Rolling block project ideas - looking for guidance

Dark Alley Dan

Dark Alley Dan

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Hello, folks.

My son's a lightly built guy with a huge love for history. He's starting to appreciate older guns a lot. He'd like something old, shootable, accurate, interesting, and light. He's not a huge fan of recoil.

I drop by TradeEx's website now and then to browse and dream and can't help but notice the rolling blocks they have. Is it feasible to buy one of the rougher ones and get it loved up and rebarrelled to, say, .38 Special? I'm picturing a carbine-length barrel, maybe 18 inches, pencil weight or a little heavier, nice wood, maybe get Oskar Kob to do his magic on the receiver...

Anyone here done this before? Anyone know any RB specialists here in Canada? Anything I'm missing?

Cheers,

Dan
 
It won't be cheap and it won't be a Canadian status Antique firearm in .38 special. You need to keep it in a large bore for that (over 8.3mm).

Factor in at least $1500 with the cost of the rifle, new barrel and gunsmith modifications + new wood and refinish work.

Also you will never get your money back on it when he wants to sell it.

I would say just buy him a over the shelf .38/.357 mag singleshot like a handi-rifle or a Rossi levergun unless you have lots of spare cash to spend.
 
Yeah, I figured it wouldn't be cheap, but heirloom stuff rarely is. :) Not worried about resale either. I reckon it's the sort of thing my grandkids will shoot.

And antique status isn't a big issue either. Just looking for something the right size and weight that he could shoot and shoot and shoot... Also wondering if anyone's seen this conversion done, or can recommend a smith.
 
That's a big action, might wanna hold out for a Remington #2 that's still caring it's 32 rimfire barrel. Smaller action and far better suited for a pistol caliber, not as common but they are out there, Epps has them from time to time. Another option would be to consider a martini cadet action.

If your gonna spend the money, might as well put it into something more suited to the cartridge.

Or you might wanna consider getting an off the shelf rolling block in a pistol cartridge, they are made. There's also a miniature sharps the Italians make, you'd be spending about the same.
 
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hickstick_10 said:
That's a big action, might wanna hold out for a Remington #2 that's still caring it's 32 rimfire barrel. Smaller action and far better suited for a pistol caliber, not as common but they are out there, Epps has them from time to time.
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Click to expand...

Also keep in mind there is a #4 action but it is a weak action and only suitable for 22 rimfire. Easiest way to tell it from a #2 is that the #4 does not have a lower tang. Something that has not been said so far is how old is your son and how much does he weigh? There are cartridges like the 32-40 and 38-55 which have little recoil and can be shot out to 400 yards at targets. A small Italian Sharps is probably less expensive that rebarreling and restocking a rolling block, it also looks good and should have relatively light recoil

cheers mooncoon
 
Actually the mini-Sharps is fairly recoil severe for caliber size. The problem is the stock is scaled down very much smaller and that combined with the curved metal butt plate is no fun to shoot unless really loaded down to a wuss load. I know two women that owned them and sold them both for that reason. Both bought for the SS Sillywet game but when loaded hard enough to kill anything past the pigs they both lost interest in a hurry. I shot one of them and without a very heavy coat on I found that 4 or 5 shots was enough.
 
The dude's 19 and under 100 pounds. Not likely to bulk up anytime soon. This, in .357, might be just the thing: http://www.ubertireplicas.com/product/1871-baby-rolling-block-rifle-carbine/ - anyone know if any of our sponsoring shops carries these?

I do like the idea of a wee Italian mini-Sharps, but considering the recoil issue Fingers mentions, it might be for me. They are a pretty thing, and six pounds isn't bad. 38-55 would be cool.

I still look at TradeEx's old Swedes and thing "what if"... We could screw a 32-40 barrel into one of those...
 
Sounds like a interesting project.I have an old very light merwin and hulbert single shot in 44 40 that has almost no recoil.I would think a calibre like that or 44 mag,45lc etc might be an idea.
 
fingers284 said:
Actually the mini-Sharps is fairly recoil severe for caliber size. The problem is the stock is scaled down very much smaller and that combined with the curved metal butt plate is no fun to shoot unless really loaded down to a wuss load. I know two women that owned them and sold them both for that reason. Both bought for the SS Sillywet game but when loaded hard enough to kill anything past the pigs they both lost interest in a hurry. I shot one of them and without a very heavy coat on I found that 4 or 5 shots was enough.
Click to expand...

Your leaving out that it was chambered in 38-55.

They used to chamber them in pistol rounds, but I see the latest offerings they dropped them. I shot one in 45 colt, there was no recoil.
 
If you are looking to buy from tradeex you should talk to them about your project! They have custommer for their Rolling block that

makes a living ( or trade ) converting them. They should be able to link you up!

I spoke with them about a project like that but in another caliber (45-70) and they said that the 8x58R ones were the best for that

conversion because extractor modifications is not necessary!

Also have you considered .44 special for your caliber conversion? You could shoot .44 russian and special!
 
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Dark Alley Dan said:
.....I do like the idea of a wee Italian mini-Sharps, but considering the recoil issue Fingers mentions, it might be for me. They are a pretty thing, and six pounds isn't bad. 38-55 would be cool.

I still look at TradeEx's old Swedes and thing "what if"... We could screw a 32-40 barrel into one of those...
Click to expand...

I shoot one of the Tradex actions that was re-barreled to .38-55. It's a pleasure and quite light for recoil. But that same round shot from the light scaled down Sharps gun would be a lot more "firm" of a recoil. Also the fact that it's made by Chiappa puts it well down on my list of desirable options.

The rolling block action is relatively light and compact. Your idea of a lightweight family project gun is more than doable. I see it as a finely shaped stock with light lines transitioning through the action to a neatly shaped short shotgun like length forestock. The lines being light and much like some of the finer "lady's" sized 20 to 28Ga double shotguns I've seen. The barrel being around 24 to 26" long and transitioning from octagonal at the chamber end to round and tapering at the end of the fore stock out to the muzzle. A slick looking "wedding band" transition at the change from octagonal to round acting as a nice focal point. And such a rifle would be superb with a round such as a 32-40 or perhaps done as in 25-20 single shot. The .32-40 would have some recoil but it would be quite mild. Much like .38Spl. The 25-20 being something that would feel like a rimfire round. The rifle itself would not be SUPER light. But with much of the metal taken off the front 3/4's of the barrel by the rounding and tapering the rifle would balance further back and not be at all hard to hold up.
 
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