• The specially shaped receiver and company marking location are more of an English style.  Many of the English and Irish shooters used e back position, of which Bodine did not, and would explain the inset (but unused) sight seat on the heel of the stock

Yes ... I know all of the above is very loose but that 1875 team picture showing two obvious conventional Remington Creedmoor rifles and the third clearly different rifle in Col John Bodine's hands.

... open to thought, opinions and even polite criticism ...

Joe, is it just my imagination, or do I see two plugged holes in the top of the stock where the sight base recess is? If it was not used, then why would the holes be plugged?
Certainly a gorgeous gun, and one I'd be proud to own!

Wow, that's really a Nice Rolling Block!
Never have seen a butt stock done quite like that before!

Terry

Hello Joe,
Have you tried weighing the rifle? According to the Creedmoor Rules it should weigh no more than 10 pounds., including sights. Otherwise I would say the likelihood is that it was Col. Bodine's or another Creedmoor Team member supported by Remington. Especially as L.L. Hepburn was in charge of Remington's custom target rifle shop at that time.
 
The only item that may not be correct as far as I can see is the rear sight staff which although high enough, has no fine adjustment screw, an item that was vital for very accurate Long Range Target work. This sight could of course be a later addition, it is more useful for hunting because it can be rapidly adjusted than a target sight fitted with a very slow screw adjustment. Speed of sight adjustment isn't vital on the target range. 

It's a pity there are no Remington Factory Records for these rifles, but given the huge numbers of Rolling Block Rifles made it would have been a thankless task book keeping.

Regarding the rear stock heel mounted sight base. The rifle is likely to have been made with the base fitted at the factory to ensure perfect fit and squareness. It's simple enough to remove two screws and simply plug their holes if the sight is not required. Alternately if these are just impressions in the wood they could act as a guide to drilling pilot holes for the screws should the sight base be fitted later.

Harry

Setting up the proper location and slant for the heel sight at the factory would be important of a long target rifle.  It is not something you can just screw on the end of the stock and start shooting.  That location and getting it to track with bullet without using up all the windage on the front site doesn't just happen  by accident.

That is a very unique rifle. I will follow this thread as I am very interested in Creedmore rifles.
  Don

Very cool!