And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Ruger makes (or made, not sure if still in production) a falling block single shot rifle. Unfortunately that made it too upscale and expensive. I could definitely see this in a much more economical package. As an example, I bought an inexpensive break-open rifle in .243 for my kids to hunt deer with. This after a variety of .22 rimfire training rifles. Worked well, reasonably accurate, and took several deer over the years. I could definitely see a rolling block design in the same roll.
Ruger made the #3 for a while. It was sort of an economy #1. I saw one for sale in 22 Hornet before the price on those skyrocketed. Still kick myself for passing it up.
Rolling blocks are simple and strong, but there are different kinds of strong. It may be that the barrel and receiver ring are strong enough to contain the expansive force, and the interlocking hammer and breechblock may handle the thrust, but if you blow out the head of the cartridge case you could have some big trouble. Like the other internal parts, the extractor is quite large and the manufacturer cut a recess in the action and in the breech end of the barrel to make room for the head of the extractor. This could leave the cartridge case with inadequate support, if the case was defective or was loaded to an excessive pressure. I was able to examine an original rolling block in 7mm Mauser that had blown up. The thing is that there is a lot of surface area inside that action, and the inside corners are sharp, not radiused. (Such sharp corners cause stress concentrations, making the item more vulnerable to failure.) If you blow a case the pressure will attempt to inflate the action, and the one I saw simply couldn't handle it. The hammer, the rolling breech block, and the two massive pins that they pivoted on looked as if they were undamaged and could be re-used, but the receiver was split almost in half.
A strong and simple action. Can handle the longest cartridges. Probably not much market for a new one made from modern steel.
ReplyDeleteDrew458
Ruger makes (or made, not sure if still in production) a falling block single shot rifle. Unfortunately that made it too upscale and expensive. I could definitely see this in a much more economical package. As an example, I bought an inexpensive break-open rifle in .243 for my kids to hunt deer with. This after a variety of .22 rimfire training rifles. Worked well, reasonably accurate, and took several deer over the years. I could definitely see a rolling block design in the same roll.
DeleteRuger made the #3 for a while. It was sort of an economy #1. I saw one for sale in 22 Hornet before the price on those skyrocketed. Still kick myself for passing it up.
DeleteMade for a compact slim rifle. Easy to carry on a long walk. Thanks Browning.
ReplyDeleteJoseph Rider, not Saint John
DeleteTippman makes (made?) one. Would love one in 6.5 Swede.
ReplyDeleteRolling blocks are simple and strong, but there are different kinds of strong. It may be that the barrel and receiver ring are strong enough to contain the expansive force, and the interlocking hammer and breechblock may handle the thrust, but if you blow out the head of the cartridge case you could have some big trouble.
ReplyDeleteLike the other internal parts, the extractor is quite large and the manufacturer cut a recess in the action and in the breech end of the barrel to make room for the head of the extractor. This could leave the cartridge case with inadequate support, if the case was defective or was loaded to an excessive pressure.
I was able to examine an original rolling block in 7mm Mauser that had blown up. The thing is that there is a lot of surface area inside that action, and the inside corners are sharp, not radiused. (Such sharp corners cause stress concentrations, making the item more vulnerable to failure.) If you blow a case the pressure will attempt to inflate the action, and the one I saw simply couldn't handle it. The hammer, the rolling breech block, and the two massive pins that they pivoted on looked as if they were undamaged and could be re-used, but the receiver was split almost in half.