Uberti Baby Rolling Block carbine .357 mag

[bdhold]

gratuitous carbine photos
Just recently got the scope mounted - 3x short Malcolm
It's driving me crazy, have it boresighted, but haven't shot it yet.
As it sits, it's 5-1/2 lbs.
And kind of tough color on the photos, shooting under the shade of a big red oak.
Lots of relief on the scope design, and it fits my long neck very nicely. Very comfortable little carbine.









I used the mounting set for the High Wall, which let me use the rear sight dovetail for the front scope mount


The receiver mount with the High Wall mount set was .325", though, and I had to go up to a .425 to get any distance adjustment

[TedH]

How cool is that! Get that sucker to the range.

[bdhold]

going to see my girlfriend in Corpus this weekend, but I may bring it along and take her to a range...

[stretch]

What TedH said!

[JReed]

With heavy cast pills that should be a real great pig rifle. Watched my dad drop quite a few pigs with a 357 revolver that carbine should more then do the trick.

[bdhold]

exactly my plan. My buddy whose cousins have a ranch on the Frio Sendero told me feral hogs are starting to get bad there, so we may have to plan a combined hog/hog hunt/fish
he also has his grandaddy's '94 44 WCF that needs to be fired.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Man I like that. I have been thinking of one in .30-30.
Range report please, I know you will.

That`s a nice Small Mouth.

[bdhold]

here was our trip to the Frio Sendero last year - it was simply amazing
http://fiberglassflyrodders.yuku.com/topic/8498

add a hog hunt to that...

[Ben_Rumson]

NICE .. If that thing don't shoot one hole groups... sumpin's busted

[pokey]

he also has his grandaddy's '94 44 WCF that needs to be fired.

huh?

[Ysabel Kid]

How cool is that! Get that sucker to the range.

+1 on both counts!!!

[bdhold]

a '92, then ? - haven't seen it, but I know it's a .44-40
he was floored when I told him he could get ammo that would shoot safely in it.
our conversation was a month ago.

[JerryB]

Could be an old Marlin 1894 in 44wcf. Thanks for the great fishing trip, a fantatic place for a flyrod.

[2ndovc]

That sure is one sharp little carbine!!!


jb

[ByronG]

he also has his grandaddy's '94 44 WCF that needs to be fired.

huh?

Not entirely impossible, depending upon grandaddy's age/date of passing.

IIRC, they started chambering the Win 94 in 44-40 in the 70s.

Love the little roller.

[KWK]

That's a fine light rifle you have there.

Did you acquire it new? If so, how was the build quality?

I'm trying to acquire one in (believe it or not) .30-30, advertised on the Uberti USA site. So far, it is vaporware. If one should materialize and if they seem to be strong enough for the cartridge, I hope to have it rebarreled to .25-35 in a long, straight tapered octagon.

[bdhold]

Hi, I bought on Gun Broker. I talked to Cherry's Fine Guns about what it would take to get a Pedersoli and they said they could order it for full payment up front and wait 5 months.
(that option is there if you want to talk to Cherrys - http://www.cherrys.com/ped_cart.htm )
The Pedersoli is notably heavier - almost double the weight.
I found the gun on Gun Broker - it had listed once before and he took it off before I got around to bidding on it, so I assumed he sold it offline. But when he relisted it 2 months later I contacted him and ended up bidding on it. Had to raise my bid on the last day, so there was some interest.
I asked him through e-mail about the importer, but he never replied. I know from other listings and closed listings that turn up through Google that Navy Arms imported some. Only mark on this is Uberti.
I think its very well made, and I'm very happy with it.

[KWK]

Thanks bulldog. Yours is Uberti's replica of the No.2 rolling block. These were originally chambered in short cartridges (lower pressure) such as .32-20 and up to .44-40. Pedersoli makes only replicas of the No.1 which handled all the big Remington and Sharps buffalo cartridges.

I was quite surprised to see the No.2 sized action listed in .30-30. If it works, it will be a dandy little rifle. If Uberti never gets around do delivering them, I'll try to get a .357 instead; they've been making those for decades.

[bdhold]

thanks, that makes total sense. I've been looking for books on Remington RBs , and unfortunately, the interesting one has a $100 - price tag.

[KWK]

You may be referring to Marcot's new book. It is superb. I'm a member of the ASSRA, and I was able to borrow their copy for $15 (including postage both ways). Their library has all you'd ever want to read about single shots.

Frank de Haas' Single Shot Rifles and Actions is still available, and it covers the 1, 2, and 4 rolling blocks. The 5 and 7 are in his second volume, More Single Shot Rifles and Actions. Marcot's book is pretty much the definitive reference. The No.5's shown in it ought to make your knees wobbly.

[bdhold]

It may be more cost effective to spring for the Marcot book.
If I start looking at BSA Martini actions again...

[KWK]

Marcot's book has details on how many were produced and what were the chamerbings and variations. It is loaded with pictures of examples of remaining original rifles. However, de Haas' first volume gives you scale drawings and a description of the internals. It covers about 30 other actions as well.

His second volume is not as detailed as the first. The first was done in association with John Amber, and it appears the second was by de Haas alone. I think Amber provided the publishing resources to make an exceptional book.

De Haas' book is for one who wants to know how the actions work. Marcot's is more for the collector--and anyone who wants to drool over very well done pictures of beautifully kept original Remingtons.

[bdhold]

KWK, while I have your attention, and you seem to be in the group who knows about this arm, what do you think about shooting 180-gr Buffalo Bore (or Double Tap) ammo - 1400 fps - in this action? Already know I'm going to have some range time this weekend. I was thinking about trying a few rounds at distance to see what they do.

[KWK]

So long as Buffalo Bore stays within SAAMI pressure specs, I wouldn't worry. However, I've never talked with an owner of one of these who's been shooting hot stuff for decades, so I can't be certain what the long term effects will be.

According to Hodgdon's data, you should have no trouble sending a jacketed 180 gn to over 1400 fps from the carbine's 21" barrel--or do you have the 26" rifle length barrel?

If the chamber allows seating the bullet further out, say a seating depth of .3" or even .25", you might get enough extra powder in to reach 1600 fps in the carbine, and with the long barrel and bullets seated short, another 50 fps should be possible. This based on Powley Computer estimates (adjusted to match Hodgdon data).

[bdhold]

thanks - it's the 21" carbine.

[Rusty]

If you want to look through Marcot's book you might try your local public library. Ask you librarian if you can fill out a request for an inter library loan. Usually for a buck or two they will look to other libraries and borrow it from one that has it for you.

[Griff]

Looking forward to your range report... that's a looker! I've been thinking about their 1885 in .45Colt, but that's also tempting.

[bdhold]

good news and bad news.
The good news is the .357 was shooting a lot flatter at 100 yds than I ever expected.
That's also the bad news - I hit the top of the paper on the first shot and ran out of elev. adjustment at about 6" high - got windage to about 1" at 100 yds, but no sense doing more than that - have to go back to the drawing board on the scope mount. The .425 is too tall and when I tried boresighting the .325, it looked too short, but at least do-able at this range. So I'm going to re-mount the scope with the .325 in rear plus a 20-mil shim.

It is a blast to shoot, but I have to get back to the scope...

[bdhold]

OK, got some range time on the re-mounted scope today.
I shot 50 rounds of BVAC 158-gr JHP 1177 fps (probably shooting 1300 out of my carbine)
Started at 25 yds. for the windage, and was grouping better than a half-inch in no-time.
A little more work at 100 yds, got the elevation surprisingly easy and had to work a little more on the windage, but was grouping 2 inches at the end.
This is good enough for a starting point for me.
Tried a few rounds of buffalo bore 180 gr. (1400+ fps), but they were going everywhere - won't waste my time on them again.

[KWK]

I'm surprised the 180s were troublesome. I wonder if this is typical for the longer .357 bullets.

[bdhold]

I was looking at some ballistics for different loads including 180 gr. RNFP hard lead.
they were showing a U-shaped group size vs. velocity curve with optimum groups around 1200 fps.
I'm wondering if the buffalo bore is just pushed too hard.
The double tap ammo 180 grain is rated at 1300 fps.
It may just be how my carbine likes or doesn't like it.
Whatever I decide I like best, I'll try to duplicate it in my own loads, anyway...

[Olevern]

beautiful rifle and setup, eye candy for sure.

[bdhold]

thanks.

I added a half-inch leather strap for a keeper for the scope covers.

used a school hole punch, which put in just the right size holes, then I widened them with slits (with one of my many sharp knives) to turn them into button holes, so they will come on and off.

The covers spin beautifully in the leather, as I said, the hole punch made holes just the right size.
It's not so much for the bench, but in the field, so I can just drop and not have to keep up with them

[pop]

Looks nice It will stop shooters at the range and they will ask what is that. I got my baby Rolling Block in January after a 9 month wait where did you get your mounts?

[hondo1892]

Neat looking little rolling block. Looks like a lot of fun to shoot also, have fun.

[JOHNNY WACKO]

I have the same rifle for 20 years but would love to have a scope like that on it . NICE

[Bill in Oregon]

BD, I'l bet you will get that little rifle dialed in -- and with 180s as well. Really a handsome outfit.

[JOHNNY WACKO]

mine is a navy arms.

[octagon]

Bill, Bulldog is no longer a member here, having left some time ago.