marlinguy
Frequent Elocutionist
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Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater!
Posts: 16012
Location: Oregon
Joined: Feb 2 nd, 2009
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Re: "No Name" .45-70 Rolling Block Acquired
Jul 27th, 2016 at 10:20am
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It appears to indeed be a #1 Rolling Block, and built from a military action, as it doesn't have the longer lower tang, or extra hole in the lower tang that a Sporting model would have. Of course I'd always check any new gun out completely, and if unfamiliar with it, I'd have a good Rolling Block expert check it. One thing to be concerned about any Rolling Block build is the breech block clearance, but also the angle of the block to the back of the barrel! As the pins wear, the clearances and the block angle can increase. If it wasn't corrected during the build, that can create a couple issues. Excess headspace can cause primers to back out. But it can also cause the head of the case too distort, and then the fired case wont chamber in any other orientation than as it was fired. I've seen Rolling Blocks that had too much head space fire cases, and then turn the case 90 degrees, and rechamber, to find out the breech block wouldn't close. Put a sized, empty case in the chamber, and use a flashlight on the opposite side of the action. Lower the breech block, and hammer. Now pull back on the breech block and look at the clearance between barrel and breech block. If it can move back enough to see an angle, it needs to be worked on. May need new pins, breech block squared, or barrel set back too. I personally wouldn't blue a Rolling Block receiver. Just looks wrong, as they were case colored originally. I have them annealed, and polish/file the sides, and then have them color cased. It's not that expensive at my gunsmith, and he makes them look correct. As for the allen screws. I don't care what the reason was for installing them, they'd have to go away! Just way too ugly, and incorrect. Slotted screws aren't any harder to R&R, and looks much nicer.
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