A friend gave me an old Hopkins and Allen underhammer marked "The Offahander" to clean for him. I can't find out very much about it. I can't see a way to really take it apart. 45 I think even though it isn't marked. Really heavy too.Trigger guard seems to also be the hammer spring. Anyone have one of these?
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H and A Underhammer
- Thread starter misher
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contact gmww he is the offical u/h expert :thumbsup:
Hi,
The rifle you are speaking of, is a Hopkins & Allen model, made by Numrich Arms, out of West Hurley, NY state neary Albany, NY.
They were made from the early 1960's, on into the 1970's
Most calibers were .45, but shot a .440 ball best.
They were many models made from Buggy rifles to heavier, long barreled rifles.
Apparently there were a few .50 cal. models also, but best of all was their .36 cal..
All models used a flat spring for the trigger guard, but also powered the hammer ( great system)
Maybe not the prettiest, in yhe rack, but will ou-shoot any rifle( perhaps most).
The only way to take apart is to remove a pin that holds the barrel to the action, but there is no real need to do so,( better to leave it alone)
I do hope this helps.
Old Ford
The rifle you are speaking of, is a Hopkins & Allen model, made by Numrich Arms, out of West Hurley, NY state neary Albany, NY.
They were made from the early 1960's, on into the 1970's
Most calibers were .45, but shot a .440 ball best.
They were many models made from Buggy rifles to heavier, long barreled rifles.
Apparently there were a few .50 cal. models also, but best of all was their .36 cal..
All models used a flat spring for the trigger guard, but also powered the hammer ( great system)
Maybe not the prettiest, in yhe rack, but will ou-shoot any rifle( perhaps most).
The only way to take apart is to remove a pin that holds the barrel to the action, but there is no real need to do so,( better to leave it alone)
I do hope this helps.
Old Ford
Bought a used one at a gun show many years ago for my left handed daughter. It was a .45 and shot center with a .440 ball & ticking and a modest 55 grs of 3f. No need to dissasemble beyond removing the nipple and making sure the breech is clean. We had to put a little finger pinch on the caps to keep em on.
Billnpatti
Cannon
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These are very simple rifles to clean and do not usually need any disassembly at all. If you do not have an adaptor to fit in the nipple hole to allow you to flush water through it, you can either buy one or just use soapy water on patches through the muzzle to clean it. Rinse it thoroughly and flush with WD-40 to remove the water. Oil it and the bore is finished. To clean the action, just remove the trigger guard by removing the one trigger guard screw. With the trigger guard off, there will be no tension on the lock and you can freely move the parts. Spray a goodly amount of automobile break cleaner into the action to flush it out. Then oil it and replace the trigger guard and you are done. In the unlikely event that the action needs to be disassembled due to rust, just remove the trigger guard then remove the two screws in the side of the action. One is for the trigger and the other is for the tumbler. Keep track of which one goes where and keep track of which side of the two parts is left and which is right. You can use a marker to mark them for easy re-assembly. Also mark the tumbler spring. It is the easiest to get mixed up as to how it goes back. If you get everything mixed up, it is not a hard job for even the amature to figure it out but it is a bit fiddly with trying each part thihs way and that until you find the combination. No big deal but you can save yourself some time by simply marking them with a marking pen.
BTW, after the H&As were made in N.Y., Mowrey Gun Works in Waldron, Indiana made them for several years until production was ceased in either the late 1990s or early 2000s. Just a few months ago, I bought what may have been the last action that was left on the shelves at Deer Creek Products, the company that last owned Mowrey Gun Works. They were able to find all the parts to build an action as well as a rough cut stock blank. I had to order the barrel from Long Hammock in Florida. It is one fine shooting little rifle as I am sure is the one that you have. I was able to shoot a 5 shot group at 25 yards that could be covered by a quarter using 45 grains of Goex fffG powder with a .440 ball and a .017 patch with a leather over powder wad. My patch and over powder wad lube was straight Ballistol.
BTW, after the H&As were made in N.Y., Mowrey Gun Works in Waldron, Indiana made them for several years until production was ceased in either the late 1990s or early 2000s. Just a few months ago, I bought what may have been the last action that was left on the shelves at Deer Creek Products, the company that last owned Mowrey Gun Works. They were able to find all the parts to build an action as well as a rough cut stock blank. I had to order the barrel from Long Hammock in Florida. It is one fine shooting little rifle as I am sure is the one that you have. I was able to shoot a 5 shot group at 25 yards that could be covered by a quarter using 45 grains of Goex fffG powder with a .440 ball and a .017 patch with a leather over powder wad. My patch and over powder wad lube was straight Ballistol.
hanshi
Cannon
A picture (I hope) of an H&A .45 with the barrel pinned into the receiver. Barrel does not "have" to be removed for cleaning. These are great rifles!
hanshi
Cannon
I'll take some closeups and post them.
If there was ever the desire to own a true American Rifle, a Numrich, Hopkin & Allen rifle would be it.
Perhaps not exact to a 1860-1870 but darn close, and best of all, relatively cheap and bullet proof.
And with a little care, will easily last another fifty years, and kick ass, in every shoot, in the next fifty years.
What more could you want?
Old Ford
Perhaps not exact to a 1860-1870 but darn close, and best of all, relatively cheap and bullet proof.
And with a little care, will easily last another fifty years, and kick ass, in every shoot, in the next fifty years.
What more could you want?
Old Ford
