Why I'm Broke

[Queasy Dillo]

A month or two back a man comes into the shop with four guns which he hopes to sell at an upcoming gun show. One is a S&W Victory in near perfect shape, which I buy outright, and a Remington Rolling block wearing a Numrich Arms rebuild kit, which I don't.

A few days later he comes back with another gun in need of repair and I - having had a couple of days to ponder new projects I can't (read: shouldn't) afford, asked how much he wanted for the Remington. It was pretty rough. The stock was the color and texture of cardboard. Most of the barrel had external rust wandering into pit territory. Whoever did the polish and blue work prior evidently loved his polishing wheel. The buttplate had an attached heel piece that appeared to have been partially sheared off because the curved upper element was the approximate thickness of a beer can. Most of the screw heads weredeformed, there was half a jar of heavy grease inside the action, and that 28-inch octagon mountain man barrel made the whole thing slightly less nose-heavy than Titanic after the iceberg business.

On the other hand it was old, and the new-ish barrel showed a near pristine bore, and he wanted $200. And on that day I learned, again, that I am a weak man.

I figured it'd be an easy fix. Bring it it in, address those pits and finish issues, throw some finish on the stock...nothing to it.

Well.

I'll spare the goriest of details. Suffice it to say that caution was flung to the winds. The best-laid plans were torn asunder and set alight. I live in mortal fear of the day I figure up what this would have cost at the shop rate. Hooray for slow weeks.

Here's the tally on changes -

- recut overpolished receiver contours
- install new wood at heel and refit the buttplate
- reshape the comb
- stain/refinish of furniture
- reduce the dimensions of the octagon
- decide I want a half-octagon
- decide I want a wedding-band transition between octagon and round
- reshape the forearm to Schnabel
- rust blue of barrel and small parts
- caustic blue of pins and hammer/block
- imitation case coloring on receiver and buttplate*

*I'm not altogether content with how this came out, but it will suffice until such time as I can find an outfit that does proper case-coloring.

The last step, yet incomplete, will entail new sights and a box of trapdoor loads. That's going to have to wait for another payday. Until then, I think she'll make for a pretty enough wallhanger. I may also look into having the checkering re-cut on the hammer and block.

But expect you came here for pictures, so...here's pictures.

[kwilliams1876]

Dillo
well if i read you correctly, $200 for the rolling block was a deal. that gives you lots of $$ wiggle room to rebarrel it with a proper looking barrel, and then add a remington no. 1 sporter buttplate and then do your metal re-contouring. the finished rifle would look great. the metal forearm nose cap is available also for that distinguished look.
best kw
 

[Chance]

Super job, Dillo. Love the change of barrel contour area. You may be broke cash wise but you are talent rich.

Chance

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[ndnchf]

Nice save! 30+ years ago I picked up one of those Numrich rolling block buffalo rifle conversions. I reworked the rather blah forend and poured a nosecap with cerrosafe. It turned out quite well.

[dusty texian]

Good read  and great improvement on the rifle .,,,DT

[Drydock]

If you like it, then it's money well spent!  I like it.

[Forty Rod]

They lerned ya sumpin good in that skool you went to.

Nice work, my friend.

[PJ Hardtack]

A silk purse out of a sow's ear.  45-70, I presume ..... ?

[Dave T]

Well done. You saved an original RB from the junk bin. You didn't mention caliber but like PJ I'm guessing 45-70.

I actually don't mind the receiver as it kind of looks like CC that has faded with age and use. The barrel work is a nice, personalized touch. Again, well done.

Dave

[Queasy Dillo]

Thanks, all.

This one's 45-70...mostly because that's how it came, and also because I wanted to see how comparatively little cash I could drop on a project and still have it turn out semi-decent. 

Another $200 for sights and a little machine time and I think we can call it done. 

[frimath]

I love that you turned the barrel down. Looks like a winner.