The Mauser pattern bolt-action rifle might be one of the most influential firearm designs ever conceived. Nearly every nation, including the Kingdom of Siam, adopted some version of the Mauser rifle at one time or another. 

In many ways, the bolt-action rifle is seen as an aging design of the past. In the same vein, the rule of Kings in Siam is a relic of the past, making the Siamese Type 46 Mauser a unique artifact from the turn of the 20th century. 

While many military surplus collectors are familiar with the Russian Mosin-Nagant, the American Springfield Model of 1903, or the German K98 Mauser, the Siamese Type 46 is easily overlooked since it was not a major participant in any major 20th century conflicts. Still, it is a beautifully crafted rifle from an era long past. 
 

Table of Contents

History
Design
Chambering
Summary

History

Prior to a coup revolution in 1932, the nation of Thailand was formally known as Siam. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Kingdom of Siam was one of the only independent nations in Southeast Asia. Sandwiched between French-controlled Indochina and the British controlled Malay Peninsula, Siam was under control of King Rama V. 
 

King Rama V was determined to keep up with the advancing technologies in firearms yet met resistance in trade due to pressures imposed by Siam’s neighboring colonies. This led the Kingdom of Siam into trials to find a rifle design for domestic manufacturing. 

Like nearly every other nation in the world, the Siamese were impressed with the German Mauser Model 98. The fast, accurate, and strong action of the Mauser was finding its way into military service with nations on just about every continent. However, while the design was liked and a licensing agreement was settled, Siam was unable to procure the manufacturing capabilities to build the rifle in adequate numbers for its military.
 

Fortunately for the Siamese, an arsenal in Tokyo was producing Mauser-style rifles for the Empire of Japan. So, around 1903, the Koishikawa Arsenal of Tokyo began production on the Siamese Type 46 Mauser. In fact, the Siamese Mauser has the same stacked cannonball arsenal markings as the Imperial Japanese Type 30 and Type 99 Arisaka.
 

Related: My First Gun – Classic Surplus Mauser
 

Design

The Siamese Type 46 gets its name from the Buddhist Era calendar year 2446, which is the year 1903. The rifle features the Mauser patented cock-on-open design with a top mounted, three-position bolt safety. The rifle features a straight bolt like that of the German model 98. A unique feature of the Siamese Mauser is the sliding dust cover designed to keep debris out of the action. 
 

The rifle features an adjustable rear ladder sight marked with Siamese numerical characters. In fact, the rifle is void of any standard lettering and Arabic numbering, as all the characters are Siamese. The receiver is marked with a chakra, symbolizing an ancient throwing-star-style of weapon. The receiver reads “R.S. 121” in Siamese characters, signifying the 121st year of the Rattanakosin Sok under the Chakri Dynasty. 
 

Chambering

The Siamese had procured a small number of Austrian-made Mannlicher rifles prior to the adoption of the Mauser. While uninterested in the straight-pull design of the bolt, they were impressed by the 8x50mmR Mannlicher cartridge, which led to the development of a unique round-nosed 8x50mm rimmed Siamese cartridge. 

In stride with most other round-nosed cartridges, the 8x50mmR Siamese was short-lived, as it was replaced in 1923 by a Spitzer (pointed tip) bullet, designated the 8x52mmR. The Spitzer cartridge drastically decreased drag, with a more ergonomic shape improving the range, velocity, and accuracy of the cartridge. 
 

Unfortunately, 8x50mmR and 8x52mmR Siamese are both essentially extinct cartridges. A small number of Siamese Mausers were rechambered for .30-06 Springfield for use with police forces, but most of the rifles remain in the original caliber. 
 

Oddly enough, the rimmed nature of the Siamese cartridges lent them to easy gunsmith conversions to .45-70 Government. However, outside of these gunsmith-converted .45-70 actions or .30-06 police rifles, surplus Siamese Mausers are not really shooters. 
 

Summary

I love military surplus rifles with a passion, and I have always loved that you can appreciate designs from nations that are long past. A renamed kingdom, an antiquated design, and short-lived career make the Type 46 Mauser a unique piece of history.