Restoring an American classic : The Remington Rolling Block

[dr.jayakumar]

You did that?thats a great great job..when i saw the barrel i thought it was a shotgun.excellent job.i never knew birchwood blue could do so well.
regards
dr.jk

[anubhav_rulez]

TC Da,
Indeed awesome work done in restoring this sweet rifle...this work of yours has once again pulled my interest to antique guns...My most lovable "Winchester lever action .22". Will surely do something about it.

[AgentDoubleS]

TC, that is one of the best restorations that I've seen in a long long time. What a pleasure it will be to shoot a rifle you have so lovingly restored yourself. That rifle seems to have emerged from ashes- quite literally! Happy shooting!

Cheers,
SS

[bodhijobs]

Brilliant TC da. What a fantastic job this has been.

Patience is a virtue and you have it by the barrels.

[hvj1]

TC
Old Man, What can I say, you have taken my breath away. As I was reading each line, each word, I could see you labouring away, and more importantly, dreaming about it night and day, at every possible given moment which you could spare, be it office, travelling from work to home and fro, on the dining table...the number of time your wife must have said something and you did'nt respond.. dreaming and dreaming and thinking over and over again.
Looking back, at the hours and days and months you must have spent, completing the whole project and watching and touching your gun must have made you miss the days of the recent past, spent in the labour of love.
TC, old man, you're not going to enjoy anything else in life as much as hunting out another old gun and restoring it. Man you are hooked for good.
Rarely does one find a hobby such as you have, which consumes you completely...
Its a Love story which you have placed before us all, a magnificent one and as Timmy puts it.. certainly brings a lump in the throat..
Thank you so much for doing what you did, it is inspiring, most inspiring indeed.
Regards

[TC]

TC
Old Man, What can I say, you have taken my breath away. As I was reading each line, each word, I could see you labouring away, and more importantly, dreaming about it night and day, at every possible given moment which you could spare, be it office, travelling from work to home and fro, on the dining table...the number of time your wife must have said something and you did'nt respond.. dreaming and dreaming and thinking over and over again.
Looking back, at the hours and days and months you must have spent, completing the whole project and watching and touching your gun must have made you miss the days of the recent past, spent in the labour of love.
TC, old man, you're not going to enjoy anything else in life as much as hunting out another old gun and restoring it. Man you are hooked for good.
Rarely does one find a hobby such as you have, which consumes you completely...
Its a Love story which you have placed before us all, a magnificent one and as Timmy puts it.. certainly brings a lump in the throat..
Thank you so much for doing what you did, it is inspiring, most inspiring indeed.
Regards

Only the man who told us this great story


can read a fellow gun buff's mind so well.

Hemant Ji, thank you so much for the kind words. In fact, some of the emotions you have described so well did not quite register while I was actually
going through the phase. I feel them now.
Returning late (thanks to the political situation in Bengal) every night and getting to work. Having dinner at 4 am on some days. Faking "that old back pain" on Sundays so that the lady wouldn't insist on going to the market for fresh fish and vegetable... smelling acid or rust on tip of my fingers while shoving balls of rice in my mouth in a hurry... owner of the hardware store queerly asking "why do you need so many 220 grit papers?"...

Thank you again

TC

[TC]

Brilliant TC da. What a fantastic job this has been.

Patience is a virtue and you have it by the barrels.

Brother, that is a wonderful compliment Will try to save all the barrels
Thank you so much.

TC

[TC]

TC, that is one of the best restorations that I've seen in a long long time. What a pleasure it will be to shoot a rifle you have so lovingly restored yourself. That rifle seems to have emerged from ashes- quite literally! Happy shooting!

Cheers,
SS

You are very generous with your praise old friend
I will cherish the compliment.

Here's the Number 4 exhibited at the National Firearms Museum in the US. I watched this photo over and over again at every step





The receiver of this one is colour case hardened, something I couldn't dare to try without the right equipment. So, had to work extra hard.


TC

[TC]

TC Da,
Indeed awesome work done in restoring this sweet rifle...this work of yours has once again pulled my interest to antique guns...My most lovable "Winchester lever action .22". Will surely do something about it.

Thanks Anubhav
I am sure you are going to get that little gem someday

TC

[captrakshitsharma]

I have not seen a better and more meticulously done DIY restoration of a classic firearm that held ones fancy as a kid.a standing ovation is what dada needs. Please be prepared to host me on my next Kolkatta visit so I may touch n feel her with your permission.....

[TC]

You did that?thats a great great job..when i saw the barrel i thought it was a shotgun.excellent job.i never knew birchwood blue could do so well.
regards
dr.jk

Thank you so much Doc
Well, initially I used Birchwood Casey liquid blue but was not happy with the look and shine even after four coats. It was too shiny and a bit blackish.
So I removed at all and started afresh with Klever. It is German and works much better for full restorations. Birchwood Casey liquid blue, I personally fee, is good for touchup or partial bluing. I haven't yet tried Birchwood's bluing paste. Have bought a tube. Will let you know my experience if I ever use the paste.


TC

[brihacharan]

TC wrote:
Returning late (thanks to the political situation in Bengal) every night and getting to work. Having dinner at 4 am on some days. Faking "that old back pain" on Sundays so that the lady wouldn't insist on going to the market for fresh fish and vegetable... smelling acid or rust on tip of my fingers while shoving balls of rice in my mouth in a hurry... owner of the hardware store queerly asking "why do you need so many 220 grit papers?"...

> This not just a mere expression coming out of someone who has experienced the agony & ecstasy of having achieved something unique....
> It's a testimony beyond words that invites the reader to emotionally acquaint with every moment & movement of body and soul that went into creating a perceived vision into reality, to be seen, felt and experienced.
> A fulfillment that takes one to another plane of self realization....
Cheers
Briha

[TC]

I have not seen a better and more meticulously done DIY restoration of a classic firearm that held ones fancy as a kid.a standing ovation is what dada needs. Please be prepared to host me on my next Kolkatta visit so I may touch n feel her with your permission.....

Rakshit,
I feel flattered and pampered
Bro you are always welcome at my garibkhana and never need permission to caress this beauty. Just let me know in advance.
And I am sure you will enjoy some home cooked delicacies. The lady has spent more years in Delhi than I have. All I have to say is : "Delhi se tumhara bhai a raha hai"


TC

Since you mentioned the word Kid... let me share some wonderful posters and advts. my dear friend XL fished out and mailed me.
Thank you XL
These old Remington ads bring back so much of nostalgia. The Model 4 can be seen in some of the pics, alongside other popular 22s of the day.

[TC]

This not just a mere expression coming out of someone who has experienced the agony & ecstasy of having achieved something unique....
> It's a testimony beyond words that invites the reader to emotionally acquaint with every moment & movement of body and soul that went into creating a perceived vision into reality, to be seen, felt and experienced.
> A fulfillment that takes one to another plane of self realization....
Cheers
Briha

Brihaji,
I am speechless.....

Deepest Regards
TC

[timmy]

I don't wish to be presumptuous, but it may be that a few of our members do not recognize immediately what sort of accomplishment this jewel of TC's is, so please indulge me:

It is fiendishly difficult to polish metal as TC has done here, while retaining the sharp edges of the receiver and maintaining smoothness on flat and round metal surfaces. Usually, careless polishing will round and "soften" sharp edges and lettering, and reflections of light will show high and low points where polishing has not been applied uniformly. Also note the richness of the bluing that he applied -- it has a rich, deep color that is desirable.

People who are not careful with using the proper screwdrivers will deform screw head slots and raise burrs.

Fitting the buttstock and fore end is no easy matter, either. Notice how exactly TC has fitted the wood to the metal -- these joints are perfect and the before-assembly pictures show that he has shaped the unseen mechanical connections between wood and metal -- the parts that you don't see when the gun is assembled -- have been given the same exact attention.

Then, TC's finish on the wood is as expert as his metal finishing skill. The wood is smooth, without ripples, and the finish is deep and lustrous.

This, brothers, is the sort of work you would have to pay a good gunsmith (the sort that are not common!) a large amount of money to produce.

TC's work here is, in short, superb. That's why so many of us are raving about it. This is the sort of work any of us would aspire to, if we were to take on a project like this.