Remington rolling block, 20 gauge

[walnutred]

A couple months ago I was given a Remington rolling block shotgun. I finally got a chance to look it over and it needs a good cleaning but seems solid. 32" 20 gauge barrel, three line address on the tang, no other markings that I can find. I've heard some were converted by Bannerman and some made by Remington but not sure how to tell the difference. I'm thinking that come fall I might take it out as a early season squirrel gun.

Anyone familiar with these?

 

[2152hq]

Remington made 2 versions on the large RB frame.
A #1 and a #2.

I get them mixed up, but one had a nice sporter style straight grip stock with a trim wrist and a sporting style shotgun butt plate.

The other used the military style butt stock, heavier with the military butt plate with top tang.

Both had a simple forend.

The 20 ga was chambered for use with paper shells.
A 16ga version with the designation '16B' was chambered for use with 16ga all brass hulls of the day.

Bbls were either damascus or steel as an option.
I've read bbl lenghts limited to 30 & 32". But have seen some up for sale with 28" bbl as well. Don't know what the real story is there.

One thing Remington did on the RB shotguns they mfg'rd as to mill a U shape groove into the top of the recv'r ring. A sighting groove of sorts to go along with the simple bead front site.

Some (all?) of the RB built shotguns that have the better shaped wood also have their trigger guards filed out to a nice shape. Rounded edges and the profile slimmed to take away the heavy Military look of the orig action and frame.

Many RB rifles that were made in large rifle calibers were made into shotguns by aftermarket firms when the guns were being sold as surplus.
The NYS 50cal R/B were prime candidates as well as some others.
Some by reboring, Others by rebbl'g
Some were rebbl'd using CW musket bbl's which were too rebored to shotgun and fitted to the RB's.
Scrap iron used to retro-fit other surplus scrap.

Of course that U shaped sighting groove in the top of the frame could have been cut into any aftermarket conversions as well.

About all I know about them.
Prices are all over the place.
Wall hangers at $100 to a really nice example of the sporting shotgun @ $900+.
Remington did make a few custom stocked and engraved ones as well.

Values have likely changed since the last time I was out and about!

 

[Muley Gil]

My first centerfire rifle was a .43 Spanish rolling block carbine, bought in 1970. I've loved the action ever since.

Ammo was hard to obtain & I wound up trading towards a 1898 Krag.

I now own a Navy Arms .357 RB, a .22 LR Remington RB, a .32 rimfire that I'm converting to .32 S&W Long and I have another .43 Spanish, this time a rifle.

My ideal rolling block would be a light rifle chambered in .32-20.

 

[smoothshooter]

They have been imported from Scandinavian countries by the shipping pallet by Simpson’s, Ltd. in Galesburg, IL for years. Simpson’s has been buying shotguns and rifles that were turned in by citizens to the police departments after new laws were passed limiting civilians to 1 rifle, and 1 shotgun, I think. Any extra guns have to be turned in.
An acquaintance of mine that has seen them unpacked says that until very recently the guns were were stacked like cordwood in a wooden crate the length and width of the pallet underneath. No cardboard, packing, or any other protection between the guns.

 

[walnutred]

Thanks, This one has the U shaped groove in the receiver bridge and there was no provision for a sling swivel in either the buttock or trigger guard. So for now I'm leaning towards a Remington made shotgun as opposed to a rifle conversion. I agree with the light rifle in 32-20, my first center fire groundhog rifle was a Stevens Favorite a friend of my dads converted from 32 RF to 32 S&W long. For stalking groundhogs around the barns it was very effective.

 

[smoothshooter]

Check with Simpson, Ltd. Galesburg, IL.
They have imported them from Norway and Sweden by the pallet-full for years.