I bought my first RB a year or so ago and have been too busy to figure out exactly what I have. I'm hoping some of you Experts will look at my photos and tell me what you think about this old gun.
What I think I know about the rifle is:
The gun was made in 1874 or 1875.
Caliber is 44-77
The barrel doesn't include the makers name although it includes the serial number and caliber stamps in the correct places
The rear sight is missing but it was a dovetail mounted sight. (I would like to replace this sight)
The tang sight mounting holes were not factory drilled and the forward hole seems to have been repositioned.
The link below should take you to 15 photos. I will certainly appreciate any help understanding more about my Rolling Block.
I've seen no reference to barrels without the Remington stamp. Do you know something about this?
Also, the tang sight is strange because I see nothing quite like it in the books.
i've added photos to the link, I hope they are helpful.
I'm going to give you my thoughts although I don't qualify as an expert by any stretch of the imagination. I have two sporters close to the same serial range as yours so I'll tell you what it has.
Mine does not have tang patents but has them stamped on the left side of the receiver. Tang stamps are "generally" seen on earlier round tops although yours has the rebated receiver as does mine.
Both have the bottom tang longer and triggerguard is sculpted.
The hammer and block tab should have that nifty Remington shield.
Does the block have an oversized firing pin? A smaller, modern one might indicate a rimfire conversion.
I notice the combo sight but no barrel markings. Generally a factory rifle would have ES stamped on the underside (Extra Sights). The tang sight is an add on.
Given that the patents are on the tang and no barrel marking don't necessarily suggest its not Remington. Let me scour Marcots book and get back on that. Since you have a nice heavy barrel sporter now I think you'd really enjoy the book on Sporters & as a research tool.
On the barrel. Is the bore pristine.....its rare to see an original that doesn't show at least some frost or salt&pepper roughness (My 44-77 shows this for the first 12 in and then is okay). Most have pretty rough bores. The land should be in the neighborhood of around .004 or a shade less and the groove diameter around .450. Remington barrels have 5 lands and grooves and are difficult to measure but you can get close. lube the bore well and tap a lubed pure lead .50 cal ball through to slug it.
My opinion is that you have a winner. Go through the above and check it out!
It is indeed a fairly early Sporting Rifle, but late enough to have octagon top, and the later buttplate. Earliest had the round top, and deep crescent buttplate until around 1871 or so.
