Hopkins and Allen underhammer

[Bighorserider]

A friend gave me an H&A underhammer pistol that had been given to him, and he has no interest in BP guns. I took it out to shoot for the first time today and was unsuccessful. None of my #11 caps came close to fitting the giant nipple on it. The nipple's external diameter is just slightly larger than that of the cap. Is this for a musket cap? I'm completely unfamiliar with them and don't know how big they are.

 

[hawkeye2]

It sounds like a nipple for a musket cap which would be totally unnecessary on that pistol. I suggest you remove the nipple and check the thread pitch & diameter and see if the threads in the barrel are OK.

 

[Treestalker]

Yes, it sounds like a musket nipple. An under-hammer gun needs a longer nipple to cover the threads in the barrel to the bore. If the musket nipple is OK, you might try some CCI winged musket caps and see how they work- but be aware of shrapnel from the caps; under hammers are notorious for scattering metal. A brass cup around the nipple may help, otherwise a #11 cap nipple may be the best option. You need a snug fit for your caps, regardless of size. Good luck and good shooting!

 

[Grenadier1758]

Track of the Wolf will have (at least) the listings for the special nipples required for the H&A Underhammer.

 

[desi23]

A friend gave me an H&A underhammer pistol that had been given to him, and he has no interest in BP guns. I took it out to shoot for the first time today and was unsuccessful. None of my #11 caps came close to fitting the giant nipple on it. The nipple's external diameter is just slightly larger than that of the cap. Is this for a musket cap? I'm completely unfamiliar with them and don't know how big they are.

A couple people posted that it might be a musket nipple. Possible but the one I had years ago (new in the box when I got it) came with a nipple sized to fit a #12 cap. Not a very common size but at least I had some as another older gun I had also used that size (and you could still find them back in the 1970's). Wish I still had the gun (both of them actually) but if I ran into another I would just replace the nipple with a standard size one nowadays

 

[hrt4me]

is yours original or a Numrich Arms reproduction?
got any pics?

 

[desi23]

is yours original or a Numrich Arms reproduction?
got any pics?

The OP's Hopkins & Allen gun would have to be a Numrich piece as the original Hopkins & Allen company was founded in 1868 to make those newfangled cartridge guns (they did produce a few cap & ball revolvers at first but are not recorded as making any other muzzle loaders).......... Numrich started using the name of this long defunct company in the 1960's (it had gone out of business in 1916) since the name was available and it had a nice, old time ring to it

 

[Bighorserider]

My pistol is obviously not an antique. I've been shopping for nipples and learning a little. The thread length varies a lot based on the thickness of the barrel. Mine has a washer on the nipple which I've never seen before. I assume it's because the threads are too long. My friendly Ace hardware thread tester showed a 7 x 1 thread. I was surprised that it was metric since others I read about aren't.

 

[FishDFly]

Under hammers do take a shorter nipple.

 

[Bighorserider]

Desi23 wins the award. I had never heard of #12 caps in 40 years of Muzzle loading. I took my nipple to the Mountain Man shop in Manatou Springs, Co. The old guy there was very knowledgeable and first tried a musket cap which was way too big and then a #12 which fit. I bought 2 cans which were cheaper than #11s I guess because they were older and he didn't sell many. Also bought a couple pounds of powder. I reccomend this place if you are in the area.

 

[Griz44Mag]

My pistol is obviously not an antique. I've been shopping for nipples and learning a little. The thread length varies a lot based on the thickness of the barrel. Mine has a washer on the nipple which I've never seen before. I assume it's because the threads are too long. My friendly Ace hardware thread tester showed a 7 x 1 thread. I was surprised that it was metric since others I read about aren't.

I have a washer on the nipple on my 44 too. It was the factory's way of not making a custom nipple for the gun. It works just fine.
Because of the direct fire into the barrel a musket nipple would be OVERKILL.... Replace it with a #11 and you will be fine using standard caps.

 

[Bighorserider]

I have a washer on the nipple on my 44 too. It was the factory's way of not making a custom nipple for the gun. It works just fine.
Because of the direct fire into the barrel a musket nipple would be OVERKILL.... Replace it with a #11 and you will be fine using standard caps.

No musket caps. Number 12 fits my nipple.