Finally Finished my Underhammers

[jh45gun]

Finally finished these after trying to figure out a fireing system that would work with a full stock. So I came up with this design after trying mock ups of other systems and finding out that every thing would be too long and wind up into the wrist which I did not want because I figured it would weaken the stock. Rifle is a 54 cal with a one in 28 twist Green Mountain Barrel. SHot gun is a 12 guage with removable chokes and takes Remington chokes. Both Barrels were for a Knight Model 86 switchbarrel sytem that Knight discontinued. I got the barrels for 30 bucks a pop figuring I could get a reciever from Knight but they did not have any more and did not plan to make any either so I decided the easiest way to make it go bang would be a underhammer system. Well that was not as easy as I thought either after finding out most underhammers have their own recievers and are not made into full stocks. Well I figured out how to do it anyway. They may not be conventional looking but they do work and the trigger pull on both are not bad. Total cost into each gun is right around 50 bucks. Buttplates were made from sheet brass that some one gave me. Trigger guards were scrap sheet brass that I paid a buck for. the peep sight on the rifle cost me a buck at a rummage sale. Front sight is fiberoptic. Hole in the side of the gun with the brass plate is to access the nipple.

It has taken a while to figure things out and get every thing together and yea they are one of a kind but hey they work so that to me is what counts. They may not be the most prettiest in the world, but I am happy with them as I took some barrels that could not be used unless you had the Knight rifle they were made for and made something usefull out of them. I also have two usable guns for little cash outlay. Jim

 

[guncobbler]

Hey Jim - Those are pretty neat guns! Can you show a closeup or diagram of your trigger and hammers? Good looking stock work too. GC

 

[jh45gun]

OK Here goes GunCobbler, The tube is copper half inch capped with a coil spring inside and a bolt with the head rounded off to fit the tube for a striker. The nut on the bolt acts like a safety and to hold the bolt open when changeing caps ect. Turn it down the gun will fire keep it up and it will not hit the cap to act as a safety. I got this idea from the old knight rifles they had a nut on the end of the bolt on their inlines. bottom is a T nut cut down for the sear to grab. The part that screws into the stock is aluminum and has a slot .300 cut into it for the sear to fit and a coil spring. The sear has a square shaped metal piece that bolts on but it could be silver soldered or welded if you have the stuff to do that for the spring to rest on so when you pull down the bolt it automatically cocks and engages the cut in the sear. the trigger arm is just plain stock cut down to fit and drilled and tapped on both ends for the trigger and to fit on the sear. I drilled and tapped 8/32. Trigger is a old Win 94 trigger but any trigger that you can bolt on will work or make your own. I did what I had on hand I am sure some one with the tools and the right set up could make a lot nicer set up and use a better tube than what I had maybe made of steel. But since I do not have a shop I had to improvise and do what I could with what I had. Hope this helps. THe stain was a alcohol one I made up out of stain powder that you can buy. I used light walnut and a red stain mixed together. Finish is clear Enamel and then buffed out with fine steel wool to take some of the shine off.

 

[jh45gun]

Who shoots muzzle loader shotguns here? DO you use the old fashioned wads or the newer plastic shot cups? What do you use to measure powder and shot with and do you use equal amounts in volume or something different? Jim