1867 Rolling Block pistol

[marlinman93]

It seems to be raining Rolling Block pistols! Just won this Model 1901 Rolling Block Target Pistol. It's a .22LR and has custom stocks and grip modifications by A Hubalek!
Everyone must have been sleeping as it went for bid opener.





These Model 1901 pistols were built on the Model 1891 frames and offered in .44 Russian or .22LR barrels.
Arthur Hubalek was a friend of Harry M Pope, and apprenticed under Pope to learn how to make barrels. He specialized in .22 barrels, and built rifles and pistols for competition. When he began his custom barrel and gunsmithing business it made Pope mad, as he felt betrayed, so he cut off all contact with Hubalek.
There were only 734 of these Model 1901 pistols made!!

[Montanaguy]

My holy grail pistol is a Remington Rolling Block in caliber .50, but until it shows up, I am making do with this pair. I haven't had them very long but from the first cast boolit groups made with them, each has been a terrific performer. I shoot from the bench with my own handloads and 79 year-old eyes. Targets are placed at 25 yards. I had no idea these pistols, especially that old .44 Russian, could make such nice groups. Each pistol has an excellent trigger and both are very well-made. The .357 mag. even does very well on the 200 yard 10" steel gong. Its long barrel sure makes a velocity leap over my .357 revolvers with 6" barrels and the same loads. Cast 125 SWC with 8.0 gr. AA#9 = 1400 fps; 15.0 gr. AA#9 = 1800 fps. However, for my target shooting I use mild loads with Unique, Clays, and 231. Here are photos of the pistols and a couple of targets for your perusal. I'm hooked on rolling blocks, including my recent acquisition of a Pedersoli RB carbine in .45 Colt. I haven't found a performing load yet, but the work goes on!

[marlinman93]

My holy grail pistol is a Remington Rolling Block in caliber .50, but until it shows up, I am making do with this pair. I haven't had them very long but from the first cast boolit groups made with them, each has been a terrific performer. I shoot from the bench with my own handloads and 79 year-old eyes. Targets are placed at 25 yards. I had no idea these pistols, especially that old .44 Russian, could make such nice groups. Each pistol has an excellent trigger and both are very well-made. The .357 mag. even does very well on the 200 yard 10" steel gong. Its long barrel sure makes a velocity leap over my .357 revolvers with 6" barrels and the same loads. Cast 125 SWC with 8.0 gr. AA#9 = 1400 fps; 15.0 gr. AA#9 = 1800 fps. However, for my target shooting I use mild loads with Unique, Clays, and 231. Here are photos of the pistols and a couple of targets for your perusal. I'm hooked on rolling blocks, including my recent acquisition of a Pedersoli RB carbine in .45 Colt. I haven't found a performing load yet, but the work goes on!

Nice guns and great shooting! The .44 Russian in one of these is a very rare chambering and seldom seen!
I plan to do some sight swapping on the .22 target pistol when it arrives. I want to install a globe front sight, and an adjustable rear sight for better more accurate shooting. Probably try it as is first, and then change the sights and see if groups are better.

[BobT]

You guys aren't helping my resolve any! Up 'till now I've satisfied my cravings with the Thompson Center Contenders. Beautiful pistols! Great shooting Montana!

[nuclearcricket]

Marlinman, nice score on the rolling block pistol. Hopefully it shoots as well or better than it looks. Its interesting that it was barreled by A Hubalek. I know little to nothing about the man but do know he dabbled in making scopes as well. From what I understand they were kind of a copy of the Fecker scope. The reason that name caught my eye is I have just made a set of scope caps for one of his scopes. All I had was just the front and rear bells but they were in very nice shape and seemed to be very well made.
It will be interesting to hear how well that new addition shoots once you get it to the range.
Sam

[marlinman93]

Marlinman, nice score on the rolling block pistol. Hopefully it shoots as well or better than it looks. Its interesting that it was barreled by A Hubalek. I know little to nothing about the man but do know he dabbled in making scopes as well. From what I understand they were kind of a copy of the Fecker scope. The reason that name caught my eye is I have just made a set of scope caps for one of his scopes. All I had was just the front and rear bells but they were in very nice shape and seemed to be very well made.
It will be interesting to hear how well that new addition shoots once you get it to the range.
Sam

Thanks Sam.
Hubalek was a protege of Pope's and he advertised himself as the .22 barrel expert! He did make other calibers, but far more in .22RF than anything else. I'm not sure this Rolling Block has a Hubalek barrel, and since the barrel has original Remington markings it's only possible it has a Hubalek liner. Not even sure he did anything to the barrel on this one, and more likely he built this gun for someone and did the grip frame modifications, and maybe some other work to the trigger, or action?

[Bazoo]

Wow, awesome guns. I'm looking forward to the cartridge manufacturing process.

That 22 is amazing!

[marlinman93]

Wow, awesome guns. I'm looking forward to the cartridge manufacturing process.

That 22 is amazing!

Making cartridges has been way too easy. I did some horse trading with a fella who had brand new Starline .50-70 brass. Making cases was as simple as chopping them off with my Harbor Freight mini chp saw and then final trimming them in my case trimmer.
Then just load with 25 grs. of Swiss 1.5fg BP, and a 300 gr. bullet. They push seat, which is fine for a single shot where no crimp is needed. Still need to get to the range to give them a try before I load more of them.

[Bazoo]

Nice. I've always thought the Rolling Block pistols were neat. I've never dabbled in anything like that, just read about them. The early history of cartridge arms and target shooting is quite interesting.

[marlinman93]

Nice. I've always thought the Rolling Block pistols were neat. I've never dabbled in anything like that, just read about them. The early history of cartridge arms and target shooting is quite interesting.

I've always wondered why they chose the .50 caliber for these pistols? Seems like a huge bullet for what was a defensive handgun for the Army and Navy? After all the revolvers the Army had were smaller .44 caliber Colt and Remington percussions, and one would think a .44 would have been adequate? And considering they were originally rimfires I'd think the .44 rimfire cartridge would have been an obvious choice?
But I'm glad the chose the big .50, and that they quickly changed the Navy guns to a centerfire too.

[nuclearcricket]

Who knows why they went with the .50. However we all know how great the minds are that are employed by the government. Those rolling block pistols, especially the later ones were quite nice and can be very accurate. They do have a bit of a strange trigger set up compared to other rolling blocks but no reason that they can't be fine tuned to a very nice pull.
For those so inclined and skilled, a casting kit is available from Rodney Storie for both the pistol and the #7 rifle. Some day I will have mine finished. Some day.
SAm

[marlinman93]

Who knows why they went with the .50. However we all know how great the minds are that are employed by the government. Those rolling block pistols, especially the later ones were quite nice and can be very accurate. They do have a bit of a strange trigger set up compared to other rolling blocks but no reason that they can't be fine tuned to a very nice pull.
For those so inclined and skilled, a casting kit is available from Rodney Storie for both the pistol and the #7 rifle. Some day I will have mine finished. Some day.
SAm

A #7 rifle is still on my wish list, but likely wont be filled unless I got extremely fortunate! I think they're one of the sexiest single shot rifles ever made!

[Bazoo]

Well, I keep staring at that 22.

[nuclearcricket]

Marlinman, I do agree with you on the #7 being quite the eye catching rifle. I read a long article posted on the ASSRA forum buy a guy that built one from a casting kit. I figured if he could do it I could as well. My original thoughts were to build a trio. the #2, the #7 and the pistol. The kit I got for the #2 I was not happy with so I sent it back. Later on I lucked into another #7 casting kit for a great price. I don't know who made the casting or what it was cast of. I am guessing mild steel and hoping it is actually 8620. It will be color cased so any steel would work. Big difference between the 2 rifle castings is the second one has the rear sight mount cast in place. Finding the right Lyman sight is going to be very hard to do so most likely a custom sight of some kind will be put in its place. The other issue is finding someone with a pattern for the stock. As luck would have it, I contacted Treebone Carving and asked and he does have a pattern. It is a bit of an expensive stock and he recommends English walnut. When its all finished it should be a very nice looking rifle. The first one will be a .22 rf. I just hope the barrel I have for it shoots well. Some day I do hope to have it finished along with the pistol in the same caliber. Should make a nice looking set.
Sam

[marlinman93]

Sam, I had a friend years ago who was a bit of an outlaw and had guns built that often would be illegal by ATF rules. He ended up wanting a #7 and can't recall now if he found a beater 1871 pistol, or used a #2 rifle, but he had a machinist friend he often used convert one of the two frames to make it a #7, and then stocked it and had a .32-20 barrel installed. It was perfect, and so well done it could pass off as an original. He passed away some years back and I always wondered where that rifle went?
When they did the tang sight he bought a Lyman sight for a small .22 rifle, and they took the base off and made up a base to look like a #7 by cutting up the original base and welding onto it and shaping a base like the #7 had. It too looked like an original #7 tang sight when they finished.
Somewhere out there is a very nice #7 that's a faked gun now.

[marlinman93]

Well, I keep staring at that 22.

Wish it was here so I could stare it it too! Still no word, and hoping maybe by week's end?

[nuclearcricket]

I would hazard a guess that he started with a pistol and then made the changes. From what I understand that is basically what the factory did when they couldn't sell pistols. If I were making the #7's to look like the originals I would be looking for the little Lyman sights, I don't know the number off hand but can find out if need be. These will be working rifles for target shooting, one if not both will have scope blocks. The one with the sight base cast in place will most likely get a goodwin style sight made up to fit. To me that seems easier and probably a bit better than the original sight where you need a windage adjustable front sight to make things work.
It sounds like your acquaintance had some skills that he at least at some point made good use of. I think that the 32-20 may have been the largest round put in the #7 but not sure. There wasn't that many of them made and most were target rifles. The way the stock is designed I am betting that they will be great off hand rifles. Maybe not so great for prone but a sitting position should be very comfortable as well.
Sam

[marlinman93]

I would hazard a guess that he started with a pistol and then made the changes. From what I understand that is basically what the factory did when they couldn't sell pistols. If I were making the #7's to look like the originals I would be looking for the little Lyman sights, I don't know the number off hand but can find out if need be. These will be working rifles for target shooting, one if not both will have scope blocks. The one with the sight base cast in place will most likely get a goodwin style sight made up to fit. To me that seems easier and probably a bit better than the original sight where you need a windage adjustable front sight to make things work.
It sounds like your acquaintance had some skills that he at least at some point made good use of. I think that the 32-20 may have been the largest round put in the #7 but not sure. There wasn't that many of them made and most were target rifles. The way the stock is designed I am betting that they will be great off hand rifles. Maybe not so great for prone but a sitting position should be very comfortable as well.
Sam

My friend had no gun building skills, just a vivid imagination, and a gunsmith who was willing to build stuff cheap for him. So every time he wanted something he thought of some alternative to finding the real thing and asked his gunsmith friend to build it.
He once had him build up a switch barrel #4 Rolling Block set with 3 barrels. A gorgeous engraved receiver, and each barrel had engraving to match. But he had the barrels made up in .22LR, .22 Magnum, and .32-20 with offset shank to use the RF firing pin. Not sure he ever fired any of the barrels?
Then he had the same guy take another #4 Remington and build him a .32-20 pistol using the #4 action! He tried to sell that one to me for $150, and I contemplated buying it, and tossing the barrel, but then I figured I'd need to bend the top tang like a #7 and make a #7 style rifle off a cheap #4 frame. Just seemed like a waste of my time and money. After he passed another friend ended up with it and I told him to get rid of the pistol barrel, and pistol grip. He ended up selling me the action for $50 and it's still just sitting in my safe waiting to do something with it.

[marlinman93]

I'm just a little irritated. No sign of the little target pistol, so on Thu. last week after 10 days of waiting, I contacted the seller to ask for a tracking number? He replied the gun is still sitting there, and he was waiting for a copy of my FFL dealer's license! Grrrh!
I told him I'd sent an email with the dealer's number, address, and attached a picture of his FFL license, to which he replied he got that, but didn't get the attachment? Now why he simply couldn't have told me that when it happened is beyond me? Instead he had his money, and just sat there doing nothing for 10 days! Not happy at all with his lack of communication.
I sent another copy, and told him to tell me when he got it. He did so right away, but said he's waiting until Tuesday to ship. You'd think he'd ship it Friday, but he says he only ships twice a week, so waiting for Tuesday. Again irritating.
So hopefully on Tuesday I'll get a tracing number, and start the waiting all over again!

[nuclearcricket]

Waiting and shipping can both be very frustrating. Hopefully it doesn't get lost in the system any place. The up side is not the holidays are over and the shipping system should be back to normal. Late last year I had several things get lost. Eventually they did get delivered but one package was for a customer of parts he asked me to make. I eventually ended up making a half dozen more for him and sent them so he had some to get him buy for a bit. Eventually he did get the original package but it still ended up costing me.
Hopefully it shows up sometime this week and you can slobber and fondle all over it to your hearts content.
Sam