$40 underhammer

[Photog]

Well I got a heck of a deal last week. A guy sold me an H&A underhammer for $40. I finally got out to shoot it today and came up with this.

[/img]

First 5 shots from 25 yards the last shot from 50. The 50 yard shot is the one in the middle of the 3 shot group.

This was with a PRB over 50grs of 777.

 

[tg]

Good deal on a great shooting gun, those guns are neat, we don't see a lot of them out here in Oregon are they more popular in other parts of the country?

 

[Ed Wingenroth]

Give ya 50.00 for it !!! LOL

Ya done good Pilgrim...

:thumbsup:

 

[brubincam]

-----at least let him double his money-----

 

[gmww]

I hope your stung like some of us are on Underhammers! They may not be the purdiest but they sure perform well! Very nice. I see the action is in the white.

 

[Photog]

The action is a two tone, white with rust flecks :grin: I heard about burning your wrist when holding it off hand, so I used a rest today. It is a little ironic the name on the barrel is "Off Hand", but you get burned if you shoot it that way. After seeing the way it shoots I think I am going to try to find some matches to shoot in.

 

[gmww]

Not to rain on your parade but be prepared. Its my understanding that shoots don't recognize Underhammers as being traditional. They are by the way but just be prepared.

 

[faw3]

Boy you robbed someone! :rotf: reat deal, as a ong time shooter of these try a 65 to 70 load of BP to get a Very good grp. ( I only have about a dozen haveing sold 8 or 9) What cal you shooting and 777 seems to work best if you cant get BP bu BP out shots 777 in most of mine. Fred :hatsoff:

 

[F.G. Ford]

Photog !
You got a great deal, I love Underhammers as well,
they will kick ass at any shoot.
Your model needs a little attention.
I don't know if your rifle is a very early model.
However here is the issue.
The barrel pin is positioned very close to the edge of the frame, and in some cases, will actually work its way through the web of the frame, resulting in a barrel that moves.
Between the action ( frame) and barrel there is a spacer, this can be Mig welded, to give better support to the barrel pin.
I'm sure "FW" can add some info on this matter.
If you have issues with this, and don't understand what I am writing about, email me, and I'll walk you through it.
Old Ford

 

[Photog]

Old Ford,

That would be a problem! I'll keep an eye on it. The guy that sold it to me said I should take the barrel off and check the breech plug to see if it was tight. Which I did. But, it took a lot of pounding to get that pin out.I was afraid I was going to break the gun. Is there any way to replace the roll pin with anything?

 

[tg]

It is a real wacked out group that does not allow underhammers, they are a uniquely American hunting and target rifle,I don't think they were made in great numbers from their conception in 1830's New England but they are as traditional as any of the sidelock Hawken/plains/Southern Mt. caplocks we see at any shoot.

 

Photog,
Your underhammer should be eligible for any match you go to, they are a truly traditional rifle.
As to the barrel coming loose, and they "sometimes' will, I take the roll pin out and drill the hole straight through and then thread it for a cap bolt. You can thread the tang hole and the offside of the action and then recess the bolt head on the near side. I shoot chunk, offhand and shotguns made from the H&A actions.
Mark

 

[Bob Riegl]

:v I have an old .36 Heritage from Deer Creek and built their kit 5 years back. It is by far the most accurate of my BP shooters. The price you paid was "thievery", BTW what did you use a hammer lock, gun or large knife to help steal that one ? You will never part with that one--- :hatsoff:

 

[Blizzard of '93]

lucky rascal :shake:

 

[F.G. Ford]

The barrel retaining pin should be a tapered pin.
(not a roll pin?)
The purpose of a tapered pin is to tighten up as you press the pin in place.
Maybe not the prettiest gun out there, but among the best shooting black powder rifles made.
It is really interesting that no commercial manufacturer has not stepped up to the plate and produced another underhammer rifle.
A company in Spain, Ardesa, I believe makes a beauty, but they don't ship to North America?
SAD?
Best Regards
Old Ford

 

[Many Klatch]

If they allow caplocks, they should allow underhammers. They predate the nominal 1836 cutoff date by a few years. They were very popular in New England and there were a lot of boot pistols made with the underhammer system.

Many Klatch

 

[gmww]

Old Ford,

That would be a problem! I'll keep an eye on it. The guy that sold it to me said I should take the barrel off and check the breech plug to see if it was tight. Which I did. But, it took a lot of pounding to get that pin out.I was afraid I was going to break the gun. Is there any way to replace the roll pin with anything?

The gun on top originally had a wedge pin. The one on the bottom has a wedge pin. I asked John Taylor to replace the wedge pin with set screws. There is a third set screw on the top. You will have to also replace the breach plug to make this work since it has a hole for the wedge pin.

A closer look at the set screw system.

 

[Billnpatti]

Wow!! What a deal. Those rifles aren't made any more. Mowrey used to make them but they quit. Deer creek bought out Mowrey smoe time back and took over production of the rifles. They quit making them and sold their machinery to Long Hammock. Deer Creek still has the actions and a few butt stocks. You can buy the parts from them and send them to Long Hammock to have a barrel fitted. The action is now $120, the buttstock is $45, the forestock is $35 and a barrel from Long Hammock is running about $180. I am having one built tight now and expect to have over $600 by the time it is ready to shoot. See what a bargain you got. I'm green with envy.

 

[Photog]

Great guns GMWW! That brass one is stunning.

A set screw would be nice. Mine has a roll pin not a wedge pin. I will try to get a replacement wedge pin, and see if it is better. The guy I bought it from told me it was put together with parts, so maybe the original pin was lost. Gun Parts Corp has the pin, so I may order it from them.

 

[cecil]

Wow!! I have been looking for an Underhammer for a while. Want a 45 caliber, but right now would settle for any caliber.

Willisburg