Greene Underhammer Rifle Question

[rescuerandy2]

Good Afternoon,

I am getting ready to head to the range next week to make some smoke with my Greene rifle. Have worked up the two-bullet system and cartridge. The rifle is exotic to say the least but seems very well made and finished. I found that the nipple, in its under-hammer position, actually assists in securing the trigger-guard assembly to the stock. Finding a backup nipple has been difficult and I need help. The dimensions are:

OAL .877
Thread Diameter .311
Thread Length .409
Cone Length .250
Circular Base Dia. .419

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Any help in securing a backup would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to getting America's first "mass" produced bolt-action rifle back into operation. Thanks, Randy.

[waksupi]

I'm betting you will need to have a machinist make some for you.

[Multigunner]

"Have worked up the two-bullet system and cartridge"
Isn't the two bullet cartridge used only for the first shot?

[rescuerandy2]

Yes, looking more and more like I will have to engage my machinist buddy for a backup nipple.

The Springfield Museum posted a good amount of information on the Greene and they suggested that "a starter cartridge" with two bullets had been produced. I am not going there and in my practice runs, I loaded a bare bullet with the plunger system and then a cartridge with one bullet at is base and the powder forward of the bullet. Looks like this Saturday is open for the range.

Randy

[n.h.schmidt]

Man That is really cool. You didn't give the threads per inch or how long the threaded part. I hope it all works. I like early breach loaders. I have a repro percussion sharps carbine. It would not be that hard to make a few extra nipples if you could tolerate less than a perfect copy.
n.h.schmidt

[Bmi48219]

I had to look the Greene Underhammer Rifle up. That is a really unique firearm! Amazing how different inventors approached firearm design. The articles I read stated between 800 & 1,500 were made. Does anyone know if more produced? If there were 1,500 built 150 years ago, it's hard to believe more than one hundred exist today.

[rescuerandy2]

Yes, I have read that up to 4,000 were produced with some getting as far as Russia. I too find it interesting how the designers came to their different solutions in solving the mysteries of breechloading. When I look at my Dreyse, Sharps, Greene, Spencer, and Chassepot, '71 Mauser, Martini-Henry, I do come away with a better understanding of how those designers and gunsmiths just keep plugging away till they got it right. Randy

[pietro]

.

Randy, I believe your question would have been better posed in our muzzleloading section, ILO here in military rifles.

Track of the Wolf ( https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/807/3 ) has an underhammer nipple ($8.99) in stock that might be made to fit your rifle by shortening the cone from .442" to .250" & shortening the thread length from .438" to .409".

(It is the last nipple on page 3)

The nipple has an OAL of .880 & a 1/4-32 thread, 7/16" long - which may, or may not be, the threads your rifle requires.


.

[rescuerandy2]

Tried that one. The problem is the wide base that needs that width to hold the trigger guard in place. My buddy the machinist has got his lathe warmed up. Thanks, Randy

[rescuerandy2]

Good Afternoon. Just back from the range and the Greene was amazing. The loading sequence, my first attempt at Greene cartridges, and some excellent craftsmanship from the 1860s worked perfectly. Using a soft, then a hard, and then using no wad all, worked fine. I had no blowback and the oval chamber seemed to do its job of preventing fouling in the bore. To be honest, as you can see in the picture below, I did not have my face fully involved in aiming. Mine is not a pretty face but the only one I have and I just had to "duck" a bit. Really overreacted and will not doubt the weapon again.

Guys at the range freaked out as I loaded 2 bullets and "broke" the bolt. Overall I am pleased that after seeing one of these as a kid, it only took 45 years to own and fire one. I completely understand why they were such a disappointment to the troops but some of the technology, front dual locking bolt lugs, were soon to become all the rage. Randy

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