As late as the First World War, the French still believed that élan, or spirit, would carry their men forward through any hail of fire until positions could be taken at the point of the bayonet. Infantry of the period still manoeuvred in massed columns or lines, wore gaudy uniforms in bright, morale-boosting colours, and attempted to close with the enemy rather than shoot them down from a safe distance. I bet due to how wars were destined to be fought in 19th century providing ability to safely carry rifle with cartridge in chamber for foot soldier was not deemed super important. (…)Remington rolling-block cartridge rifle was so popular that more than half the world’s armies adopted it or purchased quantities for police or martial purposes.(…) “(…)market apparently was quite satisfied with the half-cock notch.” It was specifically intended to keep the breechblock from opening in case of a cartridge discharging when the breech was closed (such as in case of the firing pin being jammed forward by something). Update: It has been pointed out to me that the specific patent for this system is US Patent 113408A. The US Army did experiment with a similar sort of half-cock safety on the Rolling Block carbines, but not of this design. That said, this system was never put into production. It would stand to reason that they would have properly identified it. To fire, one need only cock the hammer back slightly and it is ready to use.ĭespite there being no Dodge marking son this example, I am pretty confident that it is form the Dodge brothers because another example of the same system is in the Smithsonian collection attributed to Dodge – and Dodge sold his own gun collection to that museum in the early 20th century. This ensures that the action isn’t accidentally opened while carrying the gun. Using Dodge’s patent system here, the hammer can be lowered on a loaded chamber in a way that securely locks the hammer from falling and locks the breech from opening. This particular one I cannot identify with a specific patent, but to my eye it is a way to give the Rolling Block system a safe way to be carried with a loaded chamber. The Adriana and Edwin W.William Dodge and his brother were inventors in Washington DC who in the 1870s patented a bunch of different improvements to the Remington Rolling Block, among other guns. United States: New York, Ilion associated place Pistol Firearms Caliber.50 Rim Fire date made Small Arms Makers: A Directory of Fabricators of Firearms, Edged Weapons, Crossbows and Polearms, Crown Publishers Inc, New York: 1963, p. Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms…and their Values, Gun Digest Books, Iola, 2007. This is the first model of Remington Rolling Block pistols.įlayderman, Norm. There were five models made of the rolling block design. When the trigger is pulled, a projection rolls under the breech. Cock the hammer and slide the breech back for easy cartridge insertion. The rolling block pistol was easy to use, reliable and accurate. Remington Chief Designer Joseph Rider modified Geiger’s model to create the Rolling Block in 1866. It was developed from the split breech carbine invented by Leonard Geiger. The rolling block pistol was one of them. Many different pistols and rifles made Remington famous. The Company stayed at that location until 1831 when it began expanding its business. That same year, Eliphalet’s son produced the company’s first rifle. The Remington Arms Company was established by Eliphalet Remington in 1816 when he purchased land at Steele’s Creek in New York. The side plate is stamped “REMINGTONS ILION N.Y. It has a rolling block breech, a spur type trigger, and walnut grips and forend. This.50 caliber smoothbore single shot rimfire pistol was made by Remington Arms Company.