Rollling Block barrel swap

[OneBarfly]

At some point in my life, I got interested in Swede Rolling blocks that were more plentiful a few years back.

I found a nice Swede Calvary carbine rolling block, centre-fire, large 12.7 (?) bore, but..... the barrel has a plug welded at the breach, not touching the receiver, just a blob of steel in the barrel.

I just happen to have a very long barrel liner for 45 colt (.454", 1-18" left twist, 6 grooves, 7/8" OD,), incld. a reamer.

So, my mind is saying to remove the barrel, drill or cut out the weld and then make a sleeve using the original barrel stub and join the two together.

Tell me why this is a pipe dream: Provided I can drill into the weld, do you think the receiver could handle the pressure of a 45 Colt BP load or may it have been affected by the heat of the weld? I do have a spare RB receiver that I could cannibalize, but like "the look" of the original.

If you had to do this job, how would you do it?

 

[zuke]

Keep us posted on your adventure!

 

[bearhunter]

Using that liner isn't IMHO a pipe dream and is doable. Whether it would be an economical conversion or not, is another issue.

There is likely more to it than just sleeving the original barrel. The extractor will have to be modified as well, or you're going to have to use a rod to drift out the fired cases.

The extractor would have to be extended and that would mean building it up in some manner. I don't believe anyone is making new extractors for those rifles. If it's one of the Swede made rolling blocks, Denmark replaced the original 50/70 barrels with 8x58 chambered barrels. I believe Numrich carries those extractors and they would be very close to you need. You won't be able to source one until the export bans are lifted for CV19.

IMHO, you should remove that barrel, before drilling it out. It's easier to turn out the weld in the chamber on a lathe, than by using a drill. Not only that, but I can just about guarantee that weld will damage your drill bit.

If you can do the work yourself, it would be a labor of love and likely worth the effort. If you don't have the proper equipment to do the job, you will need to come up with some cash.