn makes higher capacity magazines more desirable. Once semi and full autos came, bolts actions began to see very limited use and and those uses (sharpshooting, hunting, etc.) don't really call for high-caps. People who just want to throw a lot of lead down range don't want to use a bolt gun to do it. That's my take on it.
But to get back to the original post... There were indeed Mausers converted to fire 20 rounds and there are current productions Enfields made to use AK and FAL magazines. I would imagine that the latter use those magazines more for economic reasons than high-cap reasons, but I could be wrong.
artherd
member
plenty of 'tactical' type bolt rifles have 10 round mags these days.
Perhaps we'd see more, but not after 1994.
5 rounds in my AR-30 is probally all the more I'd want though, it's long! (single-stack .338Lapua Mag.) I don't get tired working it's bolt though. 10 round double-stack would be nice.
Perhaps we'd see more, but not after 1994.
5 rounds in my AR-30 is probally all the more I'd want though, it's long! (single-stack .338Lapua Mag.) I don't get tired working it's bolt though. 10 round double-stack would be nice.
grendelbane
Member
Why? What happened in 1994 to affect the mag capacity of bolt action rifles?
One thing no one has mentioned is the cumulative effect of recoil on the bottom cartridge in a mag. This also occurs with semi-autos, but they are usually chambered for military cartridges with strong crimps.
One thing no one has mentioned is the cumulative effect of recoil on the bottom cartridge in a mag. This also occurs with semi-autos, but they are usually chambered for military cartridges with strong crimps.
Tristar Arms. They haven't responded to any of my emails. TriStar Arms Got their name from AIA, who responded very quickly to my emails.
Steyr makes(or use to ) the Scout rifle,with a 10 round optional magazine.Savage made a rifle almost equally as good(much better for the money)along the lines of the Scout concept.I have never understood why they offered a clip guide option,but only a FOUR round box;I mean ,the 7.62 Nato&Springfield 30.06 strippers are 5 rounders.I was always of the mind that a Savage Scout that either had its own 10 rounders,or a conversion for M14/M1A mags(or FAL mags for that matter) would have a LOT going for it.Hey, I dpn't evben know if Savage still has its Scout in the product line up anymore.
there is a company in britian that makes conversions for the remington 700 to take AR mags. it is kindof funny lookin to see a pss with a 30 round mag. sorry, but for the life of me I can't remember the name of the company.
edit, I found it.
http://www.armalon.com/pr.shtml
edit, I found it.
http://www.armalon.com/pr.shtml
I emailed Tristar a few weeks ago asking when the 308 Enfields would arrive. This was their reply:
Our first shipment for the M10 in 7.62x39 is excepted within the next 2
weeks. the .308 will be May or June. Distributors your dealer can Order
from MT Sports, CSI, Henrys, Zanders,Sports South,Acusport
artherd
member
Um, there's nothing that says the detachable magazine must be for a semi-auto rifle for it to be illegal to produce.
"Oh, but they'll never get my deer rifle". No, they'll call it a 'sniper rifle' first.
"Oh, but they'll never get my deer rifle". No, they'll call it a 'sniper rifle' first.
T.Stahl
Member
The Enfield is not the only "high-capacity" military bolt-action rifle. The Swiss 7.5mmx55 Schmidt-Rubin M1889 has a 12 round magazine (though its successors, the G11 and K31, have 6 round mags).
MagKnightX
Member
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I dunno. In my experience, you can get a pretty good upper-body workout just trying to get the bolt open on one of those suckers.
armoredman
Member
Just worked three Mosin bolts - 1938, M44 and 91/30. All easy to work, but like the balance and feel of the 1938 best. Will get the leather lace up sissy pad from Brownells, too......
B27
Member
The Steyr SBS rifles accept an adapter to use an excellent ten round detachable mag-
That one's an SBS Tactical Heavy Barrel Carbine.
That one's an SBS Tactical Heavy Barrel Carbine.
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