long range falling block?

[griff264]

Is there any reason why,that for long range hunting there does not appear to be any falling block rifles..
Are they not as accurate as bolt actions?
Are they a gunsmithing nightmare?
Are they not strong enough?

regards
griff

 

[royinidaho]

Is there any reason why,that for long range hunting there does not appear to be any falling block rifles.. Well not many though they are out there.
Are they not as accurate as bolt actions? Depends on your def'n of accuracy. Consistency is the problem. Solid forearm rest and "softer forearm rest" result in different points of impact. Having one is kind of like being married to the wrong woman.
Are they a gunsmithing nightmare? Nah, just the machining for the extractor.
Are they not strong enough? They are as strong as an action comes. That is Browning and Ruger + other quality actions.

regards
griff

Welcome aboard.

 

[J E Custom]

Is there any reason why,that for long range hunting there does not appear to be any falling block rifles..
Are they not as accurate as bolt actions?
Are they a gunsmithing nightmare?
Are they not strong enough?

regards
griff

Griff.

Good question .

1= They can be as accurate but it takes a lot of effort on the smiths part and the reloads.
the main difference is the 2 piece stock.It has to be fully floated and bedded to the tang.
some times you have to install a preload screw to the tang and try different preloads (
tune ) for the load to be used. This is a common practices with ruger # 1s.

2= There are things that are different than a bolt action ,some I have already mentioned
and the extractor groove has to be machined into the barrel and then indexed especially
if the barrel is also fluted. (More time ,More money).

3= As to strength, some types are very strong (Like the Browning and the Ruger) some others
that are replicas may be strong enough but the manufacture recommends black powder only,
and you can't take a chance on blowing it up.

I have owned and shot many falling blocks (some replicas and some full blown magnums on
Rugers and Brownings and have not seen any problems with accuracy after carefully working
the rifle over and the loads.

They make great long barreled rifles because the action is so short and a 30'' barreled falling
block is about the same length as a standard bolt action.

Note; most of the field artillery in use has a falling block action and we know how accurate they
are.


J E CUSTOM

 

[Ernie]

If a falling block had a tongue or insert where the forend could be connected to, you would have free-floated forend. In the specialty pistol world Rich Mertz makes his Falling Block Pistol (MOA Maximum) this way.

 

[J E Custom]

If a falling block had a tongue or insert where the forend could be connected to, you would have free-floated forend. In the specialty pistol world Rich Mertz makes his Falling Block Pistol (MOA Maximum) this way.

Both the Ruger and the browning have the 'Tongue' for hanging the fore-end on .

The Rugers hanger does not detach but the Browning does making barrel installation
a little easier.

Most sharps have dovetails in the barrel that a bar or nut attaches to and the fore
end attaches to it.

This is the part that has to be bedded to the forearm so you can float the barrel.

The preloading screw that I mentioned attaches to the hanger and applies force to
the barrel for dampening/Tuning

J E CUSTOM

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

I have about ten big guns built on ruger #1 actions. Years ago I could get a #1 much cheaper than a mk 5 action to build stuff off the 378 wby and 416 rigby case. They are lighter and shorter than a standard bolt action which makes them much easier handling. It takes some work as has been stated to get the vertical stringing out of some of them. But it can be done and I have some that are very accurate.

 

[griff264]

I had envisaged building a block to the front of the action so that i could slide the fore-end over a threaded rod a bit similar to putting the fore-end on a remmy 1100.
I know that you can get synthetic stocks for them quite easily but are there any tactical style ones...

regards
griff

 

[JEREMY logan]

Every time i hear falling block i think of my dads ruger #1 7mm. I like the rem 700's but dad says ruger all the way, maybe he got lucky with his maybe not. He's been reloading for over 20 years now he does not sort brass or any of the fancey stuff and his ruger #1 is all factory he shoots 162 grain a max's out of it and i've seen it shoot .300 3 shot groups @ 100 yrds . The only thing he does that i think makes it shoot like that, is he can jam the bulett because it's a single shot .