Remington 7x57 Rolling Block, Conversion to 45-70?

[marlinman93]

I have as Mauser whose 7x57 barrel began its career on a Remington RB. It's one of the most accurate rifles I own. I'd definitely shoot your RB enough to see if it is a good shooter. The 7x57 is one of my favorite cartridges. I don't see the attraction in a big fat 45-70... jmo...

If you reload, you could form 7x57 from .30-06 to get thicker brass in the neck.

For most shooters who own a .45-70 the attraction is multiple reasons. First being it's history as a US military cartridge starting in 1873. Then next being such a wonderful big game cartridge with a history of taking large game without destroying a lot of meat. And then there's the big, heavy bullet that's not affected as easily by crosswinds and holds it's trajectory quite well for long distance shooting.
The .45-70 is probably more popular these days than it's ever been in it's 150 year history!

[hc18flyer]

I understand the attraction to the .45-70, I love mine! I just wouldn't rebore or rebarrel an original Remington Rolling Block in that caliber. Love to have one to play with, maybe someday? hc18flyer

[pietro]

.

The "headspace" issues may stem from worn/bent breechblock & hammer pivot pins - replaceable.

The existing barrel can be re-bored/re-chambered to .45-70 for $300 ( www.35caliber.com ), provided the barrel diameter at the muzzle is 3/4"/.750" minimum for a minimum barrel wall thickness of .125" ( .125" + .125" + .458" = .708" - just under 3/4" )

[schutzen-jager]

Numrich used to sell kits to do the 45/70 conversion + you sometimes see them at gun shows + on ebay -

[schutzen-jager]

hoppes #9 formula change was made a few decades back to remove some cancer causing elements - jmho still smells the same but does not work as well -

[Abert Rim]

Sir, while you are being urged to shoot the rifle as is in 7X57, take a close look at the ammunition that came with it. If it bears strange and seemingly unidentifiable headstamps, I personally would be circumspect about shooting it up without further investigation. At the very least, it may be loaded with nasty old corrosive primers, may produce hangfires, etc.
An early poster in this thread warned that the old wives' tale about the No. 5s being unsafe to shoot was BS. I used to agree until I walked into Russco Guns in Grants Pass, Oregon, one afternoon and noticed that a half-dozen rolling blocks had suddenly appeared on his rifle rack. I asked Phil what the story was and he told me that one of his longtime customers, a rolling block collector, had been shooting a pristine No. 5 in 7X57 at the rifle range in Merlin, OR, and it blew up, nearly costing him an eye. He suddenly lost interest in rolling blocks and consigned his guns to Phil for sale. And then Phil pulled the very No. 5 from a shelf and showed it to me. It was a beautiful specimen with bluing intact and a mirror-like bore, but it had burst at the receiver ring and looked like a flower that had just begun to open. I don't know what load the gentleman had been shooting -- and maybe the load was at fault. But I filed that one away for future reference -- as I did a burst Mosin Nagant action rechambered by the notorious Bannerman outfit to .30-06 that hung outside the door of a barrel maker friend, Mark Beinke, in Klamath Falls, Oregon.
So if you do shoot your No. 5, be sure the ammunition is of unquestioned quality and be absolutely sure to be wearing properly rated eye protection -- good advice for shooting any firearm.

[John Taylor]

The 7X57 ammo was changed about 1913 using a lighter bullet at higher velocity. Don't know if the pressure was increased. Most of the old rolling blocks I have seen in 7X57 have a bit of headspace and many have the breach block not square to the bore which causes the brass to be deformed at the base. Some of the #5s were chambered in 30-06 which may have been a little hot for the rifle. I have converted many to other calibers, usually sticking to rounds under 40,000 psi. My own is in 38-55 with a 34" octagon barrel.

[atr]

I have a #5 7x57 and I've shot J's and cast successfully. The throat is long but I suspect in part because the standard round when first issued was the 175gr RN. I have shot this weight J very successfully. My Rifle's breach block squares up pretty well with the chamber, but as mentioned in other posts some don't. Also, as mentioned previously, DO wear safety glasses when firing because spent gasses will blow back through the firing pin hole. The biggest problem I have found when shooting cast is having a light load which does not expand the brass case enough for a 100% gas seal.
In Freedom
atr

[clearwater]

For most shooters who own a .45-70 the attraction is multiple reasons. First being it's history as a US military cartridge starting in 1873. Then next being such a wonderful big game cartridge with a history of taking large game without destroying a lot of meat. And then there's the big, heavy bullet that's not affected as easily by crosswinds and holds it's trajectory quite well for long distance shooting.
The .45-70 is probably more popular these days than it's ever been in it's 150 year history!

Sounds a lot like the 7mm Mauser. History- a first of it's kind cartridge that the 06 and derivatives where copied from, big game up to elephants, long heavy bullet in 175 grain.

My mom's choice of cartridge!

[bobsyouruncle]

I want to make something like this out of my No.5 RB action

[marlinman93]

I want to make something like this out of my No.5 RB action

That's called a "Gemmer Style" with the wiping rod under the barrel. Gove of Denver fame also built Gemmer style Rolling Blocks, and modified them to an under lever too.
Mine is an under lever, but no wiping rod under the barrel.

[xtriggerman]

Now those are some pretty cool RB's. I'v never seen ones like that.