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My late buddy's collection contains a 9.5x47 or 50mm??? necked ctg. SS bolt action rifle. It is quite elaborate as to engraving & gold inlays, the action slightly shorter & reduced in diameter than my M71, but otherwise identical.

It has no markings. We took a chamber cast- I might even still have that - back in the early 80's and I made him up a number of cases - thinking I used either .45/70 or .348 Winchester cases - I think, iirc, the .45/70 cases. It was around 1.8" to 1.9" in length, looking much like a .38/56 ctg., but slightly shorter, like a .45/60 Winchester necked for a .375 bullet. The groove diameter was .375".

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These "simplified M71 actions" were a staple of the Zella-Mehlis guntrade from the 1880s up to the 1920s. They came in many different sizes from tiny ones for rimfire cartridges to giant ones for 12 bore "Vogelbüchsen", specialised target rifles for smashing wooden eagle figures on Schützenfests. They were simplified as the bolt stop reinforce on receiver bridge, bolt stop screw and washer of the military action were omitted, the sear serving as the bolt stop. Some retained the Mauser flag safety, others are found with other safety devices or none at all. They were quite popular as Schützen target rifles, as they were cheaper than the many falling block actions.
Up to about 1900 the 9.5x47R, a shortened and necked down 11.15x60R case, was a popular target cartridge, replaced by the 8.15x46R in popularity. Quite often usable 9.5x47R cases are made now from .45-70 brass.

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