UnderHammer of Jethro

[RWE]

Built some from kits, but I decided to build one from whatever I had lying around.

Here's a short video of the action, and the nearly finished product - still have to sight it in and file down the front blade.

The barrel is a Colerain 36 twist I had made for maxiballs. It's a 54 caliber.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJCFZMcW8Dc

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[Jedman]

??? Is this a muzzleloader ? We need more information.

Jedman

[RWE]

??? Is this a muzzleloader ? We need more information.

Jedman

54 CAL muzzleloader based on of a Billinghurst Underhammer action.

Barrel is a 36 twist to throw maxi-ball type projectiles.

Aside from the screws, butt plate, rear sight, and barrel, everything else was made from plate or bar stock using mostly hand tools. Did use the drill press some, especially for setting up tapping, and a grinder. Did use the wire welder on the tang/breech, as well as a piece of circular bar stock that the tang screw threaded into.

Other than that, a lot of filing.

The trigger guard spring was made from stock, had to bend that, cut the notches and the hooks for the hammer, then do the tempering and annealing, which took a couple passes to make muster.

But it works, and feels comfortable to shoulder and shoot.272874

[1989toddm]

Well thats cool!! Good job!

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Very ingenious. I especially like the use of the trigger guard as the mainspring.

[RWE]

Very ingenious. I especially like the use of the trigger guard as the mainspring.

I can't take credit for that; it's been a thing for quite a while, they just aren't popular.

About the only thing ingenious about the concept is man's desire to make things go boom, as simple as possible.

Based on reading, underhammer single shot pistols were very common for the non-firearm oriented settlers leaving the east for wide open spaces. Many were made without sights to hang up on clothes and such.

Beyond that, rifles were mostly taken up by target shooters of old because of the reduced lock time compared to sidelocks.

I like them because I shoot left handed and I hate paying a premium for left hand locks....

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I've always wondered about the cap falling off the nipple?

DG

[RWE]

I've always wondered about the cap falling off the nipple?

DG

I've been shooting them in one form or another for about a decade and hadn't had one slip off yet.

There's enough taper on the nipple that the cap holds fine.

I did have one nipple that was a little straight; I'd pinch the cap a little before putting it on and it was fine.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Good to know. I'm into BP rifles and revolvers, but the nipples are either upright or horizontal, not upside down. I always wondered about the effect of gravity! [smilie=l: Sometimes I've lost them with gravity working for me!

DG

[Nobade]

Nice work, it's good to see folks building their entire guns. I still have the hots to build an underhammer flintlock but so far haven't done much to make it happen.

[RWE]

Nice work, it's good to see folks building their entire guns. I still have the hots to build an underhammer flintlock but so far haven't done much to make it happen.

I've got an entire notepad dedicated to an UnderHammer flintlock.

The thought of one in a nice squirrel caliber makes me tingle.

[Gtek]

I like, smooth and svelte, nice job!

[John Taylor]

Looks very functional and should work well. I have been building under hammers for more than a few years but only a few Billinghurst from castings. There was a story about the cast action molds that were basically stolen from the original builder. Most of the actions I make now are close to the H&A stile.273382

[W.R.Buchanan]

Whoa John,,, That H&A style UH is beautiful! Spectacular wood !!!

The Pacific Rifle Co guy did some really nice work on that type of gun. I especially liked his 12 and 20 bore guns.

Your gun looks better!

Randy.

[John Taylor]

Whoa John,,, That H&A style UH is beautiful! Spectacular wood !!!

The Pacific Rifle Co guy did some really nice work on that type of gun. I especially liked his 12 and 20 bore guns.

Your gun looks better!

Randy.

I don't think my guns compare to Roger's, he does some fine work. I did make a few barrels for him over the years.

[onelight]

RWE great job on that under hammer , very nice :mrgreen:

[10x]

I have liked the under hammer rifles for years. It all started with the photo of the Navy Arms underhammer buggy carbine in the 1964 Dixie Gun works catalogue. It took over 50 years but I finally got one.
I have a 45 caliber barrel blank and I will be building one similar to the one in the video in the next few years.
A 36 caliber with a 22" barrel would be a great small game rifle.

[BigEyeBob]

I believe Pedersoli have just released an underhammer muzzle loading pistol.

[Nobade]

I believe Pedersoli have just released an underhammer muzzle loading pistol.

They have two of them.

[10x]

They have two of them.
Dixie sold H&A underhammer pistols in the 1960's as "Boot pistols"
Looked at the Pedsoli website, nice looking pistol. It seems the receiver is separate from the barrel.

[Mk42gunner]

Since seeing some of Mr. Taylor's work a few years ago, I have been on the lookout for a piece of brass/bronze to make the body of the action.

Thanks for the reminder,

Robert

[John Taylor]

https://www.speedymetals.com/pc-2137-8199-1-14-rd-ca-360-brass.aspx
https://www.mcmaster.com/brass/diameter~1-1-4/
https://www.midweststeelsupply.com/store/360brassroundbar?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIifKdt_ub7gIVnw2 tBh3dRQ9vEAAYAiAAEgK45PD_BwE

Then you need to figure out how to bend it. I start off by boring it to 5/8" leaving the last inch for the stock bolt threads. Some of the frames I thread for the breach plug and some for a taper pin. The taper pin allows for easy takedown for cleaning but is not as rigid. For smaller calibers and barrel diameter I have used 1.125" and 1" round brass and steel. For bending I slide a piece of 2" steel that has been bored to except the brass over each end and put it in a press. The breach plug end and the stock end are fitted with a tight plug to keep them from deforming.

[Mk42gunner]

Wow the price of a new piece of brass isn't nearly as expensive as I had thought it would be. This project may have just moved up in the urgency file.

I think a .32 or .36 caliber would make a very nice little squirrel rifle.

The bending isn't going to be a problem, I have a 50 ton hydraulic press in the shop that I have been storing for my cousin for about twelve years.

Robert

[John Taylor]

I made a little 32 caliber many years back. It was fun to shoot when I realized it didn't take very much powder. I was having trouble getting it to shoot well and one day thought about the 32 rim fire cartridge that only used 9 grains of powder.

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You can get hammer, trigger and springs from http://www.longrifles-pr.com/underhammer.shtml

[Texas by God]

I've always wanted an underhammer rifle- I had the Numrich H&A catalog as a kid- alas, not yet. Ive always wondered if fired cap debris strikes your forearm upon firing the gun. Does it?

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[10x]

I made a little 32 caliber many years back. It was fun to shoot when I realized it didn't take very much powder. I was having trouble getting it to shoot well and one day thought about the 32 rim fire cartridge that only used 9 grains of powder.

275524

You can get hammer, trigger and springs from http://www.longrifles-pr.com/underhammer.shtml

Way back in the 1960s Turner Kirkland (Dixie Gun Works) advised that the most accurate load was the load that used the smallest amount of powder to get the ball to the target. With a squirrel rifle the targets are usually under 25 yards and a 32 or 36 caliber ball over 700 fps is devastating on a squirrel.

[fiberoptik]

Reason I laugh at those who use 30-40 grains of powder in.32’s!


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[GARD72977]

That little brass underhammer is really cool

[fiberoptik]

My CVA squirrel [emoji883] gun barrel would look nice on that!


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[RWE]

I made a little 32 caliber many years back. It was fun to shoot when I realized it didn't take very much powder. I was having trouble getting it to shoot well and one day thought about the 32 rim fire cartridge that only used 9 grains of powder.

275524

You can get hammer, trigger and springs from http://www.longrifles-pr.com/underhammer.shtml

John, thanks for adding to the thread.

I must not have had my preferences set to notify me, thought it fizzled out.

Only reason I noticed it was because I was searching 32 caliber barrels and underhammer parts and my old thread was in the top 5 results.

I like the H&A models, but would prefer a shorter hammer.

I may try going this route, but I may end up filing the brass action octagonal to match the barrel.

Thanks again for the eye candy, and hope you are doing well.

[John Taylor]

Love under hammers. Got my first one about 50 years ago. Roger Renner drew up an under hammer pistol and sent it to me a while back.
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I went ahead and made one from a piece of re-bar.
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