[outsidebear]

Acquired one of the Baby Rolling Block .357 mags a few days ago.
This is an older one, having less than 2 boxes fired through it.
The full octagon barrel is 26" long.
Previous owner had put a newer Marbles tang sight on, so will use
it this way for now, though may go to a rear barrel sight later on?
Primary use will be a 'walk-a-bout' woods loafing rifle.
I'm thinking of going with 180 gr WFN cast bullet use, though for
the time being it will be 158 gr jacketed (parden my language here)
for the near future, as I'm on the road in the southwest and is
what I have readily available right now.
Any of you folks have any experience with the Baby Rolling Block
in .357 mag?
best regards to all,
outsidebear

 

[Red Pepper]

Can you post a picture of your new acquisition? Sounds like a beautiful rifle.

 

[outsidebear]

I don't have a camera setup to do pictures, sorry.
If you do a google search for Uberti Baby Rolling Block
one will show up. thanks

 

[zoar]

Wow. The Baby Carbine Rolling Block is what I am interested in getting as well. Although it appears more than just Uberti make them. I found one online at IRA arms that was about $570 bucks and appears not to be Uberti. It is only 4.6 pounds while Uberti's are significantly heavier. I am looking at 22 inch (or even getting it cut down to 18 inch) barrel. I hunt in very dense woods and very steep terrain on my land. The lighter the rifle and the shorter the better. Plus I want something for back-packing that can be used for squirrels to deer to defending oneself. The 357 / 38 Special capability of this set-up is profoundly versatile. Hand-loaded 357 Mag with extra heavy boolits would rival bigger calibers as far as defense against dangerous game. And yet a 38 Special loaded way down is good for small game hunting and can be pretty quiet too. Please tell us more about your baby carbine rolling block in 357 and yes I second the motion to get more input from others on this... How many manufacturers are out there for these rolling blocks and who are they? And does anyone else have one for sale used?

 

[zoar]

It is quite clear there are at least TWO makers for these Baby Carbine Rolling Blocks in 357 Mag caliber because Cherry's has them weighing in at 7.9 pounds and about a thousand bucks and yet I find others online that weight about 4.8 pounds and cost about $570 bucks... What is the deal here?

 

[zoar]

http://www.cherrys.com/ped_cart.htm
The above---if you scroll down the page---you will find the 7.9 pound baby carbine in 357 Mag

http://www.ubertireplicas.com/lever-babyrollingcar.php
The above you will readily see is a 4.8 pound 357 Mag baby carbine...

 

[zoar]

http://www.cherrys.com/ped_cart.htm
The above---if you scroll down the page---you will find the 7.9 pound baby carbine in 357 Mag

http://www.ubertireplicas.com/lever-babyrollingcar.php
The above you will readily see is a 4.8 pound 357 Mag baby carbine...

And IAR Arms has them for $570 with 22 inch long barrel and it does not appear to either of the above.... Does anyone have the answer to this riddle?

 

[outsidebear]

I believe they are two different Rolling Block action sizes?
Obviously one larger than the other.
The Uberti is the smaller of the two, hence the lighter weight.

I'm not sure about the IAR model.
http://www.iar-arms.com/rolling.htm
but in looking at the IAR web site, it sure looks like the smaller action
Uberti model?
They're all Italian made rolling blocks, and it's no big
surprise to see different distributor's names on a firearm made by
Uberti. Give them a phone call and ask 'em . . .

Can always give each outfit a call and see what's up with 'their' models,
for more specific information and details.
The lighter weight one would be my choice. Why a larger action than is needed, for a .357 round? Just extra weight to haul around in the woods.
Hope this helps some...

 

[zoar]

outsidebear---yea, I contacted them all and it turns out the light weight Uberti on IAR (4.8 pounds) is NO LONGER MADE! Ugh. It was also significantly less money. That rifle just makes so much sense! ...So now I am looking at taking a Rolling Block receiver I recently acquired (thank you Bob), putting an 18 inch Green Mountain barrel in 357 Mag/38 Special cal on it, some sights, sling mounts and I will have a fairly light, very short deer hunting and plinking rifle to use on my land where the terrain is very, very steep with alot of brush and thick stuff where the deer like to hide.

 

[Remfarmer]

I love to see fans of both the Rollingblock and single-shot rifles. I love hunting with them as I feel my hunting skills are better honed when I have but one shot. I too like the concept of a light single-shot but my caliber of choice would be the .357 Max. I would love a Rollingblock replica (no brass trigger bow) rifle-chambered in .357max to accept lead rounds as well as the Hornady 180gr. SSP round. I would love the rfle tohave a 24" to 26" barrel with the overall weight about 6 to 6 1/2lbs with a tang sight all for about a grand. I sent a email some time back to Lone Star Rifles but never heard back. I wish there were more of us out there.

 

[PA44levergunguy]

Remfarmer, I placed an order through Taylors Firearms in VA for a .357 magnum Uberti Rolling Block Rifle with 26" barrel. They sell Uberti parts for them, so I guess they can sell complete rifles as well. Uberti does make this gun as the Hunter model in 30-30 38-55 & 45-70. I don't see why you can't have a gunsmith alter the chamber on these guns to the longer 357 maximum catridge since it can handle 45-70 pressures. Taylor has great service and they answer the phone everytime I call. I've learned that email isn't the best way to communicate with a busy gun industry.

 

[haysb]

The pressures for the 45 / 70 and the 357 Maximum are quite different ! ! !

 

[PA44levergunguy]

You're right. I have 3 different sets of data in my loading book. 45-70 has 3 groups for 3 different rifles. Max pressures appear to be at 18000, 27000, & 39000 c.u.p. depending on what kind of rifle you are using. Yikes! that's kind of scary. I'd hate to stuff a ruger No. 1 load in a trap door. The pressures for the 357 max are at around 43500 c.u.p.? Guess I got caught up in the 45-70 power hype and made assumptions. This makes me want a 357 maximum now.

 

[Spokerider]

I have a Uberti Baby rolling block in .357 mag. Yup, very light and packable. I carry it in my eberlstock pack and climb hands free when I`m hiking and hunting all over the steeps.

Hand loaded 180gr hard cast about as fast as I care to........with the soft pistol primers rather flatened out, it`s nearing 1800 fps.

Haven`t killed anything yet. But from raccoon to bear, I`m confident it`ll getèr done.

 

[sniper58]

I have a Pedersoli Baby Carbine in .357
It weighs more than my Marlin .44 mag. I'd guess 7.5 lb
I put a vernier tang sight on it and have no problems ringing a 10" gong at 100 yds offhand with it. My wife loves shooting it too!
I'm loading Montana gold TMJ bullets with L'il gun and get just shy of 2000 fps. Blue dot and RNFP cast 158 gr bullets gets 1350 fps

 

[zoar]

I built my own rolling Block 357 Magnum using a receiver from 1866! put a 16 inch green mountain barrel on it... Man, i do like this gun!!!

 

[zoar]

Here is a Picture---

 

[MikeG]

Hey that is neat looking......

 

[broom_jm]

That is a cool-looking little gun! Now, please carefully pick it up off the asphalt and NEVER put it there again!

Just kidding...hopefully you'll have a great picture of it next to a deer or something, really soon.

 

[zoar]

Hahaha... Yes I set it down here very gingerly.

It is great to carry. that 16 inch barrel is amazingly deployable.