• Registered: 2010-10-15
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Topic: Remington Rolling Block

Ever since I started researching the 1871 US military action in Korea (신미양요) seventeen years ago, I became fascinated with the Remington rolling block, which was a black powder cartridge firearm.  The one used in Korea was the .50-45 Navy carbine, so that was the one I was especially interested in.  It is an extremely rare item and, if you can ever find one, it is either expensive and/or a fake.  I've shot a .50-45 RRB saddle ring carbine for a few years and I love it, but I really wanted to see what a Navy carbine felt like; well, I don't have the serious cash needed to purchase an original, so I'm building my own reproduction, using both original and new parts. 

I found a "new old" barrel (original, but never used) and had an original RRB action converted to a Navy carbine style.  The Navy was different from all other actions, in that the extractor was on the very bottom of the breech block (others were on the sides).  I tried attaching the barrel to the action, but it would only go up to within a revolution of complete, but stuck there.  I took it to a local gunsmith, who got them separated, but he also couldn't get it any closer; it seems as though the barrel and action are slightly different models (even though the place I got the action from is THE expert place for RRBs, so they should have gotten it right).  Well, long story short, I have another action, which we might be able to switch the breech blocks with, but it's not a slam-dunk deal.  In any case, here are pics of my Navy carbine parts (and a video of my saddle ring carbine).

http://www.shinmiyangyo.org/IMG_0789.JPG

http://www.shinmiyangyo.org/IMG_0790.JPG

http://www.shinmiyangyo.org/IMG_0791.JPG

http://www.shinmiyangyo.org/IMG_0792.JPG

https://www.facebook.com/video/video.ph … 5426392045

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  • Registered: 2011-11-27
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

Thomas, have you dealt with Dixie Gun Works about your project?  I know they have old gun parts.   hmm


                                                     Will

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  • Registered: 2010-10-15
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

WillScarlet wrote:

Thomas, have you dealt with Dixie Gun Works about your project?  I know they have old gun parts.   hmm


                                                     Will

I've bought many things from Dixie, but they are often overpriced (plus, RRBs are not a specialty of theirs).  However, ironically, the founder of DGW, Turner Kirkland, inadvertently may have started the Navy RRB carbine fake craze; he found a huge lot of "new old" barrels (like mine--it may have been part of that lot) and sold them--many people used them to create fakes to sell as originals.

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  • Registered: 2012-02-08
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

Nice project, Thomas... RRBs are intriguing rifles!

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  • Registered: 2010-10-15
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

1187shooter wrote:

Nice project, Thomas... RRBs are intriguing rifles!

Yeah, but, unfortunately, I won't be able to do anything more about it until this summer, as I have to head to Korea this Friday... Oh, well--I can dream all semester!

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  • From: Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada
  • Registered: 2011-12-06
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

Bluelake

I just found this new forum topic and had inadvertently posted something related to the RRB available in Canada from Sweden on the other Hunting topic.  I will go back and delete it in favour of posting it here.

That is, that in Canada a fair number of Swedish M1867 Remington Rolling Blocks are imported:  http://www.shop.tradeexcanada.com/produits/66

The Swedish 12.7 x 44 sounds very, VERY similar to the 50-45....

Kanuck

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  • Registered: 2010-10-15
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

Kanuck wrote:

Bluelake

I just found this new forum topic and had inadvertently posted something related to the RRB available in Canada from Sweden on the other Hunting topic.  I will go back and delete it in favour of posting it here.

That is, that in Canada a fair number of Swedish M1867 Remington Rolling Blocks are imported:  http://www.shop.tradeexcanada.com/produits/66

The Swedish 12.7 x 44 sounds very, VERY similar to the 50-45....

Kanuck

You are correct--the Swedish 12.7x44 is similar to the .50 (however, the "44" is in mm and not grains), but there is still a bit of a difference.  I have a Swedish roller in that caliber (It is complete, except the butt stock).  However, it is fairly easy to make ammo that works in it.  The .50 cal. (both .50-45 and .50-70) uses bullets with diameters of .512-.515 inches; the 12.7mm uses a .509 diameter bullet.  It is possible to improvise a bullet by using a .50 cal. R.E.A.L. bullet and reforming .50-70 brass.  I got the hint from George Layman's first book on rolling blocks; I haven't tried it, yet, but I plan to once I get a proper butt stock for my Husqvarna roller.

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  • Registered: 2011-09-11
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

The barrel fit problem you describe has also happened to me, when re-barreling a 7X57 to .45-70. This is fairly common in my experience between different years of manufacture. What I did was cut the shoulder above the threads back to where the barrel would screw in correctly, then reface the breech end, re cut the ejector slot, and had a gunsmith run a chamber reamer to correct the length.
I did this work (except the chamber reamer) myself with hand files and a Dremel tool (while in secondary school some 42 years ago), you must be patient and work slowly. The gun still shoots very well today, never a problem, and I have shot a thousands of high pressure smokeless handloads through it.
It is very possible that your chamber will actually still be long enough to correctly fit the round, not uncommon to have a very long chamber for these old straight wall cases. Mine was; had the smith ream it just to make sure.

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  • Registered: 2010-10-15
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

Fortunately, the gunsmith was able to use my second action and put together a workable carbine.  The only problem with it was the extractor was a little short and didn't engage the rim.  He's working on that one for me.

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  • Registered: 2011-09-11
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

bluelake wrote:

Fortunately, the gunsmith was able to use my second action and put together a workable carbine.  The only problem with it was the extractor was a little short and didn't engage the rim.  He's working on that one for me.

Glad to hear that your problem is solved, I think you will enjoy shooting the rifle very much.
I fell in love with these Remingtons at a young age, they were very inexpensive at the time as many thousands were brought into the USA as surplus.
I still have five examples; The above mentioned .45-70, a 12.7x44 (I just use .50-70 brass for this), one Mexican and one Spanish military 7x57, and a sporterized 7x57 I still use for deer and antelope hunting. All see regular use.
This is a relatively strong action, and a great model of simplicity in design and ease of maintenance.

You might see if you can find one of the old Navy Arms .45-70 kits for your spare action. They came with a barrel (full or half octagon), a new extractor, and new fore and butt stock with butt plate. Mine is very accurate, I have won several competitions with it over the years.

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  • Registered: 2010-10-15
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

Actually, I've had another .50-45 RRB carbine (saddle ring) for many years and love shooting it.  I load my own ammo, which not only cuts down on cost, but also I'm able to adjust bullet weight and bp charge.

I have another barrel (.45-70  "buffalo"--heavy as all get-out), which the gunsmith is working on. 

My new fun RRB is a .50 cal. Navy pistol.  My son and I had some fun with it this past summer.  Here we are shooting it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZS1rYZj … jCiw2-Ymkg

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12 Reply by Pedro C (edited by Pedro C 2016-11-26 21:19:39)

  • From: SoCal
  • Registered: 2015-08-12
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

I love the idea of a breech loading cartidge black powder firearm. Hope one day I could make a falling block one. With a peep sight tongue

Pedro C's Website

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  • Registered: 2010-10-15
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

Pedro C wrote:

I love the idea of a breech loading cartidge black powder firearm. Hope one day I could make a falling block one. With a peep sight tongue

Sounds like fun.

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14 Reply by Pedro C (edited by Pedro C 2016-12-02 00:29:35)

  • From: SoCal
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

For now, would like a cheap Remington rolling block just for getting started... if that even exists

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdvICJ86caQ The sights installed on this one seem nice. But that trigger pull weight... what the heck

I think I'd prefer a Sharps but they're all expensive.

Pedro C's Website

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  • Registered: 2010-10-15
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

Pedro C wrote:

For now, would like a cheap Remington rolling block just for getting started... if that even exists

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdvICJ86caQ The sights installed on this one seem nice. But that trigger pull weight... what the heck

I think I'd prefer a Sharps but they're all expensive.

It's fairly easy to get a shootable, but not-too-expensive RRB.  I have several (and several actions, too).  I kind of fell into collecting them (it was not my intention, but it happened).  The one in the video is a .43 Spanish, which is probably one of the more common varieties available; it's biggest drawback is the lack of commercial cartridges available.  If you get one, the best bet would be to hand-load your own ammunition (I had to do that for my RRB Navy carbine and pistol).

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16 Reply by Pedro C (edited by Pedro C 2016-12-04 01:10:37)

  • From: SoCal
  • Registered: 2015-08-12
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

Yet most of the Remington Rolling Blocks I see on gun broker are over $700, while I can find Lee Enfield No. 4s for maybe $400... too bad they require an FFL
It'd be great if someone made cheap but decent clones. I assume they could be worth $150 for maybe 3 MOA since the action is simple and whatnot. It'd be a great starting rifle ...

Pedro C's Website

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  • Registered: 2010-10-15
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

Pedro C wrote:

Yet most of the Remington Rolling Blocks I see on gun broker are over $700, while I can find Lee Enfield No. 4s for maybe $400... too bad they require an FFL
It'd be great if someone made cheap but decent clones. I assume they could be worth $150 for maybe 3 MOA since the action is simple and whatnot. It'd be a great starting rifle ...

While I've gotten some great deals on Gunbroker in the past, many people advertise things with an asking price well above where it should be.  There are many RRBs that can be found for much lower than that; you might have to deal with an off-caliber or banged-up stock, but they're there.  You might also like to put your own together; I did that with a couple of them.  You get an action, barrel, stock, and a very serviceable piece can be made.  I have a wonderful .50-45 Navy carbine repro I did that way; I got an original barrel, had a bottom extractor machined into the action, and bought an original butt and forestock.  It is an exact reproduction of the original, but at a fraction of the price.  Check out http://www.rollingblockparts.com/  They did the action for me.

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  • From: SoCal
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

Awesome, thanks!

Pedro C's Website

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  • Registered: 2010-10-15
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

Pedro C wrote:

Awesome, thanks!

If you'd like some help in assembling something, let me know.  Been there, done that...

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  • Registered: 2010-10-15
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Re: Remington Rolling Block

I have an action (.45-70) and a long-range hexagonal barrel in with my hometown gunsmith.  However, he hasn't had time to assemble them for me.  Still, after I finally get it, I'm not exactly sure what I will do with it, as I only have about 100m to shoot...

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