Baby Rolling Block!

[R.W.Dale]

Thanks so much everyone!

I got a message back from Taylor's the other day. They told me they are out of stock of the .357 Baby Rolling Blocks... but they're expecting an order in about 30-60 days!

I am on the waiting list for one, they'll call me as soon as they come in! In the meantime, I'll have plenty of time to save up and do research, and accumulate different loads.

So, to clarify, do you guys think I can run the hot Buffalo Bore .357 magnum ammo in this rifle without issues? Will it not harm it? I know on Buffalo Bore's site it say the ammo is safe in all steel .357 handguns, but since a .357 Rolling Block is kind of an oddball thing I want to be sure I won't hurt the rifle.

No

The firing pin in these is kind of large and I've experienced some primer flow on the high end.

Mine has a .355 bore further raising pressure

Recoil is surprisingly unpleasant with hot loads

There's no reason to. A midrange magnum load will kill everything a nuclear level load will.

For these reasons I decided years ago against converting mine to 357max

 

[BSA1]

Cooldill,

Your gun sounds interesting. I fear that you may not be able to take full advantage of it's potential without reloading your own ammunition. I am particularly interested in how well it will shoot with heavy bullets such as 180 gr. jacketed and 180 - 200 gr. cast lead bullets. Heavy cast lead bullets at mid-range velocities (say 1000 - 1100 fps.) would be a good starting point.

It sounds like you have something to keep you from getting bore for a long while and a reason to start reloading.

(And yes I do enjoy helping you spend your money. I just wish we lived close together).

 

[Panzerschwein]

Thanks guys, but I don't reload. A shame that this rifle can't handle the Buffalo Bore stuff, but no big deal. As long as it can handle stuff like the 125 grain Federal and Remington SJHP and 158 grain JSP loads, that will be fine for my needs. Can it at least fire those?

 

[housepainter]

Now that's a sweet lil' rifle !

 

[BSA1]

Cooldill,

The Rolling Block action is strong and I would be very confident in shooting .357 commercial ammunition. The fun part, at least for me, will be shooting it at different distances to determine best bullet performance.

I look forward for your in depth report come Spring.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Thanks guys! Look forward to it, because this rifle is going to be mine soon!!

 

[A Pause for the Coz]

Went to your link, and Taylor arms makes this gun sound like their creation, which it is not. It is a reproduction of the Remington #2 rifle like I mentioned.

Absolutely nothing wrong with that!!! And it is made of better steel than the originals! #2s were chambered in every caliber from 22 to 44-40WCF. My original, made shortly after the Civil War, is in 32 rimfire. Damn it! I cant find ammo!

It is a bit cobby, but the bore is shootable, if I could only find ammo. As you can see, it looks exactly like your baby carbine. The #2 was one of Remington's most popular guns, it was inexpensive, reliable, simple, accurate and chambered in all of the popular pistol calibers of the day.

Dixy gun works makes cases that you use 22 blanks as the primer. I have a set for my Stevens in 32L rim fire.











No excuse now. Go make it shoot.

As for the Remington. if they come out with one in 327 magnum. I am a customer.

 

[Gordon]

I have a factory 25-20 # 2 rolling block with an old Harry Pope heavy barrel and a 10x Unertl 1 1/2 " on it . I shoot custom 77 grain Bergers in it and it is a sub MOA gun to 200 yards.
I also rechambered an old .32 Rimfire #2 Remington to .32 S&W Long where I shoot cat sneeze loads because it is fun and the nearest thing to a suppressor that is legal in California. The centerfire hammer conversion looks very simple but Dale Storey did it

I had a Uberti .22 Hornet baby rolling block and it shot OK but I just kept the factory open sights on it and sold it for a little profit 10 years back.
I have all sizes of the Remington rolling block from #1 to #5 and the # 2 "Baby" is my favorite.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Does anyone else have any input on these, or .357 magnum rifles in general?

Does anyone think .357 magnum from a rifle is powerful enough for hunting medium sized hogs, from a stand? Also, would this make a good whitetail rifle?

 

[R.W.Dale]

Does anyone else have any input on these, or .357 magnum rifles in general?



Does anyone think .357 magnum from a rifle is powerful enough for hunting medium sized hogs, from a stand? Also, would this make a good whitetail rifle?

I like mine for s woods stalking deer rifle.

If I was hunting hogs from a stand I opt for more power, range and ammunition than a 357 single shot brings

 

[tark]

A Pause.... Thank you!!! I have never heard of those but I'll be getting a hold of DGW soon!

 

[stevekozak]

I like it. I would like it a whole lot better at a $400 price point....

 

[R.W.Dale]

I like it. I would like it a whole lot better at a $400 price point....

Would people stop posting like this...

It's not 1995 anymore if you want something under $500 it's going to come with a plastic stock and matte finished metal.

This is the same thing going on in the 22lr gp100 thread.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Would people stop posting like this...

It's not 1995 anymore if you want something under $500 it's going to come with a plastic stock and matte finished metal.

This is the same thing going on in the 22lr gp100 thread.

I agree Dale. I don't mind paying for the extra fit and finish on this quality gun.

 

[ECVMatt]

A fellow I knew in TX who ran the local store/cafe had a H&R Trapper in .357. He was strictly a meat hunter and did quite well with that rifle. There are lots of hogs in the area so he could pick his shots, but he rarely failed to come home without meat. It might not be my first choice, but it will work under the right circumstances.

 

[stevekozak]

Would people stop posting like this...

It's not 1995 anymore if you want something under $500 it's going to come with a plastic stock and matte finished metal.

This is the same thing going on in the 22lr gp100 thread.

I'll post it if I want to. What I said was true. If you want to pay the price for it, then go to it. I am sure I pay money for some things you would not as well. I won't yap at you about that. Live and let live.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Thanks for the input gang.

About the forearm on this gun, I decided to message Uberti about it this morning. I asked them why they don't use the much better looking .22 rimfire stocks on this .357 magnum model, and if the .22 stock would fit on a .357 one. I also asked where to buy a .22 stock. I'll let everyone know the response.

The contoured stocks on all the .22 models I've seen just look SO much better than the blocky, almost crude looking stock on this gun. It's the only thing bothering me about it!

Heck, it's pretty bad when the stock shape looks better on my beater H&R pardner shotgun!

 

[goon]

Fwiw - the buffalo bore loads - even their 180 grain hard cast loads - don't exceed SAAMI specs for the round.

 

[jlucke69]

357

I have the Uberti model I picked up used. Great fun gun. I download 38 specials to introduce new shooters and hot load magnums for fun. I added a peep sight and it is accurate enough for my purposes. Only thing I did not like was the trigger pull was way too heavy. I adjusted mine by adding a brass washer.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Okay guys, I messaged Uberti as to why they have two different styles of stocks for these guns. It seems the .22 versions have the better looking stocks.

They told me the .357 guns are built on a larger receiver than the rimfire versions, and the .357 versions come with the blocky looking stocks. They also said I could not interchange the stock for a far better looking .22 stock.

That is a huge shame. Call me a nut, but it just looks like Uberti/Pedersoli/whoever makes these rifles, used a 2x4 and barely sanded it down and called it a forend. It just looks cheap and tacky to me. I don't think I'll be buying one of these if it's just got to come with a fence post of a stock. Compare:





Is it just me, or does the first one just look so much more elegant and classy? The second one, which is the .357 version, looks blocky and crude by comparison...

Just venting... why can't they make a decent looking stock on the .357 version?

 

[R.W.Dale]

I like the second.

The top will be blocky and bulbous and here's why. The top is no wider than the diminutive reciever only about an inch and a half if that.

Judging by your posts I don't think you grasp just how small a baby roller is

 

[R.W.Dale]

Here's mine next to a 357mag Marlin 1894 for comparison



Even the small levergun dwarfs the roller

 

[Panzerschwein]

I probably don't, but as far as looks go, Uberti dropped the ball on the .357 stocks.

 

[BSA1]

On the other hand winter is coming and football season is coming to the end. So those long boring winter evenings can be spent with some sandpaper reshaping the forearm more to your tastes.

My 45-70 Roller actually has a rather thin forearm for a gun of its size.

 

[R.W.Dale]

I will take you a picture when I get a chance.

The forend is like you took an old style straw housebroom handle. Sawed of about 10" of it and cut a barrel channel in it.

It's far from blocky.