My $9.95 and $14.95 Remington rolling blocks

[Wyatt Burp]

That's what these rifles cost my dad in the 60s when rifles showed up on your front porch. The longer .43 Egyptian wallhanger was $9.95 without a butt stock so my dad made one. When I played with it I called it my "Foreign Legion" rifle. The much more expensive $14.95 7MM Mauser is in great shape except the bore is rough. I grew up with these and other rifles in an unlocked rack in the living room and we never locked the front door. There's a lot of sentimental feelings in these old timers.

 

[bigolddave]

I remember the stuff Ye Olde Hunter had on the back cover of the Rifleman. A lot was like that .43, but some that were dirt cheap would be worth real money today. I recall Winchester 1873 muskets, and 1895 muskets that had been ordered by Czarist Russia!

Of course, my paper route money wouldn't stretch very far in those days.

 

[Muley Gil]

My first rolling block was a .43 Spanish carbine that was bought at the Baltimore antique gun show at the 5th Regiment armory back in 1970. It cost $75.

 

[ColbyBruce]

The 7x57mm cartridge hasn’t had anyone speak up for it since Jack O’Connor passed. It deserves more attention as it is a very capable and versatile round.

 

[jimmyj]

My $9.95 and $14.95 Remingtons

Your your Father did a awesome job making a buttstock for the .43 Rifle

 

[Old_Cop]

Great memories I'm sure.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

My first Rolling Block is an unlicensed copy by Spain in 43 Reformado. Same case and length as 43 Spanish (which was designed by Remington) but uses a 400 gr .454 bullet (400 gr Round Nose bullets won't chamber) that is almost a semi spitzer, and 75 grains FFg Black powder and some filler wads with lots of lube! (Spain had used the Reformado round in the conversion from percussion rifles using the Berdan style of conversion. Then started making copies of the Rolling Block. They wanted their Contract rifles to be in Reformado but Remington refused! Remington wanted to make money selling millions of rounds of ammo! So Spain had 2 black powder rounds for their Military.)

My second RB is a Remington Made 43 Egyptian action that the barrel was so bad we sawed the barrel off at the face and counter bored the old barrel. Then turned the threads off the replacement barrel and soldered it in. The replacement barrel is a Springfield Arsenal made for US Navy 50 Carbine barrel (no rear sight!) I put a 1863 Rear sight on it and it is fine! The loading is a half inch short 50-70 case with 50 grains of FFFg Black powder and a 425 grain bullet with an over the powder card and an 1/8" "cookie" of lube under the bullet. Recoil is very mild, but makes its own fog bank!

Ivan