Ghost, SASS #50125 Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 The stamping is just about gone, but it shows a 1873 pat. It has a stock that covers most the barrel with a cleaning rod and banquet lug on the right side of the barrel. I think it's a .45 caliber, but a 45-70 is about an inch too long and a 45-60 may be to long. Did Remington make anything shorter than a 45-60? Thanks, Ghost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Jack, SASS #77862 Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 43 Spanish comes to mind. Used to come across guns in this caliber fairly cheap because loading ammo was a PITA, was talking to someone recently who mentioned brass is available and that it is 45 caliber. I do not know either for sure though Edit: further looking into it shows it's a .439 bullet, so it can't be your caliber, sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horace Patootie, SASS #35798 Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Remington made Rolling Blocks for Argentina in .43 Reformado, then .43 Spanish. They made them for the U.S., Egypt, Mexico, Sweden, Denmark and others if I remember correctly. I have one in .43 Spanish from Argentina. I bought brass and bullets from Buffalo Arms Co. These rifles often have a long chamber or what is referred to as a long leade. Some owners have had the barrel set back and rechambered as I have read or replaced the barrel for a caliber change. I have shot mine with black powder. You can get dies from Lee. There are other .43 calibers but the cartridges have different dimensions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_slinger Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 hard to tell what it was originally or what it is now. Most likely one of the 43 calibers (spanish, egyptian) or one of the European 11mm type calibers. Best thing to do is to slug the bore and get a chamber cast to find out exactly what you have. I've owned a couple RB's over the years. Very simple design and, for a black powder gun, very stout. I even had a 1902 rolling block that was originally chambered for 7mm mauser smokeless. Yes, it was.... I converted it with new barrel and stocks into a 38-55 for BPCS shooting. Sold it several years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 I have a rolling block in some 43 caliber. I would guess Egyptian but well could be Dutch or Spanish. There are no markings on the gun unless they are under the wood. All parts are worn rounded as if polished by sand. The upper gun is a Martini Henry 450/577. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Best thing to do is to slug the bore and get a chamber cast to find out exactly what you have. And add a picture of the patent lines and the action. Guessing is just that and no help without facts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost, SASS #50125 Posted July 29, 2014 Author Share Posted July 29, 2014 I have a rolling block in some 43 caliber. I would guess Egyptian but well could be Dutch or Spanish. There are no markings on the gun unless they are under the wood. All parts are worn rounded as if polished by sand. The upper gun is a Martini Henry 450/577. That looks like the one I have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Ghost - Remington made over 1,000,000 military Rolling Block rifles in many different calibers, foreign and domestic with different configurations specific to each contract, some with a low production number that are very valuable, ie the Vatican contract or the NY National Guard contract rifles So, without you providing any further details about your rifle, it's fruitless for any of us to further try to help you identify yours other than... That looks like the one I have. So, when someone asks you which RB in what caliber you have, just tell them - "Looks like the one I have" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 To compound the problem, Remington wasn't the only ones making a rolling block. I have most of the metal parts of a Whitney rolling block. Also, could there have been copies made like there were of most other popular guns? I suspect the rolling block in my picture may be one given there are no markings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost, SASS #50125 Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 Ghost - Remington made over 1,000,000 military Rolling Block rifles in many different calibers, foreign and domestic with different configurations specific to each contract, some with a low production number that are very valuable, ie the Vatican contract or the NY National Guard contract rifles So, without you providing any further details about your rifle, it's fruitless for any of us to further try to help you identify yours other than... So, when someone asks you which RB in what caliber you have, just tell them - "Looks like the one I have" LOL. I'll look closer and see if I can identify a serial #. Any idea where it may be stamped? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I'll look closer and see if I can identify a serial #. Any idea where it may be stamped? Military Rolling Blocks were never stamped with serial numbers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Bullweed Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Your best bet may be to have a good 'smith cast the chamber. They insert a plug and fill the chamber with soft lead. The lead can then be removed and measured. There were many, many chamberings for RBs including .44-77, short-bottlenecks, long-bottlenecks and metric chambers for European and South American militaries. Sounds like a fun project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackey Cole Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 You can get a creosote bar and us it instead of lead. Iirc they use this over lead to be more accurate as lead shrinks as it cools so it won't be as accurate by the time it cools so you can knock it out and measure it. It'll be close but for close differences as it sounds here it might lead you wrong not know specs of each cartridge. But for the 38-55 it was thousands of an inch between variances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Grass Range #51406 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Get a chamber cast, slug the bore. Pictures, serial numbers, looks like the one I have mean absolutely nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost, SASS #50125 Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 Get a chamber cast, slug the bore. Pictures, serial numbers, looks like the one I have mean absolutely nothing. Thanks everyone. I get the message . I will get it casted and slugged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muleshoe Bill SASS #67022 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Umm Blackey Cole.. not creosote.. that's the tarry substance from the chaparral plant... you mean cerrosafe, which is an alloy designed to melt around 165 degrees. It is an alloy of Bismuth, lead and tin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 There were many, many chamberings for RBs including .44-77 Tom, Remington did chamber a 44-77 but not for their military rifles. The 44-77 was in the #1 Sporting Rolling Blocks. Ghost has a military RB The military rifles were 43 Spanish (11.15x58R) in 3 different bore diameters for Spain-Egypt and South American countries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nasty Newt # 7365 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Yep. When I was a kid you could order them from magazine ads for ten bucks. Caliber was 11mm Egyptian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaucho9 Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 Dear Ghost: When I bought my Argentine 1879 RB I bought a box of 20 (.43 Spanish) from OWS. I do not know if they are still in business...I still have not shot her, but in one of my trips to my homeland I bought the correct bayonet. It set me back a bit (half of what I paid for the rifle. Must tell you the gun was in its original status (tinned, not blued) with an excellent bore... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackey Cole Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 Umm Blackey Cole.. not creosote.. that's the tarry substance from the chaparral plant... you mean cerrosafe, which is an alloy designed to melt around 165 degrees. It is an alloy of Bismuth, lead and tinbill your correct I think spell check got me again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost, SASS #50125 Posted September 10, 2014 Author Share Posted September 10, 2014 Dear Ghost: When I bought my Argentine 1879 RB I bought a box of 20 (.43 Spanish) from OWS. I do not know if they are still in business...I still have not shot her, but in one of my trips to my homeland I bought the correct bayonet. It set me back a bit (half of what I paid for the rifle. Must tell you the gun was in its original status (tinned, not blued) with an excellent bore... gaucho9, would you be willing to sell one cartridge to me? PM me. Thanks Ghost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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