Rolling block Talk!

[Santosh]

Any rolling block experts here. I recently acquired a rolling block carbine with the 20.5” barrel in 7.65mm Argentine Mauser. Good looking little gun. Fun action. I believe it’s a number 5, but honestly don’t know how to tell them apart. My question is, I can’t find any crests, military markings, etc. other than the typical patent info for 1902 on the tang. My question is, were these guys produced commercially? Or were they just military models? Pictures can come by request!

[Junk Yard Dog]

Argentina was known to scrub the markings off some surplus rifles before exporting them. They also liked to maximize the rifles value by fully refurbishing them before offering them up for sale. My Roller carbine is a New York State Guard 50/70 model. It is not refurbished or scrubbed. Strangely neither is my Argentine 1879 rifle, it was just a gently used one that didn't need work. They did the same sort of things with the Mauser rifles also model 1891, and 1909.

[Santosh]

Very neat! Any markings to ID which South American country it was shipped to? Or were these, like you said, pretty much scrubbed

[Junk Yard Dog]

At that time South American governments had no interest in black powder single shot rifles, they came here to collectors. There were storys about 1891-1909 Mauser's being supplied to other nearby country's and being scrubbed first to give Argentina plausible deniability, but that is likely crap. The scrubbing wasn't always done, and they didn't always refurbish the rifles. They scrubbed the markings in an effort to clean up the look of the rifles, and figured that maybe they would sell better, it wasn't like the Japanese Arisaka and the Mum stamp being removed so not to disgrace the emperor.

[Magyar49]

George Layman here, author of Remington Military Rolling Block Rifles of the World...I have one 7.65 mm Model 97/02 rolling block in my book. There were actually two samples made for Belgium, prior to their being practically jammed into the First World War, plus 12 were built for Argentina, but only 4 were shipped, leaving 8 at Remington , thst were finally sold off in 1921. All of those I have owned or observed are in mint condition with merely 7.65 marked on the barrel without Cal. prefix...Very rare guns..nice catch!

[thunder1]

a rolling block was one of my biggest boondogales,. i collect old guns, have a ffl03. saw a rolling block on gun broker. seller said caliber unknown, probaly 45-70. i bought. before it even got here i ordered low power 45-70 ammo, as i shoot all my old guns. ammo gets here, day later the gun. no way is it 45-70. OK, I like tinkering so i order a chamber cast kit from midway. it gets here, i'm tired from working 80 plus hours a week, but still want to find out what i have, so i skip thru a video on how to chamber cast(big mistake). end result chamber cast cooled to much to push out(should have watched video closely as it did explain not to let fully harden) had to strip all wood off gun to heat up in my make shift oven(lp grill) didn't want to try kitchen oven as i had already ruined kitchen floor spilling the molten casting material on it. once i got hardened casting material out it was ruined as far as figureing out the actual cartridge the gun has for chambering. so now i'm right back to where i started--cartridge unknown. several weeks later i take gun to a well known good gunsmith in a town 35 miles away(shabonna il) explain my problem, he sighs, gets out about four little measureing tools, three books and starts measuring. turning pages, measuring, turning pages. when he is done he says you have a 43 spanish. ok i say do you have any ammo. he didn't laugh at me, but almost. i go home, start looking for 43 spanish finally found a box for sale a week later. i buy. before that even gets here the same seller has 200 rounds for sale.i buy, BIG mistake. all the ammo was nearly as old as the rifle not a one would fire. so i still have an old neat looking rifle, desparate to find newer ammo, finally found some. paid 6.81 a round for a box total cost to shoot it once was somewhere around $1100, however still haven't replaced kitchen floor. then i had to go out and spend $700 on a old trapdoor to use up my box of 45-70. so in reality i'm up to about $1800 and need a floor

[ffuries]

Rolling Blocks are an interesting specimen in the milsurp world. I picked up a Egyptian RB, and had to get a few parts for it. The system is robust that is for sure. I try to find at least one original round for display purposes for all my weapons. Found one listing for Egyptian 43 ammo, $75.00 for one round. Talk about sticker shock.

Back to the RB in general, I find myself drawn to them when looking online for my next milsurp. Looks like a Spanish and Danish versions will end up in my collection sooner than later.

Here's my Egyptian No 1 Rolling Block and its Yataghan bayonet.