CBA member, by Tom Davis of Carnegie, PA wrote this article in 2005 and it was published in the July/Aug #176 issue of the Fouling Shot.
I acquired my first Swedish Model 1867 Rolling Block rifle in early 2002. I once had a rare Norwegian one, but it was museum-quality and I would not have felt right shooting it, so I sold it to a well-known author of rolling block books instead.
For those of you who may not be familiar with the Swedish Model 1867 rifles, they are well-made, impressive pieces. The first ones were made in New York State by Remington for the Swedish government back in the late 1860’s, but the Swedes were later licensed by Remington to make them for themselves. They started off their local manufacture with about 10,000 Remington-made actions before they got into full production in Sweden. My rifle is one of the early ones that were made in Sweden – but on Remington-manufactured actions. As a result, the receiver has Remington markings, but the barrel has Swedish manufacture markings. My particular rifle was assembled at Sweden’s Carl Gustafs Stads Armory, and is a full-length version (just over 53” long, with a 36” barrel and three barrel bands). It even has matching unit marks burned into the buttstock and stamped on the cleaning rod!
The caliber designation is 12.7x44R, sometimes shown as 12.17x44R. The bores on these rifles are interesting: hexagonal in cross section
– similar to British Whitworth rifling. I availed myself of O. H. McKagen’s slug measuring service, and learned that my bore measured .513” across the grooves and .482” across the ands. Twist is approximately one turn in 42 inches.
I acquired my first Swedish Model 1867 Rolling Block rifle in early 2002. I once had a rare Norwegian one, but it was museum-quality and I would not have felt right shooting it, so I sold it to a well-known author of rolling block books instead.
For those of you who may not be familiar with the Swedish Model 1867 rifles, they are well-made, impressive pieces. The first ones were made in New York State by Remington for the Swedish government back in the late 1860’s, but the Swedes were later licensed by Remington to make them for themselves. They started off their local manufacture with about 10,000 Remington-made actions before they got into full production in Sweden. My rifle is one of the early ones that were made in Sweden – but on Remington-manufactured actions. As a result, the receiver has Remington markings, but the barrel has Swedish manufacture markings. My particular rifle was assembled at Sweden’s Carl Gustafs Stads Armory, and is a full-length version (just over 53” long, with a 36” barrel and three barrel bands). It even has matching unit marks burned into the buttstock and stamped on the cleaning rod!
The caliber designation is 12.7x44R, sometimes shown as 12.17x44R. The bores on these rifles are interesting: hexagonal in cross section
– similar to British Whitworth rifling. I availed myself of O. H. McKagen’s slug measuring service, and learned that my bore measured .513” across the grooves and .482” across the ands. Twist is approximately one turn in 42 inches.
Originally rim-fire (as is mine), many later had their blocks converted to center-fire, and some were reworked completely to handle an 8mm smokeless cartridge (specifically the 8x58R – also know as the 8mm Danish Krag cartridge). Luckily, I also have a center-fire breechblock for my rifle.
The Swedish case is similar to the American .50-70 Government case — not identical, but similar. In fact, you can successfully reload for the Swede using standard .50-70 dies (but not .50-70 cases!).
The Swedish case is similar to the American .50-70 Government case — not identical, but similar. In fact, you can successfully reload for the Swede using standard .50-70 dies (but not .50-70 cases!).
Open breech of the Swedish Rolling Block action with rimfire block in place. I obtained my brass from Buffalo Arms. It’s made up from .348 Winchester brass, and is top quality! (Case length averages about 1.725” or just shy of 44 mm.) References indicate a proper length of 41 or 42mm for the rimfire cases, and 44mm for the centerfire. It’s unclear to me if the chambers themselves were different lengths. My rifle is still in its original rimfire configuration, but the longer 44mm cases from Buffalo Arms work just fine in it.
I had an interesting time working up some low-pressure smokeless loads for 100-yard target shooting. My few references showed original bullet diameters from 12.17 mm (.479”) to 12.75 mm (.502”). In addition to a few Lyman moulds used for my .50-70 NYS rolling block.
I had some commercial, pre-lubed .50 caliber lead bullets on hand for a .50 caliber muzzleloader I once owned. I miked these, and found bullet diameters in the .506” to .510” range.
I had an interesting time working up some low-pressure smokeless loads for 100-yard target shooting. My few references showed original bullet diameters from 12.17 mm (.479”) to 12.75 mm (.502”). In addition to a few Lyman moulds used for my .50-70 NYS rolling block.
I had some commercial, pre-lubed .50 caliber lead bullets on hand for a .50 caliber muzzleloader I once owned. I miked these, and found bullet diameters in the .506” to .510” range.
Pictured from left to right, next to one of my Buffalo Arms cases, are: 1. Heavy, 515-grain bullet from Lyman mould 515142; 2. Standard .50-70 Gov't. 440-grain bullet from Lyman mould 515141; 3. 365-grain bullet from Lyman mould 518145; 4. 370-grain Thompson-Center Maxi-Ball - .50 caliber; 5. 385-grain Hornady Great Plains bullet - .50 caliber; 6. 350-grain Buffalo Bullet Co. hollow-point, hollow-base lead bullet - .50 caliber.
I initially decided to use a tried-and-trusted load of 12.0 grains of Unique behind these various bullets. I got this load years ago from O. H. McKagen — who swore by it in the old black powder cartridge military rifles: from .45 caliber to 11mm and .50 caliber. I had successfully used this load in a Remington .50-70 New York State rolling block rifle, my 11 mm Dutch Beaumont, and other, similar guns. It seemed to me like a good place to start with the Model 67 Swede, too.
I was able to use my standard Lyman .50-70 full-length sizing die, and neck expander die to prepare the unfired Buffalo Arms brass. The Lyman bullets were all sized .515” (the only sizer die I had on hand in this diameter range) and Winchester large rifle primers were used in all loads. The .515” bullets chambered a little tightly, and I consider this diameter to be the maximum safe bullet diameter for my chamber. Your chamber may be different! Do not fire cartridges loaded with oversized bullets which will not chamber easily. Excessive, dangerous pressures may result.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from the different bullet weights. My few references indicated an original bullet weight of 345 grains.
I was able to use my standard Lyman .50-70 full-length sizing die, and neck expander die to prepare the unfired Buffalo Arms brass. The Lyman bullets were all sized .515” (the only sizer die I had on hand in this diameter range) and Winchester large rifle primers were used in all loads. The .515” bullets chambered a little tightly, and I consider this diameter to be the maximum safe bullet diameter for my chamber. Your chamber may be different! Do not fire cartridges loaded with oversized bullets which will not chamber easily. Excessive, dangerous pressures may result.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from the different bullet weights. My few references indicated an original bullet weight of 345 grains.
The sights on these old rolling blocks are pretty basic, although at least the Swedes equipped their rifles with a dovetailed front sight – so it is possible to make some windage adjustments. I shot off the bench at the 100-yard outdoor range at my home club: Library Sportsmen’s Association in Library, PA (south of Pittsburgh). My results from this old war horse were encouraging! Although all of the different bullets performed well, the 365-grain Lyman 518145 showed the most promise. I used a slightly-hotter load (12.5 gains of Unique) in the
Cast Bullet Association’s 2002 Postal Match No. 10 (Military Big-Bore Benchrest). This particular postal match involves shooting four 5-shot groups off the bench at 100-yards with an “issue” rifle (no alterations, including to the sights). All four groups are then averaged. I came in third with 3.286” behind a Remington rolling block in .50-70 Government and a Model 1873 Springfield trap-door in .45-70 Government.
The Lyman 518145 mould throws bullets a few thousandths bigger than .515”, and I had been “full-length resizing” them in my .515” resizing die. I decided to experiment by just “heeling” these bullets: only resizing the first two bands to .515” and leaving the forward bands slightly larger (also creating a slightly longer loaded cartridge). I prepared and fired a selection of heeled and non-heeled bullets, some lubed with Thompson-Center lube and others with Alox, using 12.5 grains of Unique with some, and a roughly-calculated equivalent load of 24.3 grains of XMP-5744 with others. My best load turned out to be the Alox-lubed, heeled bullets over 12.5 grains of Unique. Although the ten-shot group pictured came in at an unimpressive nearly 5” overall, seven shots grouped inside of 1-3/4”, and five of those made a “one jagged hole” group of just over 1-1/4”. I consider this load to be my best one so far — in spite of some obvious “operator error.”
If you have one of these old big-bore war horses, consider bringing it back to life, and shooting in our Postal Match No. 10 for “Big Bore Military Rifles.”
The Lyman 518145 mould throws bullets a few thousandths bigger than .515”, and I had been “full-length resizing” them in my .515” resizing die. I decided to experiment by just “heeling” these bullets: only resizing the first two bands to .515” and leaving the forward bands slightly larger (also creating a slightly longer loaded cartridge). I prepared and fired a selection of heeled and non-heeled bullets, some lubed with Thompson-Center lube and others with Alox, using 12.5 grains of Unique with some, and a roughly-calculated equivalent load of 24.3 grains of XMP-5744 with others. My best load turned out to be the Alox-lubed, heeled bullets over 12.5 grains of Unique. Although the ten-shot group pictured came in at an unimpressive nearly 5” overall, seven shots grouped inside of 1-3/4”, and five of those made a “one jagged hole” group of just over 1-1/4”. I consider this load to be my best one so far — in spite of some obvious “operator error.”
If you have one of these old big-bore war horses, consider bringing it back to life, and shooting in our Postal Match No. 10 for “Big Bore Military Rifles.”
