Single shot build

[Red Cent]

Fellas, I am entertaining the idea to build a rifle. While I am concerned about money, I want to know I am putting together a very accurate rifle. I want to build a 32-40. I will probably use a Douglas barrel (always have). I am thinking I could use a rolling block. Should be relatively inexpensive compared to a hi-wall.
I have had Douglas to barrel a few bolt actions for me. I used to live about two miles from them in Cross Lanes, WV.
Please post your thoughts.

[country gent]

Douglas are good barrels I have 2 of them one on a garand (308) and one on a CPA in 40-65. I would also look at Mcgowen, GM. The rolling block is a great action but does have a slower lock time and getting a really good trigger can be tricky. A high wall has a faster lock time and is available with single set trigger. The CPA is a fast lock time and available with double set triggers. Is this to be a gun for competition or just for fun?

[M-Tecs]

Your intended use will determine what components you need for "very accurate" build. Without knowing that its difficult to make recommendations. What is "very accurate" to you and what is your use?

[marlinman93]

I have quite a few Rolling Blocks, and although most factory guns did not have set triggers, Remington did indeed make a single set trigger! My original #1 Rolling Block has a set trigger, and it's the finest single set made! Also, the later run Remington did in the late 1990's had double set triggers! Fortunately Remington saw fit to keep all dimensions extremely close to the black powder era originals, so the lower tang and set triggers are almost a drop in to BP frames!
But on my other Roller builds I've easily gotten triggers down in the 2.5-3 lb. pull range. Simply toss the stock trigger return spring, and put in one I make from .045" piano wire, and oil all the friction surfaces with Kroil. I like them so well my latest build wont get a set trigger. It will simply get my rework and be great!
This is my old .43 Spanish frame with a modern Rem. lower tang fitted:

http://i.imgur.com/4jOWSpOl.jpg

Numrich has these lower tangs in pistol grip for $45 stripped. They also sell hammers, triggers, knock off fly, and everything to put together a set trigger Roller. Even that sight is a Rem. copy put together from parts at Numrich! Unfortunately they are out of many sight parts, so can't get everything today. I also bought new Remington stock sets from Numrich at under $200 for buttstock and forearm!

http://i.imgur.com/cqTRBLfl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/pOHrNchl.jpg

They also have half octagon .45-70 barrels finished and blued for $165, if a person wants a .45-70. I had enough in .45-70, so got a GM 35" .40 caliber 1:16" twist full octagon tapered #3.5 weight barrel for mine.

I paid $140 for my barreled action, and will end up under $1,000 when done, even with that long range vernier tang sight. Hard to compare any other action to a Rolling Block for price vs. value. They are always a much cheaper action to start with!

[Chill Wills]

Think about the lack of brass at this time. Win and Rem stopped production.
You can get around it a few ways but you may want to design your chamber reamer for the 32-40 based on brass you can get to make your finished cartridge.
As one example 30-30 brass or Starline 38-55 brass.
For just a shooter you will make due.

For max accuracy, you will want to get your (as an example) Starline 38-55 2.125" brass and 32-40 dies. Convert some samples. Measure the results. Then order a chamber reamer.

It all depends on the amount of accuracy you desire.

[marlinman93]

.38-55 brass is perfect with just one pass through my .32-40 die set. It downsizes as easily as original re-sizes. I wouldn't worry as long as the Starline brass is still made full length.
But you could also have the chamber short chambered to use the shorter .30-30 or .32 Win. Spl. brass sized. Then the cases would be a perfect fit for the slightly shorter brass.

[marlinman93]

For max accuracy, you will want to get your (as an example) Starline 38-55 1.25" brass and 32-40 dies.
.

What is 1.25" brass? The .32-40 is 2.13" long brass.

[Chill Wills]

What is 1.25" brass? The .32-40 is 2.13" long brass.

My entry 1.25 was a fat finger error. The first 2 and decimal point lost out. Good catch - Sorry for the confusion.

The Starline 38-55 brass is available two ways, or better, two lengths.
2.130" is the correct length for 32-40 and 38-55 as you know but Starline markets it at 2.125"

The thing I worry about with NOT forming cases and measuring them with a tube mic first, before cutting the chamber, is this. The case wall at the mouth of old Winchester 32-40 cases and then using the new Starline thin walled cases may be enough different that accuracy loss may occur, or not.
It costs nothing to check first and so I would. But, I live for accurate rifles:D

This is just my take on it.
I will fix the error above. Thanks for pointing it out.

[marlinman93]

Kinda figured it might be an oops Chill Wills.

I love accurate guns too, so building up a gun is that perfect scenario to have everything exactly as we want it! Another reason I would want just the right gun and caliber I dreamed of! Hate to think I compromised on my dream gun too much!

[texasnative46]

marlinman93,

PURTY stock. = I'm jealous.

yours, tex

[725]

A roller in 32 - 40 would be neat. Very accurate cartridge. .30 - 30 brass makes for an easy reform. Keep the photos coming!!!!

[iomskp]

About a month ago I asked a similar question about building a very accurate bolt action rifle chambered in an old long range caliber but on a different forum, all I got was people telling not to do it, all my ideas where wrong and so on. It is nice to see people giving some positive feed back and encouragement, I hope it works out well for you Red Cent.

Regards Trevor

[texasnative46]

iomskp,

Pardon me for pointing out that you SHOULD have posted your plans on THIS forum. = I strongly suspect that you would have received encouragement & even actual assistance with your project from our GREAT & HELPFUL members.
(I've gotten a LOT of "good feedback", quality advice & some actual "hands-on" help with my projects from the members of this forum.)

As just one example, my latest "planned project" is "making" a 12-bore double-barrel pistol, which will be cut-down to 10 inch tubes & fitted with a hand-grip to replace the butt-stock, to become what the BATFE calls "a firearm made from a rifle or shotgun".
(YES, such "conversions" of firearms MUST be registered under our National Firearms Act & a 200.oo "special tax" paid before "making" the firearm.)

I've received a LOT of excellent advice on "making a short-barreled shotgun" from our members & one local "gun tinkerer" here in South Texas has offered to help with the conversion/mounting the front sight/refinishing, once I have my "tax stamp".

just my opinion, tex

[marlinman93]

About a month ago I asked a similar question about building a very accurate bolt action rifle chambered in an old long range caliber but on a different forum, all I got was people telling not to do it, all my ideas where wrong and so on. It is nice to see people giving some positive feed back and encouragement, I hope it works out well for you Red Cent.

Regards Trevor

Building up the gun you want can sometimes be difficult if you ask for opinions! Seems there's always plenty of negative feedback, and often from folks who've never owned anything remotely close to what you want!
In the case of the OP's Rolling Block, it will not be a common caliber often found on a Rolling Block; which makes it even more interesting to me! If I didn't have so many .32-40 single shot rifles already, I'd love to have made my present build a .32-40 also! I surely love the caliber, and have never owned a Rolling Block in .32-40!
But I'd also love to build a Schuetzen rifle on a Rolling Block action! The few originals I've stumbled across have been asking gigantic prices, and are very rare! So owning a Rolling Block Schuetzen in .32-40 would be killer to my tastes!

[John Taylor]

My roller is getting a new barrel in 38-55 but I have thoughts of making a 32-40 soon. I have a Whitney Phoenix that might be a good choice, don't see very many around.There's also an older H&R in 30-30 sitting on the shelf that could work. Might look a little different with a 30" tapered octagon barrel.

[marlinman93]

There are two Rolling Block Sporting rifles I've longed for forever! A Creedmoor model, and a schuetzen model. My present project will be along the lines of a Creedmoor with a 34" half octagon barrel, and shotgun buttplate. Single trigger per Creedmoor rules, and long range sights. I will ad a sight base to the top to the heel on the buttstock to copy the Creedmoor style Remingtons. Only non Creedmoor thing will be the caliber.
When I get around to building a clone of a Rolling Block Schuetzen rifle, it will likely be .32-40 Ballard, with a 30" half octagon, pistol grip stock, double set triggers, and Swiss buttplate. Midrange vernier tang sight, and scope blocks for a target scope. Found this one at Jim Goergen's shop, but unfortunately someone had already put a hold on it! But it's very close to what I'd build and love!

http://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/rifles/remington-rifles-antique/rem-rolling-block-short-range-schuetzen-style-target-rifle.cfm?gun_id=100785078

[Chill Wills]

I have a Whitney Phoenix that might be a good choice, don't see very many around.

Ha! A Whitney Phoenix is rare for sure. I have only seen a few real ones in the flesh. Two reproductions came to my State silhouette championship match, Rifle, Colorado, in 2004. A man named Bennett Gunderson drove over from Utah to shoot with us. He showed them off and said had made them at work in odd moments during long Rocky Mountain winters. He had obtained plans and in my opinion did a good job building them. They shot well to.

[Howie405]

marlinman93,were you able to use the original parts (screws,pins ,springs) from your original .43 trigger guard in the modern pistol grip guard from Numrich?
Howie405

[marlinman93]

marlinman93,were you able to use the original parts (screws,pins ,springs) from your original .43 trigger guard in the modern pistol grip guard from Numrich?
Howie405

Fortunately Remington did a great job of keeping true to the originals when they made the run in the late 1990's! All the parts fit the new PG trigger plate perfectly! The trigger plate was slightly oversized, but only on the front 1/3 of it.
The trigger plate is also like all sporting models, so the two rear screw bosses are D&T for threaded screws to enter from each side. Military receivers are drilled through on the bosses, and a single through screw used. So I had to drill out the threaded holes to make it a single trigger setup. I could have drilled the receiver on the right side, and countersunk the hole to use the to short screws, but didn't want that since I'm not using set triggers.
All the screw holes for firing pin disconnect spring, and trigger return spring, also fit perfect! Haven't tried the hammer mainspring, but the mainspring screw fits!

[Howie405]

Thanks for the information.I will probably have to place an order for some parts.I have always wanted a pistol grip rolling block.

[marlinman93]

I'm contemplating ordering a 2nd trigger plate, and stock, as I want to build a 2nd PG Roller too. One thing to beware of when using the PG tang and the newly made Rolling Block PG stocks. The tang fits the stock perfectly, but the military upper tangs are wider and thicker! I had to anneal my upper tang and then spend some time filing down the width and thickness to make it fit the newer sporting PG stock. Wasn't tough to do, but have to be very cautious to keep test fitting it until it slid in place and fit the inletting.

[Howie405]

Is there enough wood in the top of the pistol grip to inlet the tang rather than cutting the tang down?

[Jedman]

I like your idea of building a SS rifle from scratch and looking for a good choice for accuracy.
I would consider any of the cartridges based on the 30-30 case ( 25-35, 7x 30 Waters, 30-30, 32-40, 32 Win SPL., 35-30-30, 38-55 ) all good choices.

Jedman

[marlinman93]

Is there enough wood in the top of the pistol grip to inlet the tang rather than cutting the tang down?

If you inletted the the wood, then the lower tang would be too low. It fits the lower tang great since that tang and wood are both newer Remington. But once the top tang is narrowed, it sits high and only cure is lowering the height of the metal.
Wish I'd taken a picture of the top tang prior to fitting! But here's one before fitting on the lower tang. As you can see, if the top tang inletting was deepened, the lower tang would then hang down instead.

http://i.imgur.com/Zx3fxaxl.jpg

[Howie405]

marlinman, If I am understanding correctly you took metal off the top of the tang to fit the pistol grip.I have already ordered the parts so I will soon see what will need to be done.Thanks for all of
the information.
Howie

[marlinman93]

marlinman, If I am understanding correctly you took metal off the top of the tang to fit the pistol grip.I have already ordered the parts so I will soon see what will need to be done.Thanks for all of
the information.
Howie

Yes, I took metal off the top surface, and had to blend the removal up onto the top of the receiver's adjacent edges. I used my belt sander with 80 grit belt to roughly take it close. Then mill file to do the last removal. did the same for the sides of the upper tang to get it close, and then test fit to the stock as I slowly removed the last with a mill file to fit the inletting on the stock.

[Howie405]

That's what I thought,thanks for clearing that up for my feeble brain.
Howie

[Texas by God]

iomskp,

Pardon me for pointing out that you SHOULD have posted your plans on THIS forum. = I strongly suspect that you would have received encouragement & even actual assistance with your project from our GREAT & HELPFUL members.
(I've gotten a LOT of "good feedback", quality advice & some actual "hands-on" help with my projects from the members of this forum.)

As just one example, my latest "planned project" is "making" a 12-bore double-barrel pistol, which will be cut-down to 10 inch tubes & fitted with a hand-grip to replace the butt-stock, to become what the BATFE calls "a firearm made from a rifle or shotgun".
(YES, such "conversions" of firearms MUST be registered under our National Firearms Act & a 200.oo "special tax" paid before "making" the firearm.)

I've received a LOT of excellent advice on "making a short-barreled shotgun" from our members & one local "gun tinkerer" here in South Texas has offered to help with the conversion/mounting the front sight/refinishing, once I have my "tax stamp".

just my opinion, tex

It'll be funner and free legally to build it in percussion black powder 10 bore!! 2 shots will last you a while anyway!