Rolling block
Encyclopedia
Firearm action
In firearms terminology, an action is the physical mechanism that manipulates cartridges and/or seals the breech. The term is also used to describe the method in which cartridges are loaded, locked, and extracted from the mechanism. Actions are generally categorized by the type of mechanism used...
where the sealing of the breech
Breech-loading weapon
A breech-loading weapon is a firearm in which the cartridge or shell is inserted or loaded into a chamber integral to the rear portion of a barrel....
is done with a specially shaped breechblock
Breechblock
A breechblock is the part of the firearm action that closes the breech of a weapon at the moment of firing....
able to rotate on a pin. The breechblock is shaped like a section of a circle.
The breechblock is locked into place by the hammer, thus preventing the cartridge from moving backwards at the moment of firing. By cocking the hammer, the breechblock can be rotated freely to reload the weapon.
History
Due to 19th century metallurgical techniques, as with most vintage firearms produced for black powder cartridges, rifles and pistols manufactured using this action during the 19th and early 20th centuries may not be suitable for modern, high powered ammunition. Rolling block rifles were made for smokeless powder cartridges, like the 7x57mm Mauser, with modern steels in the early 20th century.The Remington Rolling Block rifle is one of the most successful single shot weapons ever developed. It is a strong and simple action, very reliable, and not prone to be jammed by dirt or rough usage. It was based in part on the split breech action produced by Remington during the United States Civil War. That design was re-engineered by Joseph Rider during 1865, and the first firearm based on it, the Model 1865 Remington Pistol, was offered for sale to the United States Army and Navy in 1866. While the Army turned the design down, the Navy committed to purchase 5000 pistols.
The first rifle based on this design was introduced at the Paris Exposition in 1867, and within a year it had become the standard military rifle of several nations.
Many earlier percussion rifles and muskets were converted to rolling block designs in the interim before the development of more modern bolt-action designs.
The Remington M1867
Remington M1867
The Remington rolling block M1867 was the first truly modern rifle to be adopted by the Norwegian Army. Nominally it had a caliber of 4 Norwegian decimal lines, the actual caliber was 3.88 Norwegian decimal lines , and it fired an 12.615 mm rimfire round.-Birth of the M1867:In the 1860s the...
and Springfield Model 1871
Springfield Model 1871
The Springfield Model 1871 Rolling Block U.S. Army rifle was manufactured in 1871-72 by Springfield Armory, using the design originated by Remington Arms Company, under a royalty agreement.-Origin:...
had this action.