A good and long living breech loader and black powder rifle. The Remington Rolling Block Rifle:
A reliable and sturdy breech mechanism matched to several cartridge options made the rifle a commercial success in the last third of the XIX century: It was adopted by countries far apart like the Pontificial State, to Bolivia, and from Egypt to Spain. Probably, it was the most advanced infantry weapon in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, and saw battle in the War of the Pacific, the Anglo Egyptian War, the Madhi Revolt, the long Cuban revolt conected with the Spanish-American War. And as a second line weapon, as far as the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939.
It was so successful that in the first years of the XX century it was still being offered with smokeless cartridges (including the most used cartridges of the era: .303 British, 7.62 x 54 R, 7 x 57, 7.65 x 53, and even .30-06!), in fact during WWI France placed an order for more than 100,000 rifles (for second line troops like drivers, or first line men not expected to be engaged in close combat like heavy artillery) chambered in 8 mm Lebel, few inches shorter and with a sword bayonet of 16 inch long blade.
Cheers.
