Type 45 Siamese Mauser
Encyclopedia
The Type 45 Siamese Mauser was a service rifle
adopted by the government of Siam (now Thailand
) in 1903. It was a bolt-action rifle based on the Mauser
action, originally chambered for the 8x50mmR rimmed centrefire cartridge (not to be confused with the dimensionally similar Austrian 8x50mmR Mannlicher or French 8x50mmR Lebel cartridges). It was later upgraded as the Type 66 rifle and chambered to fire the 8x52mmR cartridge with a Spitzer (bullet)
.
The Type 45 refers to the year 2445 in the Thai calendar
which corresponds with 1903 on the western Gregorian calendar.
Service rifle
The service rifle of a given army or armed force is that which it issues as standard to its soldiers. In modern forces, this is typically a highly versatile and rugged assault rifle suitable for use in nearly all theatres and environments...
adopted by the government of Siam (now Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
) in 1903. It was a bolt-action rifle based on the Mauser
Mauser
Mauser was a German arms manufacturer of a line of bolt-action rifles and pistols from the 1870s to 1995. Mauser designs were built for the German armed forces...
action, originally chambered for the 8x50mmR rimmed centrefire cartridge (not to be confused with the dimensionally similar Austrian 8x50mmR Mannlicher or French 8x50mmR Lebel cartridges). It was later upgraded as the Type 66 rifle and chambered to fire the 8x52mmR cartridge with a Spitzer (bullet)
Spitzer (bullet)
A spitzer, also commonly referred to as a spire point bullet, is an aerodynamic bullet design used in most intermediate and high-powered rifle cartridges...
.
The Type 45 refers to the year 2445 in the Thai calendar
Thai calendar
There are more than one Thai calendar:* Thai lunar calendar in use until 1888 CE , 2431 BE* Thai solar calendar in use since 1888 CE , 2431 BE...
which corresponds with 1903 on the western Gregorian calendar.