As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
It seems odd that the designer of the greatest firearm action in history is a name forgotten in Joseph Rider. Granted no one knows who designed the American M 1 Garand in John Garand, and the rifle is named for him, as is the Kalishnikov of Russia and the Mauser of Germany, but most people know the names of Sam Colt with his revolver, but few people ever know the legend of Joseph Rider, while instead looking to John Browning, the most prolific firearms designer in history, improving upon the Spencer lever action rifles.
The reason for looking to Joseph Rider is that in 1864 during the Civil War, he came upon the most simple and effective single shot firearm design ever in what would become the Remington Rolling Block. The Rolling Block would contend on the Great Plains against Christian Sharpes buffalo rifles, but be negated in America, to instead become the firearm of the Spanish and Swedish militaries.
That is what is so interesting about the Rolling Block as anyone can design a gun, but to design a firearm that will shoot dirty, frozen and keep shooting is the stuff that few rifles ever achieved in the Winchester lever actions, the AK47 by Kalishnikov and the wonderful Mauser bolt action.
There is something though which the Rider design did which surpassed them all, in it was easy to disassemble to its pins, screws and flat springs. Most people who have taken apart guns have coil springs flying all over or parts left over. That is not the case in the Rolling Block. If you do not lose the screws, you have your gun.
I actually designed a few firearms, and literally most firearms have hundreds of parts. The Rolling Block though has around 20, and that includes the screws, barrel and stock. It takes the keep it simple stupid design to the maximum, and while the Nagant of Russia is like in being type, the Rolling Block simply looks beautiful and strong, while the Nagant reminds one of an old alarm clock that looks like it will break if you drop it.
The Remington Rolling Block is literally the most functional design and was only surpassed recently in the Remington 870 shotgun which sold over 2 million copies in being the best modern designed firearm.
When a firearm works correctly, no one notices, and that is why no one ever noticed the Rolling Block. When a firearm works incorrectly, due to Indian Ring contracts as the Springfield Trapdoor which replaced the Remington, Custer's Last Stand takes place.
For the record on the Reno Benteen hill in their standoff, it was a Remington Rolling Block's cleaning rod from an officer which was pushing the jammed spent casings out of the Springfield Trapdoors, which in all honesty is thee most stupid firearm design in world history.
What is amazing about the Remington is, there are still rifles from Argentina, Spain and Sweden still on the market. They shoot black powder due to the old barrels, but these firearms from an era where electric lights were not in service, are still as functional today as they were 150 years ago, and will be as functional 150 years from today, because nothing really can wear out on them.
It is so fascinating to observe American genius in Christian Sharpes produced a lever action type single shot and Joseph Rider produced a simple cocking rolling block action. That is what the above video of the disassembled gun will teach, a metal piece rolls by the thumb action and blocks the shell in the chamber so it will fire. The design is fool proof. It does not need safeties and it will out shoot anything on the planet.
I think of the Swedish models which were for the militia. Yes Sweden once armed its people as militias and these Citizen Soldiers then took their rifles out and shot red stag and moose for their larders.
Americans once offered such programs too when they were a Republic, but now like Americans, that policy has vanished.
The Remington Rolling Block was such an effective design that in World War I, the French Government produced over 100,000 copies in 8 x 50mmR Lebel, once again for the militia.
This rifle has shown up in most of the world militaries in what it was chambered for.
.58 Berdan
.50-70
.50-45 Carbine
12.7×45mmR Pontificio
12.17×42 mm RF
12.17×44mmR
.45-70
.43 Spanish
.43 Egyptian
10.15×61mmR
8×58mmR
8×50mmR
.303 British
7.65×53mm Argentine
.30-40 Krag
7.62×54mmR
.30 Remington
7×57mm Mauser
6.5mm Daudeteau No. 12
.236 Remington
11 mm Danish
Personally, in a Donald Trump Presidency, I would like to see these Remington Rolling Blocks handed out like candy again, to all Americans for our Motherland Defense. I detest that Homeland new world order title, and will only accept mother country for America has always been a female entity.
For the Motherland, I envision the lovely 30.06 cartridge, another military venue, with 165 grain bullets in the shell. Give this a nice 31 inch barrel, synthetic stock, and the Americans would have such a lovely time of it all in the poor masses all being armed.
I would even make a rolling block pistol for officers of the local militia to make it all prettier yet.
Joseph Rider changed history and is still affecting history. It is a rifle design without exception and this is another American who should be remembered for bringing such security to the world by designing another weapon for the world.
agtG
