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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) Old Roller in a new caliber (Read 6068 times)
marlinguy
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Old Roller in a new caliber
May 27th, 2019 at 6:32pm
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I saw this old #1 Rolling Block Sporter at last month's collector gun show here, but passed on it since I was saving my pennies for Denver. But yesterday it returned for sale again, and I couldn't pass this time. Price was crazy cheap, and although it was a .38 Long CF, it has been lined to .357" groove and chambered in .38 Special now!
The twist rate is 1:16" and I will try to see how far it can stretch it's legs with the right weight bullet and better sights. I have over 1,000 empty brass and dies, plus some 158 gr. RN bullets. But I'll buy another 180 gr. to test, and get a mold if it likes the heavier .38 bullets better.

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Not a high finish gun, but has been well cared for and no dings, dents, or rust anywhere. Stocks are original, and in good shape too.
  

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calledflyer
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Re: Old Roller in a new caliber
Reply #1 - May 27th, 2019 at 7:36pm
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Neat. That is exactly the sort of thing I'd like to find one of  these days.
  
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DWT1885
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Re: Old Roller in a new caliber
Reply #2 - May 27th, 2019 at 8:17pm
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Yes, a neat rifle. Should be a very fun gun to shoot. Dale.
  

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Chuckster
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Re: Old Roller in a new caliber
Reply #3 - May 27th, 2019 at 10:09pm
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Like that rifle. It has the look and feel of a rifle to take to the woods.
Slender, easy to carry, not to heavy.
Seems a crime to shoot it at the range when it should be in the woods or hills.
Chuck
  
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freebird
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Re: Old Roller in a new caliber
Reply #4 - May 28th, 2019 at 6:55am
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Definitly the kind of gun I'd love to stumble upon... but if the military RB have crossed the ocean in great number (not to mention beeb manufactured over here), the civilian ones are quite scarce...

Nice toy  Wink
  
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Joe Do...
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Re: Old Roller in a new caliber
Reply #5 - May 28th, 2019 at 8:03am
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That is a very nice surviving rifle. I think that re-purposing a rifle like that into a more useful caliber is a great caliber. 

Very nice!
  
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marlinguy
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Re: Old Roller in a new caliber
Reply #6 - May 28th, 2019 at 10:15am
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The "civilian" or Sporting Rifles are my only interest in Rolling Block rifles. I do occasionally buy a military rifle, but only to use as a donor action to build into a Sporting type rifle.
This one is a little lighter than some, but still not demure, as it weighs 10 lbs. So although it's not as heavy as most of my other Rolling Blocks, it's certainly not a lightweight format. But the weight should make the .38 Special feel like a .22RF in recoil.
  

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Cbashooter
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Re: Old Roller in a new caliber
Reply #7 - May 30th, 2019 at 10:16pm
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You beat me to it by about 5 minutes. it was Good to see you  val, it's been a lot of years since I was at that show. what a wonderful group of guys. You look the same ...but I seem to have lost quite a bit more hair.

  
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marlinguy
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Ballards may be weaker,
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Re: Old Roller in a new caliber
Reply #8 - May 30th, 2019 at 11:32pm
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Cbashooter wrote on May 30th, 2019 at 10:16pm:
You beat me to it by about 5 minutes. it was Good to see you  val, it's been a lot of years since I was at that show. what a wonderful group of guys. You look the same ...but I seem to have lost quite a bit more hair.



Was great to see you again George! Glad I beat you to it! Wink  I passed on it last month, and figured I better not make that mistake twice!
  

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craigd
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Re: Old Roller in a new caliber
Reply #9 - May 31st, 2019 at 12:21pm
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Price was crazy cheap, my famous excuse. Thanks for the pictures, it looks to be in nice shape, I’d hover around it trying not to look over interested. There’re two rifles that I’ve seen recently that I’ll probably go home with, ‘if’ they come up again for sale. I already passed up the crazy cheap part once.
  
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Quarter_Bore
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Re: Old Roller in a new caliber
Reply #10 - May 31st, 2019 at 4:32pm
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Nice rifle Vall. I had a .35-40 that had 16 inch twist and I had no trouble shooting 265 grain bullets so 190 or even 200 grainers should be no problem as far as the twist is concerned. I don't know about the pressures in a small case.
  
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frnkeore
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Re: Old Roller in a new caliber
Reply #11 - Jun 4th, 2019 at 8:01pm
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My LW in 357 Max, has a .357 groove, 20 twist barrel and I shoot 208 gr 35875 bullets in it BSed.

There are 200 gr 38 Spec loads, in Lyman hand books. I think you could get 1000 fps out of it.

Frank
  

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coljimmy
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Re: Old Roller in a new caliber
Reply #12 - Jun 4th, 2019 at 9:58pm
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On a similar vein, I picked up a Marlin Ballard #2 in 38 Long years ago with a sewer pipe bore.  Had it relined to 38 Special, shot it some, and sold it to a friend who had cancer and didn't have time to reload.  He enjoyed it for about 18 months.

James
  
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coljimmy
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Re: Old Roller in a new caliber
Reply #13 - Jun 4th, 2019 at 9:59pm
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On a similar vein, I picked up a Marlin Ballard #2 in 38 Long years ago with a sewer pipe bore.  Had it relined to 38 Special, shot it some, and sold it to a friend who had cancer and didn't have time to reload.  He enjoyed it for about 18 months.

James
  
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marlinguy
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Ballards may be weaker,
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Re: Old Roller in a new caliber
Reply #14 - Jun 5th, 2019 at 9:42am
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frnkeore wrote on Jun 4th, 2019 at 8:01pm:


There are 200 gr 38 Spec loads, in Lyman hand books. I think you could get 1000 fps out of it.

Frank


If I can get a 200 gr. bullet to 1,000 fps it will do everything I want to do with this Roller! That's plenty of velocity and bullet weight to get me out a long distance.
I need to get some loads worked up before mid July when we have our annual longrange shoot.
  

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