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Whitney-Laidley Split Breech (Read 20722 times)

marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16111 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Whitney-Laidley Split Breech Nov 24^th, 2015 at 2:06pm	Print Post
	Not a minty rifle, but one I've tried to find for some time! A Type I Whitney-Laidley Sporting Rifle, with 30" full octagon barrel, and pristine .45-70 bore! Less than 5,000 Sporting Rifles were made, and a tough one to find! (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) Picked it, and a well used Rem. #1 Sporter in .22LR at the latest Reno Gun Show. No pictures of the #1 Rem., as it's a project, and not much to see yet.
	« Last Edit: Nov 24^th, 2015 at 8:30pm by marlinguy »
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Rebel Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 4292 Location: Rockets and Race Cars Joined: Mar 9^th, 2015	Re: Whitney-Liadley Split Breech Reply #1 - Nov 24^th, 2015 at 2:26pm	Print Post
	Nice Rifle! Congrats on your find. Aaron

	WARNING: This post may contain material offensive to those who lack wit, humor, common sense and supporting factual or anecdotal evidence. Let's Go Sonny!
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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16111 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Whitney-Liadley Split Breech Reply #2 - Nov 24^th, 2015 at 7:14pm	Print Post
	Thanks Aaron! The Whitney split breech has a kicking extractor, which I thought might be a pain. But after testing it with some .45-70 empties, it doesn't kick them very hard, so they just sort of kick out into my hand.

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oodmoff Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 276 Location: colorado springs Joined: Jan 12^th, 2009	Re: Whitney-Laidley Split Breech Reply #3 - Nov 25^th, 2015 at 1:00am	Print Post
	Cool find!


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16111 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Whitney-Laidley Split Breech Reply #4 - Nov 25^th, 2015 at 10:53am	Print Post
	oodmoff wrote on Nov 25^th, 2015 at 1:00am: Cool find! Thanks! I've seen a few military muskets before, but wanted a sporting rifle. Not into military guns.

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Chuckster Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2232 Location: Colorado Joined: May 15^th, 2008	Re: Whitney-Laidley Split Breech Reply #5 - Nov 25^th, 2015 at 12:37pm	Print Post
	Going to show my ignorance. What is meant by the split breech? Most Whitney's seem to be very much like the Remington Rolling-Block. Some very early Remington's had a split breech, I think. Chuck


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majorfs45 Full Member Offline Posts: 141 Location: Stillwater, OK Joined: Aug 10^th, 2008	Re: Whitney-Laidley Split Breech Reply #6 - Nov 25^th, 2015 at 5:43pm	Print Post
	There was a great article in The Single Shot Exchange in Jun of 2012 of the different models of the rollers Whitney made. One of course of the split breech. I am jealous you found that nice of one!!!


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Schuetzenmiester Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 6707 Location: Cool Wet Side of WA Joined: Apr 27^th, 2008	Re: Whitney-Laidley Split Breech Reply #7 - Nov 25^th, 2015 at 7:44pm	Print Post
	Did Whitney predate Remington?

	"some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence
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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16111 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Whitney-Laidley Split Breech Reply #8 - Nov 25^th, 2015 at 8:10pm	Print Post
	Schuetzenmiester wrote on Nov 25^th, 2015 at 7:44pm: Did Whitney predate Remington? No, I believe the Whitney with Laidley patent split breechblock dates to around 1870. I also believe they paid Remington a royalty for their right to the Rolling Block design.

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majorfs45 Full Member Offline Posts: 141 Location: Stillwater, OK Joined: Aug 10^th, 2008	Re: Whitney-Laidley Split Breech Reply #9 - Nov 26^th, 2015 at 9:50pm	Print Post
	I agree, it is the reason they had to use another design to start with. The article states that they switched to the Remington style after Remington let the patent rights expire without renewing them, so I don't think they had to pay them any royals rights. The Remington style had fewer parts, more easy to make thus less costly to make. I would really like to have one to play with for a while.
	« Last Edit: Nov 29^th, 2015 at 12:13pm by majorfs45 »

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majorfs45 Full Member Offline Posts: 141 Location: Stillwater, OK Joined: Aug 10^th, 2008	Re: Whitney-Laidley Split Breech Reply #10 - Nov 26^th, 2015 at 9:56pm	Print Post
	I believe one of the advantages of the split breech, was the rifle could be loaded, but the hammer was in a safe position. There as the Remington, once the block is closed, the rifle can fire.


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16111 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Whitney-Laidley Split Breech Reply #11 - Nov 26^th, 2015 at 10:22pm	Print Post
	The Whitney-Laidley split breech is no different from the Remington, from a safety standpoint. The old Rem. split breech was a block that was in two equal halves, where the Whitney is not equal halves. The right side of the Whitney-Laidley is split so that the thumb tab for rolling the breechblock open is separate from the block itself. That part of the split block is only about 3/16" thick, instead of the two halves like the early Rems. are. After cocking the hammer, the block is rolled back, but delayed for the first part when the tab moves about 3/8", and then begins to also roll the breechblock open. At the lower end of travel, the lever and block are set up so that they contact the extractor at the last, and snap the extractor out to eject the empty case. Once a new cartridge is loaded, the two halves of the block close together like a Remington block closes. Except at the last 1/4" when it takes slightly more pressure to seat the ejector for the next ejecting cycle. Hope this makes sense?

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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16111 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Whitney-Laidley Split Breech Reply #12 - Nov 26^th, 2015 at 10:24pm	Print Post
	majorfs45 wrote on Nov 26^th, 2015 at 9:56pm: I believe one of the advantages of the split breech, was the rifle could be loaded, but the hammer was in a safe position. There as the Remington, once the block is closed, the rifle can fire. The W_L is the same as the Rem. It can fire as soon as the block is closed.

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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16111 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Whitney-Laidley Split Breech Reply #13 - Nov 26^th, 2015 at 10:31pm	Print Post
	Just for fun. This is the Rolling Block #1 Sporter in .22L I picked up at the same show. Checkered by Bubba, who also drilled 4 tang sight holes in the upper tang! Will have to plug two of them, and use a Winchester 2.25" spaced tang sight on the other two. But the price was cheaper than an old stripped military action, so worth saving another Sporter! Some guy selling assault rifles had it, so wanted it off the table quickly! (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)

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Chuckster Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2232 Location: Colorado Joined: May 15^th, 2008	Re: Whitney-Laidley Split Breech Reply #14 - Nov 26^th, 2015 at 11:09pm	Print Post
	Vall, Thanks for the explanation. Not sure I understand the advantage, but an interesting rifle and will do some more checking. The Remington #1 certainly has some possibilities. Chuck


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