Rolling block Identification

Topics related to Pre - 1898 Remington Rifles
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Rocket_James
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2022 3:37 pm

Rolling block Identification

Post by Rocket_James »

Picked up my first rolling block but I am having trouble identifying the date and caliber. I tried 45/70 but the cartridge is too long and also a bit loose. Pics are hrre: thanks!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/iPrfU6WrSHXVb6gr7
Bill Allen
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2021 6:30 pm

Re: Rolling block Identification

Post by Bill Allen »

Try a 43 spanish, but the best is always take a casting. But a 45 70 will bottom out on a spanish. But it's in your best interest to cast it and compare it to specs remembering that the chambers in these old guns can be a tad loose. Bill
marlinman93
Posts: 379
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2004 10:47 pm

Re: Rolling block Identification

Post by marlinman93 »

The vast majority of military Rolling Blocks are chambered in cartridges based on the Remington .44-77 bottleneck case. Remington tried to sell each country on the .44-77 case, but most wanted a case of their own proprietary cartridge. So they came out .43 Spanish, .43 Mauser, .43 Egyptian, etc. which are all quite similar.
So as Bill mentioned you should do a chamber cast with Cerrosafe, and then measure up the casting to truly know what you have.
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