Remington No 1 Rolling Block Help.......

[USAF Sarge]

Egyptian Remington No 1 Rolling Block rifle woes.

Did a down and dirty breakdown the other day and looked it over, put it together and wiped it down and all was good and everything worked.

Today broke it down, to clean it, figure out what all it needed (Firing pin, pin to hold it in, rotary extractor and screw and firing pin retractor) and to clean the gunk out of the cleaning rod channel. All is going well and I'm having fun, went to put it all back together and all goes to hell.

No matter how I put it back together the hammer won't go into full cock. I've taken it apart probably 50 times and put it back together with the same results. I spent 6 hours trying to get it working and it's still not cooperating with me.

I watched a dozen videos, and it doesn't help.

Anyone got any ideas what the hell is going on? If you need pictures of parts let me know, and I'll get them. I finally called it a night on it, as I was ready to use it as a club on the driveway. So I knew it was time to walk away, regroup, and ask questions.

 

[FrommerStop]

Alan over at Ole Frontier gunshop is familiar with them. I have taken mine apart in the past without problems, but it has been some years since I did. Mine is in .43 spanish and I did buy a few brass cases for it from Track of the Wolf.

 

[USAF Sarge]

Alan over at Ole Frontier gunshop is familiar with them. I have taken mine apart in the past without problems, but it has been some years since I did. Mine is in .43 spanish and I did buy a few brass cases for it from Track of the Wolf.

After taking an hour break from it, I fixed it in 5 minutes. Turns out the main spring ended up getting bent.

Was watching a video of a guy taking one apart and froze it when he had the trigger assembly out and compared them. Literally blew the video up and place my assembly over it and mine was bent upwards almost 3/4 of an inch. Adjusted mine and viola it works again.

There is a pin or bar and the main spring goes under it, I think I managed to get it over the pin/bar bending it. This caused the hammer and breech block to jam. Tomorrow I might adjust the main spring a little more, now that it works, after about 8-9 cockings it takes a little more effort to lock the hammer back, so it might be a tad loose now.

All I know is I'm happy that it works again, and that it wasn't something major.

 

[USAF Sarge]

Now my son is straightening the cleaning rod up. The rod is so bent it looks the path of a drunk trying to walk a straight line.

 

[FrommerStop]

The black powder rolling blocks appear to be very strong actions, but all the articles that I read in past said they can not stand up to smokeless powder loads. I tried to make brass out of .348 winchester and the diameter of the case heads were too big. I think I still have some .348 brass and maybe 20 loaded rounds that I should trade off or sell.
You might be able to use 32 ga brass shot shells made by mag tech https://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?topic=17236.0

32 Gauge Magtech with a description that indicated that these cases could be converted into .43 Egyptian.

32 guage works great. First you need dies. These can be had from CH 4D. You should also get the form and trim die. you should be able to get the 4 dies for under 200.00. This may seem like a lot compared to Lee, but it is really not bad when compared to RCBS. Also the folks at CH are really great to deal with. The other thing you need is a piece of 7/16 stock, driil rod is ok. This will be used for a mandril when you form the brass. What you do is you trim the brass to about 2 inches and make sure to clean up the rough edges. Then you set up the full length sizing die in your press.[a good press such as the classic cast is a good idea allthough the first ones I formed on a Lee turret press] when the die is set up and adjusted remove the decaping rod. Now lube the outside of the brass,I like imperial size wax the best. Now place the brass in the shell holder. What you need to do now is put your piece of 7/16 stock through the top of the die and let it rest in the bottom of the brass . Now in one motion, run the brass up into the die. The neck will form niceley on the 7/16 stock. after this move the formed case to the file and trim die. File to length in the form and trim die, and if you do everything right, you will have nice 43 Egyptian brass. The thing about 32 guage is that the brass you make will be closer to the right dimension then the bertram that is out there and will will cost a fraction of the money. Magtech 32 guage is around 20.00 for 25 and Bertram is around 60.00 for 20. you can also use 50-90 brass and follow the same procedure, but the case head dimension on the 50-90 is a little small. Use this info at your own risk.

 

[Daezee]

The black powder rolling blocks appear to be very strong actions, but all the articles that I read in past said they can not stand up to smokeless powder loads. I tried to make brass out of .348 winchester and the diameter of the case heads were too big. I think I still have some .348 brass and maybe 20 loaded rounds that I should trade off or sell.
You might be able to use 32 ga brass shot shells made by mag tech https://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?topic=17236.0

I just bought an Argentine 43 Spanish RB with a beautiful condition bore yesterday. Interested in your loaded 43 Spanish rounds...l will be casting for and reloading 43 Spanish. In fact, today’s project is to order/look for components and needed items to be able to reload for it. Everyone seems to be out of stock on the brass, but did find loaded ammo in new brass. Dies are readily found. Am concerned will the standard .439” bullets work, as my bore appears to be .442”, thus I am thinking of buying a few loaded rounds to both see how the .439” bullets do and then to have reloadable brass before buying a mould that casts .439”.

PM me with what you want or need for your rounds. Note: I am assuming by “loaded rounds” you mean they are 43 Spanish. Correct me if wrong.

 

[FrommerStop]

I just bought an Argentine 43 Spanish RB with a beautiful condition bore yesterday. Interested in your loaded 43 Spanish rounds...l will be casting for and reloading 43 Spanish. In fact, today’s project is to order/look for components and needed items to be able to reload for it. Everyone seems to be out of stock on the brass, but did find loaded ammo in new brass. Dies are readily found. Am concerned will the standard .439” bullets work, as my bore appears to be .442”, thus I am thinking of buying a few loaded rounds to both see how the .439” bullets do and then to have reloadable brass before buying a mould that casts .439”.

PM me with what you want or need for your rounds. Note: I am assuming by “loaded rounds” you mean they are 43 Spanish. Correct me if wrong.

Sorry, I should have been clearer. The loaded ammunition is .348 winchester intended for the model 71. I will likely never own a model 71 and so the ammo is not useful to me.
I have 15 new cases for the .43 spanish. I have a mold somewhere also.
Relative to diameter, I know they often used paper patch bullets for many of the rolling block loads. Could that be used to make your bullet diameter usable? When reading I saw that some ..43 spanish bores were like yours is. I have a 'new' barrel to install on my .43 and so it is another of my projects.

 

[Daezee]

Thank you for the additional info.

I tapped an oversize lead bullet into the bore. The rifling is 5 groove and I don't have the V-block tool to measure odd groove bores. I took the slug, put it in my micrometer and slowly rotated the slug so (in theory) my micrometer caught the opposite edges of 2 grooves, and I repeatedly came up with .442". The previous owner said he used .439 bullets, and it shot OK. Since the Lyman .439 mould will run around $85, I was trying to avoid that cost if the bullet would be too small. Based on my cast rifle bullet shooting, a few thousands over groove diameter has proven good for me. Another thought, on the theory that the as-cast diameter of bullets is typically 1-3 thousands bigger than the sized bullet, is to use as-cast and pan or hand lube. That is what I do for my Danish RB using as-cast 45/70 hollow base bullets. The .459" Lee bullets come out .462" as-cast, and that is about the bore diameter of my Danish RB (another 5 groove barrel).

I now plan on buying 20 loaded rounds in new brass from an operation in California. With shipping, it'll be about $5 each. 1) I'll have brass to reload. 2) I'll measure one of the bullets. 3) I'll see how they perform. That should give me some needed info. Found in stock brass for $3.25 to $7.50 a piece (the $7.50 one had a minimum order of 50 pieces!; the $3.25 one you had to order 100 pieces).

Oh, another question: Since you have the mold, have you cast with it? If so, what diameter did the bullets come out as? I a-s-s-u-m-e is the .439" Lyman 43 Spanish mold.

As with your 43 Spanish project, this will not happen overnight, just as my 11.7x51 Danish and 8x58RD projects took time and research.

 

[FrommerStop]

Thank you for the additional info.

I tapped an oversize lead bullet into the bore. The rifling is 5 groove and I don't have the V-block tool to measure odd groove bores. I took the slug, put it in my micrometer and slowly rotated the slug so (in theory) my micrometer caught the opposite edges of 2 grooves, and I repeatedly came up with .442". The previous owner said he used .439 bullets, and it shot OK. Since the Lyman .439 mould will run around $85, I was trying to avoid that cost if the bullet would be too small. Based on my cast rifle bullet shooting, a few thousands over groove diameter has proven good for me. Another thought, on the theory that the as-cast diameter of bullets is typically 1-3 thousands bigger than the sized bullet, is to use as-cast and pan or hand lube. That is what I do for my Danish RB using as-cast 45/70 hollow base bullets. The .459" Lee bullets come out .462" as-cast, and that is about the bore diameter of my Danish RB (another 5 groove barrel).

I now plan on buying 20 loaded rounds in new brass from an operation in California. With shipping, it'll be about $5 each. 1) I'll have brass to reload. 2) I'll measure one of the bullets. 3) I'll see how they perform. That should give me some needed info. Found in stock brass for $3.25 to $7.50 a piece (the $7.50 one had a minimum order of 50 pieces!; the $3.25 one you had to order 100 pieces).

Oh, another question: Since you have the mold, have you cast with it? If so, what diameter did the bullets come out as? I a-s-s-u-m-e is the .439" Lyman 43 Spanish mold.

As with your 43 Spanish project, this will not happen overnight, just as my 11.7x51 Danish and 8x58RD projects took time and research.

I did cast some many years and test fired one or two. Problem was the .348 win brass will not readily make a usable .43 case. Now I have the right cases and I will eventually get to it. If the bullets are soft there is a better chance of upset to fill the grooves of the bore. Also some lead alloys shrink more than others.
As I recall I read one can use the same case there on the range for multiple loading with out sizing it. I believe still at the ERGC there is still a back table where black power and such can be used for the muzzle loaders and they cap the gun I think on the front bench. One never wants power where the guns are fired. One could likely decap and prime a single case there and by hand pour in a black power charge and place a bullet in the case. Take it to the front bench and fire it. If so one does not need a lot brass. If the brass is not sized it will last a very long time.
If you want to use the gun in the field, than the case must obviously be sized and bullet securely seated.

right now I am rearranging some things. If I find any of the .43 cal bullets I will measure them.

 

[USAF Sarge]

Alan over at Ole Frontier gunshop is familiar with them. I have taken mine apart in the past without problems, but it has been some years since I did. Mine is in .43 spanish and I did buy a few brass cases for it from Track of the Wolf.

In my defense the screw for the main spring was very loose, when I tightened it, that made it next to impossible for the spring to follow its correct path. Like it was bent already, and the previous owners/users fix was to loosen the screw until the spring moved around like a spaghetti noodle. By me tightening it, it went over instead of under the bar/pin and bent it even more.

Now I just need to verify the style of the MIA parts, then order them.....

12. Firing pin retractor
13. Firing pin retractor pin
14. Extractor
16. Firing pin
17. Firing pin limit pin