underhammer single barrel shotgun ?

[buckweet]

ever hear of one ? searching , but havent seen anything.

wonder if they ever made one ? pretty sure they did at one time or other.

heck ? i'ed take a mule ear, sideslapper single barrel. buckshot shooter.

:cbpour:

[StrawHat]

An underhammer shotgun? I believe I saw one, a custom built. Don't believe I have ever heard of a company making them. Getting a company built, good single barrel shotgun is hard to find. Same with any type of lock. At one point there were "kits" for underhammer actions you could barrel with whatever you wanted to use but I haven't seen those in a while.

[northmn]

You may have better luck getting abarrel for one. A 12 Bore takes a 7/8 NF thread. I built a flintlock out of a barrel I picked up at a gunshow for $5.00. An underhammer would be an easier project. My barrel was off of an old single shot. Competition trap shooters built in-line as well as underhammer shotguns. Would not be a hard project. My shotgun had a full choke which I reamed out as I did not need anything that tight and it was harder to load.

Northmn

[badgeredd]

A friend will likely be posting his comments on this one. We have been working on a home built.

I haven't seen a period gun yet, but can't see any reason to think they weren't built in the Golden Age.

Edd

[FL-Flinter]

Buggy rifles are the most common historic reference but it wasn't all that uncommon to find a smoothbore on a period underhammer. The basic underhammer is a truly utilitarian design and quite easily adapted to any use. The more one researches history, the more that is dug-up that is often overlooked by the mainstream. Underhammers, as with most other ML's, are subjected to more myth and misconception than actual fact. Couple examples are the use of early optical and specialized sights dating well back into the 18th century and some claim even into the late 17th century; conical bullets half a century before Minie's; birdshot pattern control long before the concept was even considered by the English; and of course the repeating flintlock having just one barrel as well as the use of sabots are not anything new either.

Underhammer fowlers can be done about any way you want but the best is with either a tapered all-round or a tapered octagon to round barrel profile. 0.580" - 0.620" bore works out nicely on the H&A actions. And, don't let the gun rag BS slingers get to you, a smaller bore with the correct load will often hit harder at longer ranges than a bigger bore ... "MAGNUM" yet another myth that simply isn't supported by fact.

Mark

[John Taylor]

I have an unfinished shotgun barrel for the H&A. Can't remember if it is 58 or 62. Started it for a customer and he changed his mind.

[buckweet]

I have an unfinished shotgun barrel for the H&A. Can't remember if it is 58 or 62. Started it for a customer and he changed his mind.




hey thanks john......:coffee:


well heck ? tell me more. please PM me.... i'll check this later.

n:coffee: neighbor gave me an old H&A action, looks like it been laying in the timber 40 years, barrel blown off , 4 inches in front of the action.
stock, and most of the trigger group is missing, but ? its still an action.....?:roll:

dunno ? might try to fix it up. thinking shotgun.

along with the .62 project, does this ever end ?

weet

[buckweet]

Buggy rifles are the most common historic reference but it wasn't all that uncommon to find a smoothbore on a period underhammer. The basic underhammer is a truly utilitarian design and quite easily adapted to any use. The more one researches history, the more that is dug-up that is often overlooked by the mainstream. Underhammers, as with most other ML's, are subjected to more myth and misconception than actual fact. Couple examples are the use of early optical and specialized sights dating well back into the 18th century and some claim even into the late 17th century; conical bullets half a century before Minie's; birdshot pattern control long before the concept was even considered by the English; and of course the repeating flintlock having just one barrel as well as the use of sabots are not anything new either.

Underhammer fowlers can be done about any way you want but the best is with either a tapered all-round or a tapered octagon to round barrel profile. 0.580" - 0.620" bore works out nicely on the H&A actions. And, don't let the gun rag BS slingers get to you, a smaller bore with the correct load will often hit harder at longer ranges than a bigger bore ... "MAGNUM" yet another myth that simply isn't supported by fact.

Mark


hello mark.. did you ever make that phone call ? or do i need to call you....HAHAHA !!
i thoughts ? for sure, that in the old days, surly someone made single barrel underhammer shotguns.
old wore out barrels ? smoothed out ? im just thinking, for around here, an old smooth bore .. is just the tickett for tree rats.
course, like your's.. my old savage stevens, is a great shotgun.

weet

[FL-Flinter]

T,
Tried calling but no answer, will try again on Monday, he may have quit early for NY's?

Mark

[buckweet]

T,
Tried calling but no answer, will try again on Monday, he may have quit early for NY's?

Mark





sounds good, thank you.


tim

[357maximum]

I have a 34inch 20 gauge barrel for my H&A type underhammer. I have not done much with it besides pop a few starlings in the yard, but it does pattern pretty good. I have not "completed" it yet as I am still thinking of bobbing the barrel down a bit but it is nice and handy.

The barrel was from an old octagon to round smoothbore kentucky type "rifle" that had some serious negelct at one part in it's life, but it has been resurrected. The breech end was shortened and Edd re breeched it to fit my underhammer for me. It still needs the ramrod thimbles soldered on once I decide on barrel length, but it kills starlings purdy good. The barrel is very light as is...part of the reason I am struggling with the final length decision. I will not put a forearm on it to keep it light and handy. I have even shot a few thick patched .575 balls through it and I could take a deer with it at bow hunting ranges as it sits. I am going to solder a bead up front and possibly put a very short notch at the rear...still undecided about the rear aiming point though.


One beauty of the H&A type underhammer is that barrels can be changed in about a minute. The original contender/encore system eh? When this is all said and done I will have about 6 barrels and two rifle frames and two pistol frames that will all interchange barrels if so desired.

[357maximum]

Pics from awhile ago in my shop with the 34in 20 GA barrel on it.


http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l80/357maximum/uh20ga001.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l80/357maximum/uh20ga002.jpg

[Boz330]

I thought about building up an octagon to round trade gun barrel for mine in 20ga. to hunt turkeys with, but never got around to it. But it should be pretty simple to do.
As far as parts for an under hammer you might call Deer Creek and see if they have some of the cast parts laying around from when they built the kits. After all there are only 2 of them.

Bob

[buckweet]

seems like parts are getting harder to find, several of the places i've called say they haven't had any in years.
there out there, i'm just looking in the wrong places, i guess.