Scopeing a 43 Spanish Rolling lock

[brstevns]

I have a 1879 43 Spanish Remington Rolling Block. Could not see the sights with my old eyes. Wanted to put a scope on it t found there are no mounts listed. Well guess what, the Weaver 90 base for the Marlin 39 22 worked great. Screws holes matched up perfectly. All that was needed was to remove a few thousand of the ramp were it rest over the receiver ring. Just wanted everyone to know that needs are wants a scope on their 43 Spanish RB

[johnson1942]

do you shoot cast bullets or paperpatched? i would encourage paperpatch and blackhorn 209 powder. that combo and that scope, what a gun and what a cal.

[brstevns]

do you shoot cast bullets or paperpatched? i would encourage paperpatch and blackhorn 209 powder. that combo and that scope, what a gun and what a cal.
Shoot cast and plan on trying Paper Patch. Using 5744 at the moment.

[ohland]

i have a 1879 43 spanish remington rolling block. The weaver 90 base for the marlin 39 22 worked great. Screws holes matched up perfectly.

Old retrobate has got a rear sight from another make on the 43 Spanish, and it sits out too far for my eyes. I can handle the milling. The 43 Spanish RB is a fun gun, but I wish the 439186 was either PB or GC, just do not perfer BB, no way, no how.

weaver #90 1pc Marlin 39a,39d

Brand: Weaver 48090
Item: 2-WV48090
UPC: 076683480903

NOTE: Some places are out, or backordered. I scored on fleabay, $15 includes shipping. Search for "weaver" and 48090. The seller has a number of Weaver bases available, and the item has a drop-down list to choose from.

Well, I'll find out when my 48090 gets here....

This radio station thought you'd like to know...

[brstevns]

Old retrobate has got a rear sight from another make on the 43 Spanish, and it sits out too far for my eyes. I can handle the milling. The 43 Spanish RB is a fun gun, but I wish the 439186 was either PB or GC, just do not perfer BB, no way, no how.

weaver #90 1pc Marlin 39a,39d

Brand: Weaver 48090
Item: 2-WV48090
UPC: 076683480903

NOTE: Some places are out, or backordered. I scored on fleabay, $15 includes shipping. Search for "weaver" and 48090. The seller has a number of Weaver bases available, and the item has a drop-down list to choose from.

Well, I'll find out when my 48090 gets here....

This radio station thought you'd like to know... I really don't think you will need to mill it. The ramp part of the base is flat were it lays over the round receiver of the Rolling Block. I used a needle file and in 5 minutes took off the little needed to allow the scope to fit over this area. I hope it works out as well for you as it did for me. Let me know how it goes.
I had to do something, my old eyes would not allow me to hit a barn door. Looking forward to using it with a scope. It is to nice a rifle not to enjoy.

[ohland]

a needle file and in 5 minutes took off the little needed to allow the scope to fit over this area

Uh, what good is having machine tools if you don't use them?

What is the width of the RB receiver? That gives me the diameter... Might not have a mill big enough to touch up the base, but that's why they make boring heads. The metal cutting kind, not the drones on TV....

Just mic'd mine, I got 1.31-ish. Just a skosh less than 1 5/16 across. [5/16 is .3125]

[brstevns]

Uh, what good is having machine tools if you don't use them?

What is the width of the RB receiver? That gives me the diameter... Might not have a mill big enough to touch up the base, but that's why they make boring heads. The metal cutting kind, not the drones on TV....

Well the best Measurement I get is 1.321 I hope that is of help.

[ohland]

Well, I read up a bit, favorite case to use is .348 Win, unobtaneum. BACO has .43 Spanish, 3.17 / case... ouch... Fireforming 348 looks quite simple, but the other case mods involve head width, rim thickness, and threaten the American Way of Life....

[gandydancer]

A scope on a 43 Spanish? Rolling block? That sir is against all that is holy Black. :kidding:

[ohland]

A scope on a 43 Spanish? Rolling block? That sir is against all that is holy Black. :kidding:

Thirty years ago, I'd probably agree.

[gandydancer]

I have peeps on mine. Looking at a melton 6x-power for a 40/65 RB period looking type. buddy has one on his sharps 74 works good-looks good too.

[brstevns]

A scope on a 43 Spanish? Rolling block? That sir is against all that is holy Black. :kidding: That is true if your eyes will let you see the sights! If I wish to continue to enjoy this rifle there is no choice left.

[brstevns]

Well, I read up a bit, favorite case to use is .348 Win, unobtaneum. BACO has .43 Spanish, 3.17 / case... ouch... Fireforming 348 looks quite simple, but the other case mods involve head width, rim thickness, and threaten the American Way of Life.... You can make brass from 7mm mag, 300 win mag, 338 mag ,458 win mag etc. Since you have the tools it would be easy for you. Check out the forming cases forum on forming 43 Spanish Brass

[ohland]

7mm mag, 300 win mag, 338 mag ,458 win mag etc.

Checking the SAAMI print, the Mags have a .532 rim, body is .512, turning off the belt makes it very close. I do have some 7mm Rem mag around.
43 Spanish has a .623 rim, body is .515-ish. So at this point, the body is compatibe, but the rim is .050 narrower. Will the extractor handle that?

[skeettx]

My 43 Spanish
I just unscrewed the rear sight screws, drilled the Weaver base for the
hole stretch, and used a 60 decree center drill.
Screwed the base on with the original sight screws, and saved the original
rear sight for future use.
Ensure the hammer does not hit the rear scope bell :)

http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j452/skeettx/MVC-018S_1.jpg

Mike

[brstevns]

Checking the SAAMI print, the Mags have a .532 rim, body is .512, turning off the belt makes it very close. I do have some 7mm Rem mag around.
43 Spanish has a .623 rim, body is .515-ish. So at this point, the body is compatibe, but the rim is .050 narrower. Will the extractor handle that?
No! to make up for this I pressed in a ring of 14ga dead soft brass wire (super glued in Place) into the extractor groove of the Mag brass. This caseis then put into a drill and turned ( I use a small needle file) to bring the pressed in ring to the right dimensions. A small lathe would be just the ticket for this job, but I do not have one.

[brstevns]

I will have to find the right scope or use higher rings.




My 43 Spanish
Ensure the hammer does not hit the rear scope bell :)

http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j452/skeettx/MVC-018S_1.jpg

Mike

[skeettx]

I use steel tube K-4 Weavers or similar
Top 11.7 Danish
Middle 43 Spanish
Bottom 11mm Mannlicher or 43 Spanish/348 Win base
http://www.shootersforum.com/blackpowder-cartridge-shooting-loading/39850-11-mm-mannlicher-rolling-block.html

http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j452/skeettx/MVC-019S_1.jpg
Mike

[brstevns]

Really Nice!


I use steel tube K-4 Weavers or similar
Top 11.7 Danish
Middle 43 Spanish
Bottom 11mm Mannlicher or 43 Spanish/348 Win base
http://www.shootersforum.com/blackpowder-cartridge-shooting-loading/39850-11-mm-mannlicher-rolling-block.html

http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j452/skeettx/MVC-019S_1.jpg
Mike

[ohland]

Folks, I whipped out my Weaver #90 base, pulled off the franken-sight, and noticed the quality re-tapping of the original screws. Whatever they were, the two rear sight screws are now 10-32. Looks like they were a leetle enthusiastic with the drill, but not so with the tap. Screws go in smoothly, but stop short of what the holes suggest..

Slapped the mount on to get a try fit. The barrel is tapered. And of a smaller diameter than the base. How can the difference in radius be made up? Old Retrobate figured out real quick on turning the base around so the flat side is to the front so the base didn't impinge on the receiver.

Hmm, 39A barrel was tapered, @ .800 on back to @ .600 at front. I wonder if turning the base around will take care of the taper. I might need to mill off @ 1/4" at the rear end to clear the receiver, but that may be what's needed.

In case I need to, how to keep the base from rocking? Aluminum can shims?

[ohland]

The ramp part of the base is flat were it lays over the round receiver of the Rolling Block. I used a needle file and in 5 minutes took off the little needed to allow the scope to fit over this area.

Now that I have one, I see that the flat part impinges on the front of the receiver. Tomorrow I'll take off the excess and try again.

[brstevns]

Now that I have one, I see that the flat part impinges on the front of the receiver. Tomorrow I'll take off the excess and try again. Now you see why I used a needle file.[smilie=l:

[Huffmanite]

FWIW, Several years ago, I had a local gunsmith that was very experienced with working on Martini action rifles, mostly Cadet ones, rebarrel a cadet Martini action to 22 hornet. Had him scope the rifle too. He preferred to use a Leupold mount for a 7400 Remington, tapping the barrel to install it. Works just fine. Might be a mount you can use for a .43 Spanish/1879 Argentine RB.

[brstevns]

FWIW, Several years ago, I had a local gunsmith that was very experienced with working on Martini action rifles, mostly Cadet ones, rebarrel a cadet Martini action to 22 hornet. Had him scope the rifle too. He preferred to use a Leupold mount for a 7400 Remington, tapping the barrel to install it. Works just fine. Might be a mount you can use for a .43 Spanish/1879 Argentine RB.
Might be possible, but the idea is to be able to install a scope with out hurting the rifle. No drilling, tapping etc.

[brstevns]

Now that I have one, I see that the flat part impinges on the front of the receiver. Tomorrow I'll take off the excess and try again.
How is working for you?

[ohland]

Cast the muzzle this morning. Bore is pristine. Turned the sight so it was round part to front, flat to back. Rocks a little. Perhaps I'm not understanding the radius here. If the base radius is bigger, it should rock on a smaller barrel. Found some supposed diameters for the 39a, and they vary some, but @ .800 near the breech is common. I need to take some diameter measurements just before the octagonal part of the barrel, at the muzzle, then get the length. I can figure out taper...

Or I could measure the barrel diameter close to the front of where it would be, and then mill the round underside to slightly smaller diameter, then the base should not rock. I need to go to Ace Hardware for some 10-32 x .25" screws.

[ohland]

No! to make up for this I pressed in a ring of 14ga dead soft brass wire (super glued in Place) into the extractor groove of the Mag brass.

Saw that someone used a spiral ring on a rimless case (I dimly remember) to make the rim bigger. Forget the case, but the spiral ring was the "RS-50" model and it was from http://www.spirolox.com/

[Clark]

140347

I got this Rem rolling block No.5 1905 or 1910 from a guy at a gun show. Neither of us knew what caliber or cartridge. I see now it looks like a Douglas barrel 38 special. The two Weaver mounts are #11s.