new underhammer and load questions

[kgs113]

I just picked up an old Numrich Arms/Hopkins & Allen rifle. It is called The "Offhand" and appears to be
.45 cal with a 1 in 60" twist. Any suggestions for loads? Thanks for your help.

Kevin

 

[arcticap]

I have an old buggy rifle that likes a .430 ball and .018 pillow ticking patch combination.
I also have an older Dixie catalog that lists the .430 ball as being preferred by the Numrich .45 barrels. However, the ones that Dixie was selling at that time were round and not octagon barrels.
I believe the reason that my gun prefers the .430 ball is because the bore measures closer to .45 caliber from groove to groove at the muzzle, not land to land.
However, it's entirely possible that the Offhand barrels, including yours, have different specifications, including the 1 in 60" twist rate. :hatsoff:

 

[arcticap]

Correction to my last post:
I should have listed the preferred ball as being .433 and not .430 :nono:

 

[faw3]

Good find you'll find a lot of H+A stuff on here , just scan back about , well really some lasted for months. Ive got a org 48" 45cal ya they never made one but I got one just the same.I think I posted the pics as 48" but you'll find a truck load of stuff the last 6 months. 433 is correct, if Wal 1 wasn't off working for a month I think he'd tell you 440. Both work, and real good. Out of this 48 bench thing and my others all seem to be best at 70grs of 3f. Hope this helps, you can go back and find any answer to anything you want to know ...or just ask. FRED :hatsoff:

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I too have the 45cal "Offhand" model and yes, that bore is tight! So much so that the 45cal coning tool Joe Woods sells wouldn't even begin to start into the bore.

I could never have used 0.445" balls with any patching, less paper, and I settled on 0.440" roundballs using 0.010" think linen patches (from Thunder Ridge Muzzloading) that I use with the dry-lube Moose Milk forumla.

Works slick and provided the "nut" behind the tirgger does it's (his) job ... all will go into one ragged hole @ 30 yards offhand :thumbsup: !

 

[quinnconner]

I just bought a hopkins and allen underhammer rifle on sunday.It is the one that had the stuck nipple.It said on the sale flier that it was a .50 cal. but I just checked it.It is a .45!!! That is fine with me! It has a 1 1/8" round barrel and it has 2 brass thimbles under the barrel for the ramrod. I am happy that I didnt go to the range with my .490 balls.... I will be tryin .440 in her and see how that goes.
J.J.

 

[faw3]

Take some 433 with you , you'll find they shoot real good! And not so hard to get down the old 1 1/8th barrel (see my pics a few months back on 48"underhammer, a 3/4 10 shot hole at 50yds isnt real hard useing the factory lolly pop type sight. Fred :hatsoff:

 

[Metalshaper]

Numrich barrels have notoriously tight bores. My Buddy has a .31,, it shoots a .295 ball. My .36 cal Numrich barrel,,mics out a .356-.357. I shoot either .340 balls from a mould or Hornady swaged shot in .330.

Other than that, they are both great barrels and are really accurate! :thumbsup:

Respect Always
Metalshaper

 

[quinnconner]

How do you guys clean your underhammers?? leave the barrel on the stock or remove the barrel?? My cross pin seems in there pretty tight.I ran patches in mine with olive oil on them.That seemed to work well...it only took about 4 patches to clean it, but I had only fired 1 shot to see how tight it was gonna load.I used a .010 patch and a .440 ball that I had on hand.I have to go get some .433 balls...
J.J.

 

[faw3]

Most of us dont remove the pin, unless broke . They seem to work with thicker patch than .010,I use the 018 / 433. fred :hatsoff:

 

[gmww]

I leave the stock on unless I suspect moisture had gotton under it. I clean it using Butch's bore shine for black powder and then a regiment of other stuff finally oiling it with Kroil. No problems yet!

 

[BS]

How do you guys clean your underhammers?? leave the barrel on the stock or remove the barrel?? My cross pin seems in there pretty tight.I ran patches in mine with olive oil on them.That seemed to work well...it only took about 4 patches to clean it, but I had only fired 1 shot to see how tight it was gonna load.I used a .010 patch and a .440 ball that I had on hand.I have to go get some .433 balls...
J.J.

Windex, dry patches, then Break Free.

I will also wipe down the receiver, If it is really dirty, I will pull and clean the cup and nipple.

 

[wizard71]

Being this discussion is about underhammers and loads. I have a question, I've ordered an underhammer from Blue Grouse. I sent Bruce a GM IBS barrel that is 28 in. long with a 1-28 twist. I know that's a pretty fast twist. So I'm assuming it'll shoot conicals better rather then RB. Any recommandations on what would be the best type to shot. I'm think of either Maxi-ball or a R.E.A.L bullets.

 

[BS]

A 1-28 twist should shoot upto 450 grainers just fine. For deer, look at Hornady Great plains 385 with the hollow point. Maxi and Real bullets should shoot very good also, just remember to use a WAD under the bullet.

 

[wizard71]

When you say wad, do you mean something similar to an over the powder card like in a muzzleloading shotgun?

 

[BS]

I use heavy card stock, or Over the Powder cards, some folks have good luck using wonder wads.