Rolling Block shotguns ?

[Shawlerbrook]

Just was wondering the history of the rolling block shotguns that seem to be pretty common. Were they originally built as shotguns and for what purpose or markets ? Does the RB action do shotshells well ? Just curious.

[pietro]

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Both Remington & Husqvarna produced commercial RB smoothbores, in several different sizes/gauges from at least 1867.

Like all smoothbores, bore & choke (if any) conditions determine performance.

They were born in the days when repeaters were very new, if not almost unknown/unobtainuim - and so very cost-effective.

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[Bent Ramrod]

A friend had a Norwegian 20 gauge RB that I shot a few times. It functioned very well.

Shot right to the sights at ~35-40 yds, but whipping that heavy barrel around to lead a flying bird would have been tough.

[mazo kid]

I believe these were used by the Army early-on as foraging/hunting guns.

[marlinman93]

All Rolling Block sporting shotguns, or sporting rifles began life being built from excess military actions. That's not to say they were complete military rifles disassembled at Remington and converted, but Remington had no interest in making sporting rifles or shotguns on the Rolling Block action when they were introduced. Short sighted on their part, but they were focused on military contracts, and felt civilian market guns interfered with that.
Once Remington decided to pursue some civilian sales they simply took military receivers and built them up with smaller, nicer sporting hammer and block spurs, and nicer wood, with octagon rifle, or shotgun barrels.
After a short time the rifles got octagon shaped receiver tops, but shotguns stayed round top mostly. But I have seen two octagon top Remington shotguns, and they are very nice, and real eye candy!
I've got a Rolling Block shotgun in 16 ga. built by Husqvarna that is a wonderful gun to shoot. And I've owned Remington shotguns in 20 ga. that were also great shooting shotguns. I believe the Remington shotguns were made to compete in the lower priced shotgun market, and sold for less money than a lot of other shotguns at that time. But only those that were base models. They did offer them in higher grade models, like the octagon top receivers I mentioned, and those had nicer wood, and features that certainly cost more when new.
The Husqvarna shotguns range from the cheaper models sold to the government for what they called "Forresters" which were basically game wardens, to the higher grade models for civilian use. The Swedes and Norwegians seem to love Rolling Blocks more than civilians in the US did, as we see a lot of civilian type large frame Rolling Blocks, where civilian large frame Remington sporting rifles and shotguns are pretty rare, and usually pretty expensive here.

[RustyReel]

I have one of the Husky's in 20 ga (There's a pic on this site somewhere). Receiver is trimmed down a little and it has the "safety" hammer. Also sights are a little different, not quite shotgun and not quite rifle. I have fired a few slugs thru it and it did OK at 50 yds. Loooong barrel, Choke is super full!

[Shawlerbrook]

Thanks mm and everyone else for the gun history lessons. This is why I visit this place everyday.

[RustyReel]

Here is an example of the Husky version. https://www.gunbroker.com/item/869980604

Differences between these and the military versions are plain to see. Not my listing, no interest yada yada yada. Just shown as an example.

[Texas by God]

Thanks for the drool worthy link, RustyReel. That is a very nice shotgun. The buttcheeks rear sight is hilarious.....

[Shawlerbrook]

That is a looker !

[marlinman93]

That Husky on GB is indeed a very nice example! Similar to mine, except for the sights, and mine is a nickeled receiver. But the stocks are a bit better than mine also. But I gave $175 for mine last year at the Colorado Gun Collectors show, so it was a huge bargain. It sat on a table for 4 days at $250, and I made a low offer the last few hours of the show.