Boys First Rifle

[Plinkster]

Awhile ago a fellow range member was selling a very used and beat Remington no 4 rolling block in 22lr and I picked it up for $25. It has no stocks and the barrel from about 5" forward of the receiver has been turned round. The front sight is a terribly filed replacement in brass and the rear looks to have been treated to the same ham fisted abuse. The barrel does have visible rifling although its got some pretty good pitting going on. I'm going to take it out this weekend and do a test firing of it while its tied to something and fired with a string to make sure it's safe to shoot before seeing if anything hits close to a target. I don't have much confidence that it will but you never know, which brings me to my first question. Aside from the action just popping open what do I need to look for as far as action integrity? This is my first foray with a rolling block although I think I really like the way it works. If I need to rebarrel I'd like to use a sleeve and liner as I have a piece of metal with a 1" OD and 5/16" ID already through bored. After looking this would cut my barrel cost in half as I'd only need the liner and I'm not sure I'd even reprofile the sleeve, just leave it a nice bull barrel. This way I'd have plenty of meat for drilling and tapping for an aperture sight. Also what would be the ideal chamber reamer to use for a rolling block? The bar I have for the barrel sleeve is not steel, which brings me to question two. What kind of problems could I expect from dissimilar heat expansion rates? I'm sure the liners that brownells sells are not the same as all barrel steels. And question three (I know, I ask a lot lol) I found some nice looking western juniper last year while elk hunting and brought home a few pieces large enough for stock making. Does western juniper have any quirks to it? I'm mostly concerned about a chemical reaction of the type seen with oak wherein the tannins will mess up a bluing job. I know the time invested in this project far out weighs the value of the rifle but not when it's end purpose is considered. I want to build this rifle or just make it suitable for shooting if possible, for my son who is 4. There is no way to tell if he'll feel the way I do about my father's rifles but I'm sure he will some day appreciate the time and love put into a custom made rifle for him by his father. Thanks for reading and I look forward to the responses.

[MBTcustom]

Check this out:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/241826/adams-and-bennett-barrel-blank-22-caliber-centerfire-f54-contour-1-in-14-twist-26-chrome-moly-in-the-white
Also, why not use walnut on the stock?

[Plinkster]

I'll have to check that link later as it won't pull up on my phone right now but that could be an option. I liked the liner route because it was $35 and I have a sleeve that just needs machined to fit the receiver. Also I kind of like the idea of a straight 18"-20" barrel on that little gun not to mention it would make the forearm slightly easier to fit. As to the wood I haven't ruled out walnut I just haven't found any yet and I had the juniper on hand. Thinking it over now though that juniper would need to be awful pretty before it could outshine walnut and the coloring may not look right with a blued action. Heck I don't even know if the action is good yet, the whole thing might end itself before it gets started!

[Plinkster]

Ok I got the link to work. That looks like it would work pretty handily! Do you happen to know what the diameter on the barrel is forward of the chamber area?

[uscra112]

Oak is pretty acidic. I keep my guns and oak far apart.

[Bent Ramrod]

You will be putting the same amount of work into whatever wood you choose for the stock. Walnut is best. Maple only looks good on muzzleloaders. Everything else goes into the conversation piece to cost reduction categories. I would think juniper would have a lot of tars and resins in it.

Check the way the block and hammer rotate on their respective pins. If you can feel either move back and forth, or you can pull the block away from the barrel breech with the hammer down, new pins, and maybe new holes in the receiver for the pins, if they are badly oversized, are indicated. Any lost motion in either of these elements will translate into headspace problems and burst rims.

Is your action the kind that threads into the barrel or is it held with a set screw or lever pin? If the latter, the pin should snug the barrel in tightly and still have a little to go when the barrel is out of the action. This takedown system was a weak point in an otherwise well designed rifle, as it didn't take much overtightening to upset the conical surface on the barrel and make it shaky in the frame. If this is the case, you may have to build up the barrel and/or the set screw with weld and dress them back down to tighten things up.

Still, for whatever you have to do to it, $25 is a righteous bargain, even for the action. (Envy, envy.)

[Mk42gunner]

A #4 doesn't have pins, the hammer and breechblock rotate on screws.

If you are going to rebuild this little rifle for your son, why not do it right?

I have no idea what he charges, but I like the looks of the work that John Taylor does on these old guns.

I'm with Bent Ramrod, for a $25 inital investment, it is hard to go wrong.

Robert

[waksupi]

I don't think maple looks all that bad on most any rifle. I kinda like it!
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=181&pictureid=1065
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=181&pictureid=1071

[Jim]

Those are beautiful stocks, Ric.

[Plinkster]

That is a pretty piece of wood. And yes oak will stay far away from my gun metal, I knew that was a bad idea and was just curious if juniper had anything similar going on. It might be high in resin though since it grows so slowly. Walnut is certainly an option though, just need to find a hunk and since I'm frugal the price needs to be right. Either way I think I have at least two years to do the project right. I would have to look at the action to know if it has the third screw for the takedown or not, it's been awhile since I've looked at it. I'm only adverse to sending it out to have work done on it because I would like it to be a rifle from his dad by his dad as much as possible. I'm a machinist by trade so making sure everything is tight shouldn't be too hard a task, replacing the screws if needed and even re-bushing the hammer and breech block shouldn't be out of my skill set. I have access to mills and lathes they just aren't at my house. Thanks for the input guys I'll try and keep this updated as I progress and I welcome all suggestions.

[waksupi]

Check Tigerhunt.com for wood.

[Plinkster]

Thanks for the tip, any merit to the idea of trying to find an old take off stock and re-inletting for the no 4? Was a hair brained thought that came to me upon a time.

[Plinkster]

Wow, even exhibition grade red maple for the shotgun butt and fore end is reasonably priced, thanks for the link Waksupi!

[MBTcustom]

Waksupi, don't you know that maple doesn't look very good on a bolt action rifle?:kidding:
I have been told that several times, people are nuts!
Nice work for sure.

Plinkster, I've got to go with Waksupi on this one, a nice curly maple would look sweet on that gun, especially if you finish it with good old fashioned hand rubbed linseed oil. Maybe get you some pretty black walnut endcap and grip cap. You would have something worth keeping for years.
If I were you, I wouldn't do the sleeve thing, unless you are sleeving the original barrel.

Do you happen to know what the diameter on the barrel is forward of the chamber area?
Well, you were talking about machining a piece of stock to fit a barrel sleeve in, so I assumed that you wouldn't have any trouble profiling a barrel to whatever diameter you want? Maybe I misunderstood?
Also, if that action isn't right, just take care when you ream out the holes, and you can put it back right again. Just do some research and some careful measuring, and you can build bigger pins for the bolt and hammer that will put them back where they need to be. Things get worn out over time, but that doesn't mean they can't be put back right again. That style action was built so simply, that its pretty easy to fix it up again. Everything depends on those two holes being in the right location.

[Plinkster]

I suppose I'd be game to try profiling a barrel if needed but I do like the look of a straight contour on a single shot action, not sure why but it does appeal to my eye. And After looking at the site Waksupi recommended I'm really leaning toward some exhibition grade red maple as the price was right at well under $100 for the shotgun butt and fore arm blanks. I'm thinking the barrel blank is a far better way to go as well since I won't have any (fingers crossed) trouble bluing it along with the action. And yeah, I couldn't say yes fast enough when the guy through out $25 bucks as an asking price! I had no need for it at all when I bought it but some deals just can't be passed up lol.

[MBTcustom]

I'm really leaning toward some exhibition grade red maple
Now your talking!
Oh and PM me if you need a hand turning that blank. When I say profile, I don't mean you should turn a taper on it, I'm talking about just reducing the diameter to a usable size is all.
I really like the direction you are going with this project! Its both doable and worth doing.