doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Remington Creedmoor Rifle

Not long ago I was contacted by a gentleman in New York asking if I was interested in purchasing his rolling Block rifle? I asked for pictures, and was surprised to see it was a pistol grip sporting rifle, so I asked for particulars on caliber, barrel length, and cartridge. The info sent back indicated this was certainly one of approximately maybe 300 Creedmoor rifles built!
The gun was missing all it's long-range sights, and it had also once had a "heel sight" mounted to the buttstock, and that too was missing the sight base there. But I was not going to let those sights stop me from purchasing such a rare gun, and seller assured me the bore was excellent! The deal was made, and soon I received the Remington Creedmoor.









I began looking for sights among my box of parts, and found a Remington sight base, and a complete windage globe front sight, with spirit level! But not the long-range vernier tang sight. I contacted Tony Maddox at The Original Sight Co. and Tony sent me an exacting copy he makes of this sight!



[img]https://i.imgur.com/GSMVBfYl.jpg?1[/img]

With the sights installed I began looking for components to load for this rifle. The bore was as advertised, in excellent minty condition. A chamber cast confirmed the .44-77 SBN caliber, and the gun came with 90 cases, so I mocked one up to check how far out a 535 gr. paper patch bullet would seat. These rifles were made to allow bullets to seat way out, so the 77 gr. case could be filled with 90 grs. of BP to shoot better at 1000 yds. This one is no exception, and bullet only sits .10" into the neck when I test fitted it. The cartridge on the left is my mockup .44-77-535 next to my .44-100 Ballard with the same bullet.



During my investigation of these rifles I discovered serial numbers for two rifles used in the original 1874 Creedmoor Match were in the very low 3000 range. But my rifle is in the mid 1500 range, much earlier than those. Roy Marcot's book stated the Creedmoor rifles were not cataloged until 1874, but some prototypes were built the year before, so it appears this is a pre catalog prototype rifle!
The vast majority of Remington Creedmoor rifles were half octagon also, but there are three known to be full octagon, and two known to be full round. This rifle is the third full round now known.
I'm planning on shooting this rifle in our 1000 yd. BPCR matches, so working up BP loads currently. I've never fired black powder, but have a few great friends who are helping me prepare with plenty of advice, and even providing me some materials I need to get started. Hopefully once I get all the pieces together I'll start with some 100 yd. testing, and then work my way out to our 1000 yd. range, and see what this old girl will do!