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Under hammer what do you think?

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Bootsctm

32 Cal.
Joined
Apr 20, 2012
Messages
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What do you guys think about under hammer rifle, pistol, and shot guns? Are they good? Usable problem free? Do you have one? Know this is a personal question but I want to know am thinking about buying one.
Thanks
 
They are accurate, and shall we say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I got a few rifles. I want a pistol.

If you can get your hands on one cheaply then grab it. They are becoming harder and harder to find used. The new ones that you can find are expensive. Just my two cents.
 
The only negatives I've heard about underhammer guns is the rifles can splash bits of percussion cap fragments on the forearm that's supporting the front of the gun when it fires.

Back in the 1970's Numrich made several different underhammer rifles and these take a special percussion nipple with a 1/4-32 thread size.

These nipples are still available from Track of the Wolf so getting them isn't a problem.
The problem is that some people over the last 30 years might have tried to force a 1/4-28 threaded nipple into the gun. That can really mess up the barrels threads.

Some of them do not have a "half cock safety" position.

If you are into re-enacting you will find that most folks refuse to admit the underhammer was around in the 1840's.
Actually, it was but most indications are it was primarily used on the East Coast rather than out West.
Of course if you don't care about re-enacting this doesn't matter.

On the plus side, underhammers have a clear sight plane along the barrel and with the nipple screwing directly into the barrel where the powder is they aren't fussy about powder types and have extremely fast, reliable ignition.
 
I had a .45 underhammer and loved it. Don't know why I sold it. I'm presently in the process of building a .54 underhammer with a 42" colerain "c" weight swamped barrel and some maple for the stock.
 
A nice benefit to the Underhammer is because the ignition us under the barrel, rain has less effect there. Of course you want to keep the rain out of the front of the barrel as well. Over here in Wa. rain is always a concern.
 
:v I have a Pacific Rifle underhammer in .62cal.
I use a Lyman 57ML rear peep and a Lyman silver bead front sight for hunting. Works great, sure fire ignition in all weather conditions. As I hunt in cool to cold weather the flash marks on the arm are not a problem. In warm weather I wear a shirt and use a leather glove, also the balance point for me is well ahead of the nipple area.
Never had a failure to fire. Lost a trigger return spring once while I was cleaning mud from the disassembled trigger area on a moose trip, still functioned as long as I cocked it with the muzzle pointed downward slightly. The underhammer design has the lowest number of parts that could possibly fail, ie: Hammer, Trigger, Trigger return spring, and the Trigger guard is the Main-spring, and they are all mounted solidly in steel. :thumbsup:
 
There have been many underhammers through history. As said H&A used to make and sell them. I sold them in my ml shop and my family shot them. They are simple and reliable and, usually, inexpensive. There are a lot of positives to be said for the uh. But, they are not popular, probably because of unusual appearance. There is no denying the beauty of a fine longrifle compared to the utilitarian uh. For a shooter, go for it.
 
I have a H&A underhammer that I just love. 36 Rice barrel, Blue Grouse action, and handmade stock. I'd cure the cap splash problem by deepening the cup on the hammer, or switch to a musket cap (they don't throw fragments like the #11 sometimes do) Mine does double duty as a squirrel/target rifle. :thumbsup:
 
A great resource for information and the history of Underhammers is:

The Pictorial History of the Underhammer Gun Herschel C Logan (Author)

It is out of print but if you google it, you can still get copies. This book comes in handy especially when someone tells you they are not older than the 1800's. You can show them the flint lock made in the mid 1700's. :grin:
 
I still own an H&A underhammer built around 1965 when I bought it new. These are marvelous rifles and the old H&A barrels are among the most accurate I've ever fired. I'm one of those that like the way they look....and shoulder. I've had so many adventures with mine over the past 5 decades that it is not for sale. It's a bit the worse for wear but not beat up in any sense. I fired it so much the simple hammer/trigger spring died. A generous forum member sent me a used but excellent spring he had laying around and I've now got the old girl up and running once more. She's taken everything from squirrels to bobcats and deer. She's a .45.
 
gmww said:
A great resource for information and the history of Underhammers is:

The Pictorial History of the Underhammer Gun Herschel C Logan (Author)

It is out of print but if you google it, you can still get copies. This book comes in handy especially when someone tells you they are not older than the 1800's. You can show them the flint lock made in the mid 1700's. :grin:


Another resource is here in Arkansas in the town of Berryville. There is a museum called the Colonel Saunders Museum. (not the chicken guy) It has an extensive collection of mostly old pistols. Most of them are underhammers in a wide variety of designs. Sadly, the museum is not well maintained and doesn't have a real curator anymore. Someone with time and resources could/should photograph and document the collection before it is lost. There is a nearby range named after Saunders also and we have two big shoots there every year.
 
Underhammers in theory, have a slightly faster ignition because the flame from the nipple doesn't have to go around corners and down flash channels to the powder. The main powder charge is immediately at the outlet of the nipple.

I use the term "direct" ignition. Same for mule ear locks. The flame of the nipple is injected directly into the main powder charge.

The problem with cap fragments is pretty much resolved by putting one of those little funnel shaped protectors around the nipple. Some bench UH shooters even have sealed ignition chambers. The nipple is capped and a cover is screwed over the nipple and the cap is struck through the metal cover.
 
Yes, do!
I am making another one, using a recently found Jonathan Browning .50 cal barrel.

Paul
 
I built one from parts that I bought from Deer Creek in Indiana and a barrel from Long Hammock in Florida. it is a copy of the H&A Buggy rifle. It is a sweet shooting light weight rifle but you need to wear long sleeves or some kind of forearm protection on the arm that you use to support the forestock because the nipple is right above your forearm and cap fragments are known to frequently fly off the cap and can embed themselves in your arm. Not an extremely serious problem since they don't go in deeply but they sure do sting and you often need a needle to pick them out. If your arm is covered, there is no problem.

Besides being a light weight rifle, it has a fast firing mechanism since the nipple goes directly into the powder charge. Overall, I love my underhammer.
 
Bootsctm said:
What do you guys think about under hammer rifle, pistol, and shot guns? Are they good? Usable problem free? Do you have one? Know this is a personal question but I want to know am thinking about buying one.
Thanks

The underhammers were very popular in the east.
How about a side by side combination gun?
But it may have been a SXS rifle when originally made, its having rifle sights originally on both barrels.

A couple of the ones on display at the Buffalo Bill Historical Society Firearms Museum in Cody, WY.
P1030182.jpg


P1030186.jpg

P1030187.jpg
P1030185.jpg


P1030181.jpg


A good underhammer has very fast and sure ignition. Many heavy bench rifles were made as underhammers since its simple and cheaper than a side lock.
Its best to have a substantial long sleeved shirt when shooting one off hand, even better buckskin coat.

The is a target pistol built by a friend back about 50 years ago.
IMGP1142-1.jpg

Note that if you intend to shoot competition you should check the rules where you plan to shoot.
Unbelievably underhammers are banned in some.
Silly but its a fact. Some rules require the TG to be the mainspring, more BS. There were many designs dating from the early percussion era that used internal mainspring as do ALL the guns pictured here.

Dan
 
Get one (or more) I own several from 36 to 62 caliber.

Fun guns!
:thumbsup:

SC45-70
 
Sinner said:
I had a .45 underhammer and loved it. Don't know why I sold it. I'm presently in the process of building a .54 underhammer with a 42" colerain "c" weight swamped barrel and some maple for the stock.

been thinking about doing the same... please post lots of pictures when you do the build ... i need motivation!

'til then, make good smoke!
 
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