My new NY State Rolling Block

[oldremguy]

Hello Gary,

I tried to send you a reply to your post this morning, but lost everything, so I will try to remember what I wrote. First off that is one nice New York State rifle. As for the question about the rear sight, the sight on your gun is one of the standard sights issued for this rifle, some of the sights were modified by the guardsman for use at the Ceedmoor range, see photos below. Other types of rear sights may be replacement sights put on the guns to replace lost rear sights on the guns after they were sold as surplus.

The rear sight on your gun was the 2nd issued sight, which was marked 1 2 3 4 hundred yards on the side of the base, with the ladder marked 5 through 10 hundred yards. The earlier made rifles had the sights marked 1 2 3 hundred yards of the side of the base and the ladder was marked 4 through 9. I recall reading that the 1st issued sight shot low for the yardage that was marked on the sight so they changed the yardage marks and also changed the width and depth of the sighting V. I have a New York rifle in my collection that was made with the rear sight base marked 1 2 3 and the ladder is from the 2nd type marked 5 trough 10, it doesn't have 4 hundred yards marked on it.

Below is a photo of a rear sight that was modified for target shooting at the Ceedmoor Range.

rolling block rear sight-1.jpg (65.72 KiB) Viewed 2726 times

rolling block rear sight-2.jpg (64.15 KiB) Viewed 2726 times

Also you will find some NYS rifles that have the rear sight replaced with the Buffington rear sight that is found on the Springfield Trapdoor rifles. This sight was also used for targets shooting.

325b3e2212572dcab923eebd3c1dbcd0.jpg (40.84 KiB) Viewed 2726 times

Hope this helps answer your question.
Have a Good Day,

Matt

[oldremguy]

Hello Gary,

As for books on Remington rolling block rifles, there is not a lot of books on them. The books Single Shot Rifles & Actions and More Single Shot Rifles & Actions by Frank de Haas, does have some information on rolling blocks. There is also George Layman first book "The Military Remington Rolling Block Rifle", you can also find it on ebay.

If you get that gun shooting you will have to let me know how you do with it.
I like shooting the 50-70 better then the 45-70. You will have to keep your eyes out for one of the NYS rifles chambered in 45-70. I was lucky to find two of them over the years, one of them looks like the standard NYS rifle with the forearm having barrel band springs, the second one was made later on and was made without the barrel band springs.

Have a Good Day,
Matt