Siamese Mauser Type 47/66 Carbine
Koishikawa Arsenal · Carbine · Discontinued · 1904
Also known as: Type 47 Carbine, Type 47/66, Siamese Carbine, Siam Mauser Carbine
Overview
The Siamese Mauser Type 47/66 is a bolt-action carbine adopted by the Kingdom of Siam (Thailand). Built on a Mauser-pattern bolt action and manufactured by Japan's Koishikawa Arsenal with final assembly in Bangkok, the original Type 47 carbine (adopted 1904, BE 2447) was chambered for the 8x50mmR Siamese round-nose cartridge. In 1923 (BE 2466) surviving arms were rechambered and rebarreled for the more powerful spitzer 8x52mmR Siamese 'Type 66' cartridge, producing the Type 47/66 designation. The carbine feeds from a five-round internal box magazine loaded via stripper clips.
Specifications
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 680 m/s (2231 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2704 J (1994 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 400 m (437 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 8x52mmR Siamese · primary — also known as 8mm Siam, 8x52R Siamese, Type 66, 8x52mmR Siam Mauser
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Internal Box Magazine, Stripper Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Bolt Shroud Safety
- Features: Stripper Clip Loading, Mauser Pattern Bolt Action, Tangent Leaf Rear Sight, Full Length Wood Stock
Variants
- Siamese Mauser Type 46 Rifle - Full Length Rifle
- Siamese Mauser Type 66 Rifle - Rechambered Rifle
Service history
Operators
- Royal Siamese Army · adopted 1904 · as Type 47 Carbine
- Royal Thai Armed Forces · adopted 1923 · as Type 47/66 Carbine
Conflicts
- Franco-Thai War (1940-1941)
- World War II (1941-1945)
Production
Production years: 1904-1908
Produced by Koishikawa Arsenal alongside roughly 20,000 Type 46 rifles; carbine numbers are not separately documented. Many arms were rechambered to Type 66 (8x52mmR) after 1923.
Origin
Country of origin: Thailand
Notes
The 'Type' numbers are Buddhist Era (BE) regnal-calendar years: Type 45 = the 1902 cartridge, Type 46 = the 1903 rifle, Type 47 = the 1904 carbine, and Type 66 = the 1923 cartridge/conversion. Exact carbine weight and barrel/overall length are not consistently published; those fields are left null.
Background
The Siamese Mauser was built in Japan rather than Germany: Koishikawa Arsenal in Tokyo forged and machined the parts for shipment to Bangkok, and the guns are stamped with a Thai Chakra emblem instead of a Mauser banner. When Siam upgraded to the spitzer 8x52mmR 'Type 66' cartridge in 1923, armorers simply ground down the old rear-sight ramps to re-regulate the sights for the flatter-shooting load.