rolling block 43 spanish?

[bno762]

i need some help with info on a rolling block i bought from a freind. on the strip of metal behind the hammer and above the grip it says: remington ilion ny usa pat may 3D nov 15th 1864 april 17th 1886. on the metal butt cap it has a 92. it came with an old old box of 43 spanish. its a really neat looking firearm and i was wondering if anyone might have any info on these. thanks

[MrMurphy]

Rolling Blocks were sold around the world as military weapons, everywhere from Russia to South America, so finding a Spanish one, while unusual, is not really that uncommon. I don't know enough about either Rolling Blocks or 1870-1890s issued rifles to say much more.

[bno762]

thanks for the response. i got a posting on the gunsmithing forum about converting this to a more popular cartridge. no luck yet. just seems like this would be a fun gun to shoot especially with black powder cartridges.

[m2hmghb]

Cabelas has some new production 43 spanish at 70 a box. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jhtml?id=0024300215402a&navCount=0&cmCat=srchdx&cm_ven=srchdx&cm_ite=srchdx&CM_REF=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3D43%2Bspanish%2Bammunition%26hl%3Den%26hs%3D9n1%26l r%3D%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial%26start%3D10%26sa%3DN
If you want to shoot it I would suggest reloading, and just as a personal view I would NOT rebarrel it since you basicly are ruining a fine old gun.

[bno762]

Originally posted by m2hmghb
Cabelas has some new production 43 spanish at 70 a box. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jhtml?id=0024300215402a&navCount=0&cmCat=srchdx&cm_ven=srchdx&cm_ite=srchdx&CM_REF=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3D43%2Bspanish%2Bammunition%26hl%3Den%26hs%3D9n1%26l r%3D%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial%26start%3D10%26sa%3DN
If you want to shoot it I would suggest reloading, and just as a personal view I would NOT rebarrel it since you basicly are ruining a fine old gun. :holysheep: :faint: guess i need to start buying reloading equipment if i'm gonna shoot 43 spanish. or shoot it once in a blue moon. maybe i should have looked into ammo prices before i got the gun.:freak:

[m2hmghb]

I'll keep an eye out at the normal places to see if I cant find a lower price and a decent price on components. I just hate to see a nice old gun wasted or rebarreled unless it dont shoot. You have it checked out yet?

[m2hmghb]

Midway has components, heres a link to the search page: http://www.midwayusa.com/esearch.exe/search?category_selector=all_products&search_keywords=43+spanish&Click+to+Begin+Search.x=0&Click+to+Begin+Search.y=0&Click+to+Begin+Search=Search_Button
Grafs also has some components: http://www.grafs.com/grafs/search/?q=43+spanish

[MrMurphy]

It's a rare enough gun I'd say keep it as is, shoot it occasionally, and treasure what you have.

Finding an original military Rolling Block is hard enough.Finding a Spanish one is unusual.

[bno762]

m2mhghb & . murphy, thank for the info and links. and no i havent had it checked out yet. i know i need to but i dont know a gunsmith that i trust to give me an honost assessment. the only one i know well always tells me i got a POS and then tries to buy them from me. do yall happen to know anybody down here i could trust.oh and i forgot to say in the posting with the rifle i also got an old box of 43 spanish ammo. remington i beleive it looks pretty cool being old as hell. guess shooting it up would be a bad mistake huh. :upeyes:

[m2hmghb]

Might be some collector's value to that ammo and you never know if it was stored right. I would suggest saving your nickels and dimes to buy brass and load your own since you have control over the powder. Whatever you do with it good luck and great find. Oh how much did you pay?

[bno762]

i had loaned a friend some cash about a year and a half ago and was supposed to get paid back but after all that time never got anything. when i asked him about it i found out he's going through legal troubles(probably the bad kind if i know this guy). anyway as payment i got 2 1911's, 1 bulldog 44sp., the rolling block, and some ammo. all for 1200. the 45's are norincos but they shoot rerally good. i'm happy with the outcome. i think the wife would have rather me got the cash. ;)

[MrMurphy]

Where's Rowlett near?

I could suggest a few places in central TX (I'm from San Antonio and used to live further north).

[bno762]

its just east of dallas. thanks for the help

[Yamadad]

I would strongly suggest you try slugging the barrel first. The rolling blocks were made in huge different number of calibers, including 43 Egyptian.

The rolling blocks were considered many experts to be the strongest action design of the 19th century. You can shoot smokeless powder in them, if you are careful about loadings.

If I remember correctly, Remington made six variants of the rifle, and some were produced overseas with export licenses, so you should check it out first. There is an old book floating around about the rolling blocks that is a great source of information. A google search should find it easy enough.

Millions were made, but they just never really caught on in this country. Overseas was a different story. Some militaries carried rolling blocks well into the 20th century as stardard issue weapons.

Too much history to cover it completely, get the book, its a great read.