doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Double Rifles, Paradox Guns & Gauge Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Remington Rolling Block- 20 gauge

Years ago I was given this gun and didn't know anything about it. The bore looked big but had no rifling. I went on the Remington Forum in the early 2000's and asked about it. A gentleman responded and asked for any information on it. I said the only thing was a long listing of patent dates. The gentleman came back and said it was a 20 gauge and that the Army had many surplus rolling blocks and converted some to shotguns. I found out the gentleman was Charles Semmer but did not know of him then.



The barrels are fairly long and I can measure them if need be.

Any help is see if my memory was correct?

I had one, and regret selling it. The No. 1 was made up from left over military rifle parts. The aft sling swivel was removed and a piece of wood was inletted to fill in the space. The No. 2 was built as a shotgun from the ground up. They were both obsolete when the hammerless Model 1894 single was introduced. I used Polywad Vintagers in mine and did some great grouse hunting with it.

Thanks for your reply. I will take a closer look at the wood to see if there is a plug there.

The No. 1 also had a 'military' buttplate. The No. 2 had a 'shotgun' buttplate. I don't have my rolling block book anymore, but there was only a page or two about these guns. I think the No. 2 also was available with a composite steel barrel. I have seen photos of No. 1s with the forend removed, and there was evidence of rear sight mounting from a rifle barrel. I got the impression that maybe a large caliber rifle barrel was bored out to 20 gauge and turned in a half turn to put the sight dovetail(?) on the bottom. Mine was not like that. Rats! I know where the gun is and now I want it back!

I think I have my model numbers backwards. The military style gun was the No. 2, and the No. 1 was the nicer version.

I think the shotguns originally made as such have a groove down the center top of the receiver.

My No. 2 (I got the models correct, now!) had a groove in the top of the receiver.

I haven't had a chance to look at it for the plug, but this one has a metal buttplate that has a widows peak. There is a brass bead and it has a "U" shaped grove on top of the receiver next to the breech.
I will measure the breech with a telescoping gage and post the diameter and hopefully the chamber length.

If my memory was correct and it was Charles Semmer that responded, the only thing I gave him was those patent dates. Maybe the last one is for the conversion to shotgun.
I will try Google and see what comes up.

From your photo, I can see that your breechblock is different than mine. Yours has a little 'wing' on the side that would cover the head of the shell. Mine did not have them. I could see a tiny bit of brass on each side of the breech.