Hi MerwinBray, that was my rolling block that you saw last year at the Columbia Schuetzverin match (ala Chris C.) at Thurmont, Maryland.  My impression is that Numrich Arms (N.Y.) made up a kit that was offered to the shooting public for the purpose of updating or sporterizing the many Remington military configured rolling block rifles around or for those people who were buying R.B. actions from several sources, one of which was Navy Arms (N.J.).  I was told that Numerich actually had (possibly still has) a gun barrel production crew with the necessary machinery and produced the 45-70 full octagon heavy barrels for inclusion in the kit with the wood forearm and butt stock and plate.

With regards to the wood pieces, I haven't a clue how Numrich handled that originally.  They perhaps farmed that workout to one of the larger stock making firm of that era.  (What was the name of the company up near Pittsburg?)

I have no way of telling for certain, but it may well have been that larger gunsmithing outfits in the U.S. purchased these conversion kits from Numrich in lager quantities, over what the kitchen table smiths did, and thus were doing the conversions is volumn.

You may recall, that I further altered my barrel by having it machined to 1/2 round 1/2 oct and had a 40-65 lined installed to improve upon what I considered a questionable rifling job in the first instance.

If I come upon any additonal information on this subject either from old Numrich catalogs, American Rifleman, etc., etc. I'll certainly let you know.

My best, Webb

P.S.  I hope to see you at the Spring 2008 shoot at Thurmont.
P.S.S.  Are there any shoot coming up in your neck of the woods in Virginia?

The gun I have LOOKS like it should shoot well, but you know how THAT goes! I have only tried it a couple times. This is when I ound out how tight the chamber is. I tried using some stuff that was alreay loaded for my pedersoli. It wouldn't chamber and close the block. I loaded a few that I full sized, which I hate doing especially on a 45-70! This time, the case went in all the way, but the byllet itself was too long and wouldn't go into the bore! SOOO, then I loaded again with the bullet seated all the way down even with the top band and they fit and shot but only so-so. Sound fimiliar Creedmoormatch? I am going to try a few more loads and bullet combos in it. I hope to get it shooting with somewhat consistent results. My 11 year old son is pretty sure it should be available to him for bigbore shooting in a year or two!
When I got the gun it had one of the long Navy Arms brass scopes on it. I sold that scope as I couldn't get the darn adjustments on it to work worth a darn and didn't have much interest in that kind of set up. 
Thanks for your responses, I just got curious after seeing a few with the same stock sets. 
Creedmoormatch, I like yours a lot more they way it is now! Hoyt did a nice job on the barrel.
Merwin

CHarlie,
I will have a document to send out by the end of this weekend. I will make sure you get it!

Well then guys,is my price out of line?
Just a curosity thing ya know...
Thanks,
Jeff

Navy Arms, until last year, would have a nice booth at the N-SSA Nationals. One time they had a few old unthreaded, unchambered 45-70 barrels that were as you described. Very off center. Someone at the N-SSA told me they were old numrich barrels, but I have no way of knowing it is so.
They were unmarked, and cheap. I can't imagine letting one out like that either. For 20.00, it would have been tempting for the other parts!
Merwin

Fellows, those Numrich barrels are great shooters, just tight on both ends. If you slug one, you will find they are about .448 and require a reamer with the pilot ground a little smaller than normal. Throats are also short and they do not handle bullets larger than 405 grains. My friend has one of the buffalo models that shoots very well and for years we have threatened to rebarrel itbut he has the recipe to make it shoot well even in BPCR silhouette. I built a bullet muzzleloader from one 15 years ago and hand lapped it from the breech end and cut a piece of barrel off and used it for a swage. It shot very well for me. I wonder where it is today. I current have a .36 caliber round ball Numrich barrel on the wall in the shop shaping up into my personal match gun. I hope it shoots as good as some of the ones in the past. FWIW, moodyholler