old rolling block questions

[mp40man]

I've had this old Remington Rolling Block Saddle Ring Carbine for a number of years and I load for it and shoot it. It's chambered in 50-45 so I have to cut 50-70 brass and use 13 gr of Trail Boss. I've been told this is from the 1860's but I don't know. There are a few markings on it that I have no clue about. There is a B stamped on the barrel just forward of the receiver on the right side of the barrel and a crown of some sort on the barrel band. I was given this better than 50 years ago by a friend of the family because no one else wanted it. The barrel is 20.5 inches and appears to have a carbine rear sight. I've included some pics and I'm hoping someone can shed some light on this old gun. The targets shown in the pics are from 25 yards. Thanking every one100_1580.jpg100_1581.jpg in advance for any help with this. Best regards. Rich. 100_1145.jpg100_1147.jpg100_1579.jpg

[mp40man]

One last pic. 100_1583.jpg Again thanking you in advance. Rich.

[bruce]

Beautiful old rifle! The crown on the barrel band is interesting. Wonder if the rifle ever went over seas. At what distance was the target fired? Sincerely. bruce.

[mp40man]

Beautiful old rifle! The crown on the barrel band is interesting. Wonder if the rifle ever went over seas. At what distance was the target fired? Sincerely. bruce.

The target is from 25 yards. Rich.

[Dick Hosmer]

The rolling block is an interesting gun, which was used (and made) worldwide. I have some knowledge of the versions made, or altered, at Springfield from 1867-1872, but am abysmally ignorant on the foreign contracts. If the carbine is truly in .50-45, it should be the 1867 US Navy model, made entirely by Remington. But, we do not use crowns. Could it be a Navy gun sold abroad after period of use and reproofed, or is it a foreign made piece which happens to accept .50-45 ammunition? As an example - for many years, Danish RBs were advertised as being in .45-70, which they most definitely are not.

[bigskybound]

The true Navy carbines had a 23 1/4" barrel. Should have an anchor on top of breech and inspector initials on frame. The particulars escape me at the time. But there seems to be no end to rolling block oddities. Could be something put together by Bannerman using whatever parts they had laying around.

[joem]

My Danish RB is something like 45- 80 or there abouts. I start off with a 45-90 case, machine the rim and cut it down in length. The case can be fire formed and I have a set of custom dies to reload for it. This rifle is a M1876 made in 1882 and can fire rim fire cartridge ir center fire ammo. I'd like to find a few rim fire cartridges for display.

[butlersrangers]

'mp40man': Your Rolling-Block action appears (to me) to be the type Remington made for Spain, prior to Spain producing Rolling-Blocks at Oviedo, under license. Your action was built as a carbine because it has the sling-ring and bar. (Spain and Denmark had very similar 'crowns' on their R-B barrel-bands. I believe the Danish bands are marked on the left side).

Your receiver has an upper screw on the left side for a sliding extractor (This is a clue in dating a R-B). Your carbine could be more easily identified if you posted clear pictures of the front sight and extractor type. Also, a good clue on identifying Rolling-blocks is how the firing pin is retained in the block and how it is moved rearward from protruding from the block-face (spring, lever, or cam).

I suspect your .50 U.S. Carbine (.50-45) caliber barrel is a replacement someone put on a Remington made Spanish carbine.

'bigskybound' is correct in stating the U.S. Model 1867 Naval carbine barrel was just over 23 inches long and was marked with an 'anchor' on the top of the barrel at the breech. (There was also a US Naval Cadet rifle in .50 U.S. Carbine).

The US Navy carbine lacked a sling-bar and ring. It was fitted with a butt sling swivel and its carbine barrel-band (marked with a "U" on the right) had a sling-swivel. The Naval carbine 'barrel-band spring' is inletted into the bottom of the wood forearm. The bottom of the breech end of Naval Carbine and Naval Cadet Rifle barrels had a centered notch. This was a clearance cut for the early 'fixed stud extractor' on the lower part of the breech-block.

Spanish Oviedo RB.jpgspanish RB band.jpg



Many of the 5,000 model 1867 Naval Carbines were scraped. Original Naval Carbine barrels (breech blocks and sights) were available in the Dixie Gun Works catalog at least until the 1970s. I have seen later #1 Remington R-B actions with these 'surplus' barrels on them. The usual giveaway is a vestige of the early extractor notch. If your barrel is a replacement, made from a cut-down US Naval carbine or cadet barrel, the nature and quality of the front sight will also be a clue. (Pictures of Spanish Oviedo R-B and barrel-band to show crown).

[jon_norstog]

The RB has to be one of the great gun designs of all time. Simple, cheap, easy to make, easy to use, easy to maintain. Too bad the US couldn't come up with a magazine rifle with the same virtues, to sell worldwide. FWIW my first firearm was an Argy RB I got thru Navy Arms or was it Ye Olde Hunter? Plentiful, cheap BP ammo, half of which would actually fire. What a step up from a Benjamin air rifle!

mp40, keep shooting that thing!

jn

[Dick Hosmer]

Well, the Remington-Lee - whose magazine type, designed in the late 1870s and still used in the countless millions today - was a good start.