FEATURED CARBINE : ROCK-OLA 4546450
Printed From: The Carbine Collector's Club
Category: The Club
Forum Name: Newsworthy Items
Forum Description: Newsletters and Featured Carbines
URL: http://www.uscarbinecal30.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1058
Printed Date: Apr 19 2024 at 5:10pm
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Topic: FEATURED CARBINE : ROCK-OLA 4546450
Posted By: Lupus Dei
Subject: FEATURED CARBINE : ROCK-OLA 4546450
Date Posted: Dec 17 2015 at 4:07pm
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January 2016 Click link below for our first Featured Carbine of 2016. Discussion is encouraged below. uploads/CCNLs/CC20161RMC45BPdiscussion.pdf" rel="nofollow - RMC Carbine of the Month followed by RMC Butt Plate Discussion Click blue link (words) to download a copy. FEATURED CARBINE : ROCK-OLA 4546450 Thanks to David Barnette for this report. Although this carbine is not a rare or unique piece, it is in superb condition and is presented to illustrate the variety of finishes (colors) to be found on a factory original Rock-Ola carbine.   Rock-Ola’s crossed-cannons “cartouche” was quite crude looking. This example is perfectly struck.  The center boss of many Rock-Ola buttplates is often being described by collectors as “missing a dot” at the 3 o’clock position. Other RMC buttplates are not so easily defined. In this unique example, the center boss is very clearly outlined, two dots are missing at 6 o’clock, and two others truncated at 1 and 2 o’clock. Note the narrow width of the dot pattern below the center boss. Does anyone else have a buttplate like this?   Note the strongly-marked gas cylinder and the weakly marked M-R band. The barrel band has two weak weld scars. Late production Rock-Ola extractors are marked with an R on top.  All four corners of the rear sight dovetail have been staked with a blunt instrument, with white metal still showing. A previous owner cut the top off the 150 yard aperture.   The top of the front sight blade still shows black finish that was applied after targeting. Note the horizontal staking of the front sight pin, unique to Rock-Ola. Other features worth noting: the sling swivel is the early “narrow window” type, which has been reported before, still being used in this serial number range. The KR2 hammer is “in the white.” The safety and mag catch are a slightly lighter shade of Parkerizing than the trigger housing.   Blued parts include: complete bolt, rear sight leaf spring, sear, trigger, hammer spring plunger, and all pins.  Please also see the http://www.uscarbinecal30.com/forum/topic1086_post2182.html#2182" rel="nofollow - RMC Buttplate Discussion in conjunction with this article. Please comment below. ------------- Louis Dey Admin www.uscarbinecal30.com/forums |
Replies:
Posted By: Scott C.
Date Posted: Jan 01 2016 at 2:15pm
| My 4547252 has that same butt plate. It has a round bolt. |
Posted By: Marty Black
Date Posted: Jan 01 2016 at 6:06pm
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Very interesting, thanks for reporting, Scott! Your RMC is less than 1000 numbers from the Featured Carbine, with the same oddball buttplate. Was this pattern short-lived, or are they scattered throughout Rock-Ola's production? We've still got a lot to learn. Hopefully more people will report on their Rock-Olas....And the round bolt is good. The 4 million range is the transition between bolt types. Regards, Marty Black ------------- Marty Black |
Posted By: Scott C.
Date Posted: Jan 01 2016 at 6:20pm
| I tried to figure out Rock-Ola's butt plates. I posted adds wanting pictures of butt plates and serial ranges. I did not have much success, but did get some info. There is a 4620xxx that looks like the same plate. Biggest obstacle is finding enough "original" examples to build a time line. |
Posted By: kro1970
Date Posted: Jan 01 2016 at 7:16pm
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This is the butt plate that is on an original 4556XXX Rock-Ola. At first I thought it was an early Winchester but looking at the butt plates in this thread it also has missing dots at 12, 6 and 9 o'clock. Any thoughts http://s975.photobucket.com/user/ken813/media/4%20million%20Rock-Ola/IMG_5713.jpg.html  |
Posted By: Marty Black
Date Posted: Jan 01 2016 at 8:34pm
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Yeah, you got it, Scott. We've always had these challenges - 1. getting people to share their information. "Good intentions" don't cut it. 2. Sorting the factory-original examples from the restored carbines. Stay "in the chase," however. Good luck, Marty Black ------------- Marty Black |
Posted By: Scott C.
Date Posted: Jan 01 2016 at 8:38pm
| That is one of the 2 common Rock-Ola butt plate patterns. I am seeing that pattern in 2 variations. Some have a pronounced border while others appear more of a "splash", or blended border. The other pattern has a pronounced border with the dot missing at 3 o'clock. |
Posted By: Marty Black
Date Posted: Jan 01 2016 at 8:49pm
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Thanks KRO1970, great pic! Your's is the same buttplate as reported on several RMC carbines, across the spectrum of RMC's serial number blocks. I'm not sure what we should call this pattern! As you can see in the Forum article on RMC buttplates, there are variances in the center boss of this pattern: "clean and round" versus the sloppy "splatter" pattern that is commonly seen on WRA buttplates. This RMC pattern is in addition to the commonly-accepted "missing dot at 3 o'clock" pattern. Jim has recently been studying buttplate patterns, and has posted photos and descriptions on the website. Be sure to check it out. Regards, Marty Black http://www.uscarbinecal30.com/buttplates.html" rel="nofollow - Buttplates |
Posted By: Marty Black
Date Posted: Jan 01 2016 at 8:54pm
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Good eyes, thanks Scott. Stay on it - hopefully you can write a follow-up article on RMC buttplates sometime. To be honest, I've long since forgotten more than I once knew, re: buttplates. However, Sleeplessnashadow has been recently studying buttplates in great detail. Be sure to take a look at his photos and text on the website itself. Regards, Marty Black http://www.uscarbinecal30.com/buttplates.html" rel="nofollow - Buttplates |
Posted By: carbinecollector
Date Posted: Jan 02 2016 at 4:30pm
Here's a full length shot of 4546450 indoors and in bright sunlight:  ------------- Be safe go home |
Posted By: Dave Tennent
Date Posted: Jan 05 2016 at 6:05pm
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I have a couple of questions about "A previous owner cut the top off the 150 yard aperture". Is it possible that this was a battlefield adjustment? Does this cut affect the value of the carbine? I have an original NPM that has both sight leafs cut. ------------- Dave |
Posted By: carbinecollector
Date Posted: Jan 05 2016 at 11:13pm
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Hey Dave, The possibility that the leaf cut is a battlefield mod or done by a unit armorer is possible but we will never know for certain. I'm sure that value is affected to a certain degree but how much would be probably need to be evaluated according to each carbine and it's remaining condition. It's difficult to tell from the above photos but the 150 leaf on 4546450 has been modified in such a way to match the ears on the front sight. Not the typical V cut. In other words when the rifle is sighted the sight picture offers an uncluttered focus on the front sight blade using the modified leaf and front sight ears as a reference. Many folks have said be glad they did not chop off the ears. However that usually coincides with the V cut leaf. Additionally the small letters B AA are discreetly burnished into the wood on the bottom of the stock near the trigger guard. If it could only talk.   ------------- Be safe go home |
Posted By: 6kidsdad
Date Posted: Jan 06 2016 at 12:03am
| I have a 1.68 that has similar characteristics, especially the staking on the rear sight. I will take some pictures and post them later. |
Posted By: Scott C.
Date Posted: Jan 10 2016 at 7:57pm
Here is a picture of the butt plate on 4547452
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Posted By: sleeplessnashadow
Date Posted: Jan 11 2016 at 4:58am
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Hi guys. I'd like to add pics of the three Rock-Ola buttplates above to the web page for the Buttplates. I have taken all of the pictures myself for a variety of reasons, including consistency. I've spent many months amassing a collection for this purpose and have not come across this particular buttplate. Not surprising, I'm sure there are more. If the owners wouldn't mind taking and sharing a couple pics using the following guidelines I'll add them to the ones there now. Please use a white background. One picture showing the entire front and one showing the entire back, taken directly above the center with the camera at the same horizontal orientation as the buttplate for a straight on shot. Of a size large enough to allow for creating the center pic from the front pic. Don't resize the image smaller, the largest the camera can do is best. For examples have a look the Buttplate page: http://www.uscarbinecal30.com/buttplates.html" rel="nofollow - http://www.uscarbinecal30.com/buttplates.html Here's the center of the Rock-Ola buttplate missing the dot at 3 o'clock....  Here's the other I've found that I've seen consistently, missing one dot at the 6 o'clock position and two dots at the 12 o'clock position. I suspect this one is the same pattern as the two shown in this thread, with a different manner in which the center hole was punched.  If you wouldn't mind shooting and sharing the pics, send me a PM and I'll get back with you. Thanks much Jim |
Posted By: Scott C.
Date Posted: Jan 14 2016 at 2:02am
| Jim, when I have the time to dig it out of the safe, I will get you some new pictures. |
Posted By: carbinecollector
Date Posted: Jan 22 2016 at 9:48am
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One final note regarding 4546450. On either side of the stock above the trigger housing area is a small R. The left side appears to have been stamped while the right side is etched in by hand. These are approximately 1/8" in size. They would have been easily removed with normal wear or sanding. Not sure of the significance but some earlier Rock-Ola I-cut stocks have a yellow wax R in the slide well. Below is a photo of the small R on the left side of 4546450 and of a yellow wax R on 1729642 I-cut stock.   ------------- Be safe go home |
Posted By: Scott C.
Date Posted: Jan 23 2016 at 11:21am
| I don't recall any markings like that on mine? The next time that I have it dug out of the safe, I will take a close look. |