Get out the hack saw and steel wool!

Topics related to Pre - 1898 Remington Rifles
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zerolatitude
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 5:15 pm

Get out the hack saw and steel wool!

Post by zerolatitude »

Just Kidding, well sort of.

I just came into a sporting action with all the parts. Someone (likely possesed) had cut the barrel to a round configuration and lord only knows the whole story. So, time to build it back into something to shoot.
I have plenty of 45-70 kit and would like to stay with that, or something that can be built from it. Here is a chance to build a new gun! Shoot a reply with your choice of:
Caliber and reason
Barrel configuration (across the flats and taper)
Sights?
Gun is still in transit so I do not have any more details at the moment.

Kind Regards,
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Oscarflytyer
Posts: 72
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2015 12:56 am

Re: Get out the hack saw and steel wool!

Post by Oscarflytyer »

Like you, I am set up to cast/load 45-70, and wanted a RB in that caliber so I could shoot it cheap. Scored one recently in 45-70.

Looking at your carbine sized rifle, I would turn it into a 38-55 ( I have a Marlin 336 waiting to go to JES to become a 38-55). Smaller octagan bbl (maybe 5/8" across flats) or the 1/2 round/ 1/2octagon would be cool. And rear peep sight and fat front blade, with a tang vernier mid range sight for fun! If you really want to over-achieve, bend the lower tang into a pistol grip like was done to mine! And then have to put a fancy walnut stock on it!
zerolatitude
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 5:15 pm

Re: Get out the hack saw and steel wool!

Post by zerolatitude »

Oscar,

That is one of the non 45-70's I was thinking about. I also love the pistol grip guns but always remember one of the old timers saying that they kept busting thiers at the grip. :-) Of course that was when they used them to make a living killing brown critters! Can you post a couple pictures of your rifle?

Kind Regards,
Larry
Oscarflytyer
Posts: 72
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2015 12:56 am

Re: Get out the hack saw and steel wool!

Post by Oscarflytyer »

If you want more/better detailed pics, let me know. Happy to take/send.
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zerolatitude
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 5:15 pm

Re: Get out the hack saw and steel wool!

Post by zerolatitude »

Man O Man that looks good! Well done on the pistol grip as well. What did that start out as a Danish? Right now I am leaning towards the 40-65 because of the brass. I would like to try the 40'. Had all the 45's up to 120.
Kind Regards,
Larry
marlinman93
Posts: 379
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2004 10:47 pm

Re: Get out the hack saw and steel wool!

Post by marlinman93 »

I am also presently building a sporting rifle, and went looking for a pistol grip lower tang as I wanted this one to be a pistol gripped stock. I found lower tangs brand new at Numrich Gun Parts for about $40 and they are genuine Remington parts from the late 1990's when Remington made a run of new rifles.
I also ended up getting a deluxe stock from them too, but I sent a friend that direction and he told me I got the last deluxe stock set. He ended up getting the standard set, which has a plastic buttplate instead of case colored steel. Still a nice piece of wood though.
Mine will be a 34" full octagon in .40-65, and it's at Al Springer's now for rust bluing and color case work. Hope to see it back in the next couple months.
My action is a military, so a lot of work was needed to thin the top tang in width and thickness to fit the sporting style buttstock! Also had to rework the hammer and the block spurs to lighten them.

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The Numrich Remington stocks sold for $165 a set, but the std. are a bit cheaper at around $140 a set I think. Cheaper than buying good wood, and they're already finished and checkered. A very good fit to my receiver too.
I had everything for .40-65 already, but had sold my Sporter in this caliber years ago, so wanted to build another. My other Rolling Block Sporters are in .44-77SBN, .45-70, .40-50SS, .44 Long CF, .38-55, and .22LR. So this filled a niche I wanted. But if I didn't already own a .40-50 Sharps Straight, that would be one I'd consider! The cases are easily made from .303 British brass by simply opening the necks up to .410" and then trimming the length off about 5/16" shorter. It's not much different ballistically, or load data from the .38-55, but the .40 is just preferable to me.
This is the .40-50SS (lower) next to a .40-85 Ballard everlasting. It hadn't been fire formed yet, so a slight indent below the neck still.

Image

I like a 30"-34" half octagon, but a full octagon 30"-34" is nice too. My .40-50SS original is half octagon and it looks good.

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marlinman93
Posts: 379
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2004 10:47 pm

Re: Get out the hack saw and steel wool!

Post by marlinman93 »

I am also presently building a sporting rifle, and went looking for a pistol grip lower tang as I wanted this one to be a pistol gripped stock. I found lower tangs brand new at Numrich Gun Parts for about $40 and they are genuine Remington parts from the late 1990's when Remington made a run of new rifles.
I also ended up getting a deluxe stock from them too, but I sent a friend that direction and he told me I got the last deluxe stock set. He ended up getting the standard set, which has a plastic buttplate instead of case colored steel. Still a nice piece of wood though.
Mine will be a 34" full octagon in .40-65, and it's at Al Springer's now for rust bluing and color case work. Hope to see it back in the next couple months.
My action is a military, so a lot of work was needed to thin the top tang in width and thickness to fit the sporting style buttstock! Also had to rework the hammer and the block spurs to lighten them.

Image

Image

Image

The Numrich Remington stocks sold for $165 a set, but the std. are a bit cheaper at around $140 a set I think. Cheaper than buying good wood, and they're already finished and checkered. A very good fit to my receiver too.
I had everything for .40-65 already, but had sold my Sporter in this caliber years ago, so wanted to build another. My other Rolling Block Sporters are in .44-77SBN, .45-70, .40-50SS, .44 Long CF, .38-55, and .22LR. So this filled a niche I wanted. But if I didn't already own a .40-50 Sharps Straight, that would be one I'd consider! The cases are easily made from .303 British brass by simply opening the necks up to .410" and then trimming the length off about 5/16" shorter. It's not much different ballistically, or load data from the .38-55, but the .40 is just preferable to me.
This is the .40-50SS (lower) next to a .40-85 Ballard everlasting. It hadn't been fire formed yet, so a slight indent below the neck still.

Image

I like a 30"-34" half octagon, but a full octagon 30"-34" is nice too. My .40-50SS original is half octagon and it looks good.

Image

Image
marlinman93
Posts: 379
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2004 10:47 pm

Re: Get out the hack saw and steel wool!

Post by marlinman93 »

Weird. Not sure why it doubled my post, but it wont let me delete the duplicate either?
zerolatitude
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 5:15 pm

Re: Get out the hack saw and steel wool!

Post by zerolatitude »

Heck, That is worth seeing twice. I like the half round barrels. Kind of like the best of both worlds. I am pretty settled on the 40-65. I sold all of my Sharps to buy a whiskey still, now getting the herd going again. I can build a 40-65 and still tell the wife I HAVE to get a 45-70 with a straight face. (and not forked tongue!)
marlinman93
Posts: 379
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2004 10:47 pm

Re: Get out the hack saw and steel wool!

Post by marlinman93 »

well the .40-65 has some real advantages. The brass is still easy to find and not extremely expensive. And .45-70 brass can be easily reformed if need be. It's a great cartridge for almost any distance from 100 yds. - 1000 yds. I really like the .40-65, but I'm a fan of almost any old .40 caliber rifle cartridge.
Oscarflytyer
Posts: 72
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2015 12:56 am

Re: Get out the hack saw and steel wool!

Post by Oscarflytyer »

I traded for mine as it is. Started out as an 1867 Husqvarna far as I can tell. The PG tang on mine has been custom bent, also as far as I can tell. It has an open (original?) hole in it... And has obviously been rebarreled. Bbl is ~1 1/16" across, and semi-roughly turned. Lot of tooling marks. But I got it right, and am happy.

A BIG plus is the Vernier tang sight. Mine looks like Marlin's tang. And it is missing one of the side locking screws. If anyone has an extra, or know which one/where I can get one, would appreciate it!
marlinman93
Posts: 379
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2004 10:47 pm

Re: Get out the hack saw and steel wool!

Post by marlinman93 »

Oscar, your tang sight is not one of Marlin's. It is an Italian job and not sure if Pedersoli or someone else made it? They can be purchased from Track of the Wolf still, and the screw you need is metric, so you can take the sight to a good hardware store and find a metric allen cap screw that will work well as a replacement.
Likely your sight is 1.5" spacing on the base and Marlin always used 1.125" spacing.

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categori ... CREED-5-WE
Oscarflytyer
Posts: 72
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2015 12:56 am

Re: Get out the hack saw and steel wool!

Post by Oscarflytyer »

Marlin - lmao! I meant my tang sight looked like YOUR sight (we have posted back and forth on other forums!)!!! And yes, I think mine is a Pedersoli sight. I have a replacement screw in it now that was in my stash. Been looking to get the correct one from Pedersoli. Kid is stationed in Italy, in Vicenza. Trying to get him to go by factory and get me one! He is just not into it like I am. May go by when we visit and buy it first hand! Sadly, have to admit, yet to shoot it. But just finally joined a range 15 min from the house so I expect to get to shoot a LOT more often!
marlinman93
Posts: 379
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2004 10:47 pm

Re: Get out the hack saw and steel wool!

Post by marlinman93 »

Thanks Oscar! And yes, that was funny!
My tang sight is one of the reproduced Remington tang sights made in the late 1990's. Numrich had all the pieces in their catalog to assemble them, and the quality is very good, at a price that's tough to beat. Most quality tang sights run in the $400 range for repros, but this Rem. built sight was only $125 and took maybe 3-4 minutes to assemble.
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