Got a Rem rollingblock in 8x58 RD which belonged to my grandfather. It was his moose rifle. I cant keep my fingers of any rifle i have and the time has come for the rb to get a new barrel. But which caliber is suitible? Thinking of 45-120 or 45-140 or something like that. Want to keep the pressure on the low side. Is it true that people chambered those old rifles in 500 NE?

I have one of these rifles that I had rebuilt into a gorgeous rifle by Steve Durren. They are excellent actions. However I think you'll find the Rolling Block is not suitable for really long cartridges due to interference with the hammer and block. A 45-70 will work as will a 45-90 but, even so you'll likely need to grind a bit off the hammer spur and nose for the 45-90. I think you'll also find the 45-120 is not a cartridge that is at all practical.

Jerry Liles

There's a whole world of 45-70's-, 90's, etc. out there. For the price of an installed new barrel on you're grandfather's RB you can buy some 45-70, 90+, etc. The 8X58RD has probably killed moose for you're grandfather and it can do the same for you. Anything you do to it will only decrease it's value and interest. Why not "keep you're fingers" off this one for the sake of nostalgia and just buy one of the many big blasters out there?

If you substitute the cartridge .450 #2 for 45-120 there are at least a dozen people here who will prostrate themselves in front of their computer screens and sing your praises to high heaven. This is one of the few "issues" folks here have. One is a classic old British Elephant killer and the other is "not at all practical...".

I would agree that the 3 1/4" cases may be a tight fit in the RB. Consider the 38-90 WCF instead. PM me if that strikes your fancy. Case length is just under three inches.

Rich

Here in Sweden we can only own 6 hunting rifles unless you have extremely good reasons for it. I dont want to get rid if the rifle but i want it in a caliber that i have use for. I´ll do the barrel job myself so the only cost is a barrel and reamer.

38-90, sound like an obsolete caliber. Where can one get cases for it? Or can i form from others? I kind of like odd calibers as well

in 1891 the Winchester company brought it out for the HiWall single shot rifles. They sold rifles and ammunition to English and European distributors. About ten years later, the Germans introduced the 9,3x74R. It is simply the 38-90 necked from .380" to .366" caliber. I use the Norma 9,3 brass necked back up. CH4D die company here offers dies, marked 9,5x74R. Dave figured it was pretty easy to use a tool and make the ,3 into a ,5 for hunting in Africa. You would see the same sort of velocities with similar bullet weights.

Rich

I like odd but it seems to me that it would be a smarter choice to chamber it in 9,3x74. A lot easier to get bullets over here for a 9,3. It´s a popular caliber for moose and bear.

But i got to put it on hold for a while. Got 3 other rifles to chamber for other people first.

It was a blackpowder 500 it was chamberd in.

DO NOT chamber a rolling block in 9.3X74R! The action is not strong enough! There is pretty good evidence that the wrong loads are dangerous even in the 8X58R. Cartridges of the world has even published some unsafe loads. Stay with cartridges in black powder loads to be safe.



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MatsN:

If you are going to be using smokeless powder there is no reason to chamber for a .45 caliber case longer than the .45-70. I do not think that the rolling block is a weak action, particularly the Swedish rollers, but the .45-70 is big enough to hold all the smokeless the action is capable of holding

If you want a .50 caliber, American rollers were chambered in .50-70 and .50-90. Either of those would be a good choice.

I don't believe the action is capable of holding .500 Nitro Express pressures.

Glenn