Allan Foundry Late Percussion Sling Hooks Kit

Here's a little something that, while not strictly underhammer in nature, is rather useful an item which I now include as standard equipment on my 12-bore underhammer Carabine de Chasse dangerous game rifles. 

While hunting we would normally have our favorite muzzleloader in hand and at the ready for that moment when the perfect shot presents itself. Once the shot has been taken and the deed been done, suddenly our favorite rifle becomes just so much dead, awkward weight during the ordeal of getting our prize back to camp.

Of course modern rifles wear slings that make the job of toting it and freeing up your hands a piece of cake. Not so with muzzleloading rifles - unless, of course, you hunt with martial arms which normally would have a sling. However, sporting arms of the flint and percussion period usually didn't wear slings and finding attachment hardware is really a challenge if you want it to look at least somewhat right and be functional.

Allan Foundry & Manufacturing (you probably remember them from our Annual Underhammer Action Round-up - now in the Archives) now offers a complete kit to outfit your favorite underhammer rifle or other muzzleloader with sling rings and hooks.

The kits consists of two 3/8" "double wedding band" ramrod ferrules with integral hook rings, two sling hooks and a stock screw with the hook ring. While the photo shows the hooks polished and heat blued, the pieces are sold "as cast" and must be filed, polished and finished (heat-blued hooks look great) before installation.

Obviously, you file the sling hook ring off of one of the two ramrod ferrules. This provides you with two matching ferrules.  While intended for half-stock designs where the ferrule can be dovetailed into the rib, the dovetail could act as a tab that could be drilled through in the same manner as any other ferrule would be and the ferrule then pinned into a full-stock rifle as well.

The hooks are cast of spring steel and once you have them "pinched" so that they are a tight fit when slipping into the loops, they will not fall off the gun. The real beauty of these hooks is their quick attachment feature which allows you to carry the rifle without the sling attached while hunting. The sling can be rolled up and carried in your coat pocket. Once you've downed the game, just attach the sling and you can sling the rifle across your back leaving your hands free.

While intended for later percussion sporting rifles, these hooks are also appropriate for cartridge guns all the way up to the early 1900s and in fact look very similar to the old and now rare Winchester sling hooks. 

The kit is a real bargain at $34.95 postpaid and is available by sending a check or postal money order to Allan Foundry & Manufacturing, 2784 Highway 23, Brook Park, Minnesota 55007. Allow lots of time for delivery as Pete is usually up to his armpits in alligators in trying to fill orders.

Be sure to tell him that you read about it on The Underhammer Society site.

Cheers!


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Bump Underhammer Pistol/Knife

Multi-function gadgets catch my attention when properly done. It seems that we all have a certain fascination with things that emulate the utilitarian efficiency of the famous Swiss Army Knife.

Occasionally someone gets a bright idea to combine an eggbeater with a vacuum cleaner and a ceiling fan and we all wonder, What the hell was he thinking?!”  However, once in a while there are some wonderful ideas that come down the pike that combine the right elements in the right form to provide the right function and we instantly recognize them as being ingenius.

The Bump Pistol/Knife is just such an item. Made by Bruce Bump, Master bladesmith with the American BladeSmith Society, these pistol/knives are exquisite pieces of functional art. 

Pistol knives are not anything new. They've been around since the earliest days of firearms when cannoneers mounted shorter barrels on a short pike to create " handgones." Mounting a bayonet on the piece seemed logical and so the first pistol/knives were born. That may be an oversimplification of the history and I do apologize to our history buffs if the facts aren't quite sterling, but you get the point.

Be that as it may,  rarely do we see pistol/knives constructed with an underhammer lock. Most designs utilize a top-mounted hammer in a boxlock mechanism or the typical sidehammer on a conventional lock. But Bruce must have been afflicted with underhammeritis when he created these beauties.

Once you get past the initial awe of overwhelm, closer study of his lockwork components reveals that Bruce uses a two-piece hammer wherein the “head” of the hammer is a separate piece which appears to be pinned to the body of the hammer. This is a great idea as one can cut the flat hammer body from steel plate and then fashion the hammer head of any size or of most any form you wish. Once it’s to your liking, you simply attach it to the hammer body.

Even after studying these photos for considerable time while putting this feature together, I must admit that I’m still compelled  to ogle them for greater detail. Bruce’s execution is flawless. I guess that’s why he is rated as a Master Bladesmith.

Bruce writes, “I have a touch of underhammeritis, too, (I thought so!) and really glad I'm not alone. Most all my information is from a book I found at our local used book store entitled "THE PICTORIAL HISTORY OF THE UNDER-HAMMER GUN" by Herschel C. Logan. I tried my best to use the Cook design with one of my guns. I'm a MasterSmith with the American BladeSmith Society and love knives as well and have made only 10 guns total with 4 using the underhammer firing mechanism although they also house a damascus folding knife blade.”

Wouldn't it be swell if Santa brought each of us one of these!!!

Here is an exploded view of some of the components that comprise Bruce's artistry.

I want to also draw your attention to the other artists who are featured here. That is the photographers, Jim Cooper, of SharpByCoop Photography,  www.SharpByCoop.com who was so gracious in allowing us to use his first-class photos for this feature and Eric Eggly of Point Seven Gallery. Without their sharp eye and professional skill with a camera, we couldn't fully appreciate the talent of Bruce Bump. Our thanks to both of these men for sharing their amazing talents with us.

So, dear readers, I bid you all Happy Holidays as I now sign off for this bizarre year of 2011 and leave you with this fond reminder of more simple and innocent days gone by. 

Enjoy, but, please be careful or...

you'll shoot your eye out!

Cheers!

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New Google Picture Format

Dear friends,

Thank you for your interest in The Underhammer Society.

In the past few years that I have been writing and publishing this blog the format as provided by Google and Blogger has remained the same in regard to viewing the pictures featured with each post. In the past you could click on the photo and it would enlarge in a separate window for closer viewing. To return to the text you would simply click the Back arrow at the upper left corner of your screen.

Unfortunately Google has now decided to change the format in which pictures are presented. And, oh by the way, they didn't bother to notify me of this change. So now when you click on the photo you will be rewarded with the enlarged view, but you must click the WHITE X in the upper right corner of the screen to return to the text.

If you click the Back arrow as you did in the past you may be taken on a wild trip outside of this blog and you will have to find your way back again. This has happened to several of our readers who became frustrated when they were kicked out after having enjoyed the enhanced version of some of the photos. 

If by some chance you do click the Back arrow and are taken somewhere else, your computer might allow you to come back if your click the Forward arrow in the upper left of your screen - at least if does so with Firefox.

As you read some of the older posts you will be reminded of the OLD WAY to return to the text. Please disregard those instructions and follow the new instructions posted above. There are just so many references to the old method that I can't go back and edit them all.  Sorry, but that's the way it is.

Other than for that glitch, I hope you are enjoying this blog. Please stay tuned as I have new material on the way. Lately I've been up to my armpits in alligators and just have not had the time to focus on the blog. So those of you who need your underhammer fix for the month will have to hang on just a little bit longer.

I know it's going to be tough, but I'll leave you in the capable care of our official underhammer society nurse who may help you find comfort during the wait.

Cheers!

RJ Renner

PS:

While we're all here, let's practice the new way of enlarging the pics and returning to the text.

Please click on the photo of Nurse Bambi to enlarge her to her full potential. Now, notice in the upper right corner of the black picture-viewing screen there is a WHITE X. Just click on the X and you will be returned to the text.

See how simple that was?! Nothing to it.

Now let's see if you can remember to do that all the time as you revisit some of the those older posts, which BTW, you can get to the archives by going to the bottom of the page where on the right side there is a link to Older Posts. Click it and enjoy.


Yes, we're finished now and you can go back and enlarge Nurse Bambi and tell her all about your underhammeritis symptoms. If you're not sure if you have underhammeritis, there is a feature further down the page where Nurse Bambi is shown full size. You don't even need to click on her for full enjoyment.

I know you'll be just fine until I get the next story posted.

Cheers!

PPS:  Also a reminder that if you have an underhammer story or photos of your underhammer project, or a link to an interesting underhammer arm, I would happy to share them with our readers. Just drop me a line at:
underhammers@safe-mail.net and we can discuss it.

Forsyth Rifling - Forgotten Magic

Well, it’s about time again for my annual plug for Forsyth rifling. For those of you who are new to this blog, with your continued reading you will learn that I am a devout prophet of the Forsyth system of rifling gun barrels, having proven its advantages in the course of building over 200 Forsyth rifles of various calibres.

Lately there seems to be a bunch more hub-bub about Forsyth rifling as muzzleloaders everywhere begin to discover the truth about big-bore round balls and their superiority over other projectiles for taking down big game - dead - with one clean shot.

There’s also a lot of misunderstanding as to what Forsyth rifling is, does, and how it works. For those of you who are not yet familiar with the brainchild of Lieut. James Forsyth and wishing to learn more, just send me an e-mail request - underhammers@safe-mail.net - and I will be very happy to e-mail to you a pdf version of his wonderful book, The Sporting Rifle and Its Projectiles.

Lest I steal his thunder and your enjoyment of his book, let me just touch on the subject of his rifling methods.

Hey, slow down!

In a nutshell Forsyth rifling features very narrow lands and wide, shallow grooves cut at a very slow pitch of 1 turn in 100 to 144 inches – the exact twist being the result of considering certain other factors. There are some barrel makers who offer slower twist rifling, but slow twist alone does not a Forsyth barrel make.

In coming to an understanding of this concept one simple truth must be clearly understood - that is the round ball, being a perfect geometric form, requires very little spin to stabilize its flight. And, the larger the diameter of that round ball even less spin is required. While a 48-inch twist works in .36 or .45 calibre, it limits the full potential of a larger round ball. Again, the larger the ball, the slower the spin needed to keep it on a straight path. However, there are certain limitations with Forsyth rifling, too.

Clicking on the photo will enlarge it for a closeup view of the rifling.
Clicking the Back arrow will return you to the text.

To really appreciate the significance of our re-discovery of Forsyth’s research it must be understood that he postulated those wonderful concepts about the optimum rifling for muzzleloading hunting rifles way back in the mid-1800’s. Yes, it’s been around that long. Unfortunately, the first edition of his book was printed in 1863 in England and by the time his revolutionary concepts made it across the pond and to the far flung game fields of the world, cartridges had made their debut and no one cared much anymore about muzzleloading performance. His work and his book were lost in history.

The fact is that Forsyth had overcome all of our modern day objections and complaints about muzzleloading rifles over 150 years ago!

Forsyth is for hunters

It should be understood that the advantages of Forsyth rifling are intended for the big game hunter in the field where shooting over unknown distances may be the norm. We burn lots of powder in our big bore hunting rifles which is not an objective of the competitive muzzleloading crowd.

Could you accurately guesstimate the range of this deer within 10 yards? 

A mistake of a mere 10 yards at this distance with most muzzleloaders 
can mean mortally wounding and losing the animal.

Because of the very slow twist that is used in properly made Forsyth barrels, there is very little fouling of the bore – hence, easy reloading and clean up. And, by virtue of those very narrow lands, loading a proper-sized ball and patch is easily accomplished with thumb pressure alone; then seated on the powder with an easy stroke of the loading rod. In my own experience, a ball that is .020" smaller than the bore diameter, wrapped in a Wonder Lubed patch of .010" - .012" and using a Wonder Wad over the powder provides the best results.

If extreme accuracy is required you can increase the ball diameter, or better yet, the patch thickness, as a thicker patch holds more lube. However, the tighter the fit of the ball and patch in the bore, the more difficulty you'll encounter in seating the ball into the muzzle. For me, I'm rather lazy and I like to keep things simple and would sacrifice an inch of accuracy at 100 yards for the convenience of loading a quick follow up shot without any extra gadgets - like a short starter. But that's just me.

The question frequently comes up as to how small a ball will still work. In my own experience in building and testing Forsyth rifles of various large calibers, I have determined that the smallest diameter ball that will still provide the advantages of Forsyth rifling is .58 calibre. At 270 grains, the round ball has just enough weight and mass to travel straight and true at high velocity with as little spin as 1 turn in 100 inches of rifling twist.

Now, some will argue that you don’t need extreme velocity - translate as “power” - for hunting most game when using a large round ball. And while that is true in many cases, it is not extreme power that we are seeking. Bullet drop is a function of time. So, the quicker we get the ball to the target, the less time gravity has to act upon it. The advantage of high velocity that we are seeking is a flat trajectory. Extreme knockdown power is just an incidental benefit.

The bullet path on the chart above illustrates that the .62 Faeton with 
Genuine Forsyth Rifling shoots very flat to 120 yards.

Many muzzleloading rifles produce such curved trajectories due to the limitations on velocity based upon their faster rifling twist that any shot much beyond 80 yards requires very accurate range estimation and proper holdover if you are going to deliver that small diameter ball into the vitals of a game animal. Not so critical with a properly loaded Forsyth rifle. With some typical muzzleloaders a miscalculation of 15 yards out there past the 75-yard mark can mean the difference between delicious venison chops and a long and grueling search for a wounded animal. 

There are those of the in-line crowd who claim that their sub-caliber high velocity bullets shoot pretty flat to 200 yards. While that may be true, remember that with each foot of distance their bullet travels from the muzzle, the more energy they are losing. That is the same energy needed for the proper expansion of their elongated bullet. Ipso facto, the further from the muzzle their bullet gets the less its potential to expand.

Not so with a big round ball. Yes, the further the round ball gets from the muzzle the more velocity it loses, too. However, the big difference is that the big round ball will always be at least its own diameter regardless of distance from the muzzle. Bottom line is that my big round ball starts out larger than their elongated bullet can even hope to expand to under ideal conditions. This is definitely a case where less in NOT more.

When hunting bigger game the greater energy that results from the higher velocity of our big round ball really puts big game down like it was struck by the hammer of Thor. If you’ve never hunted with a big round ball pushed at high velocity, you just can’t imagine the effectiveness.

It’s also important to understand that the effectiveness of that one shot is the result of shooting for bone. Many smaller-caliber hunters realize that the balls or bullets they shoot don’t have the mass and weight to break big and heavy structural bones and have been taught to shoot soft tissue instead. But, the fact is that shooting the shoulder will generally put the animal down on the spot and allow you time to reload a coup-de-grace for the final dispatch - if even needed. And, shooting the shoulder with a big round ball does not destroy a lot of meat as is believed based upon the same shot taken with a high intensity centre-fire rifle. Besides, who of you is so destitute that you can’t sacrifice a few pounds of meat for the sake of a clean and humane kill? Think about it.

 

The reason for such effectiveness is that the large ball not only transmits tremendous shock by virtue of its large frontal surface, but also breaks the large bones of the shoulder joint into secondary missiles which then penetrate the heart and lungs. This, by the way, is the same shot one should take at dangerous game - the idea being to immediately disable the animal rendering it less likely to get to you before you can reload.

BTW, another little known advantage of Forsyth barrels is that they will shoot hard lead balls with the same fine accuracy as dead-soft lead. That’s right. Because of that slow twist, we don’t need a hammer-tight fit of ball and patch in the bore to the point where the weave of the patch imprints into the ball.

When you are up against bigger and tougher game, balls cast of wheel weights work well in breaking big bones. I have even shot straight linotype balls with great accuracy. However, it is always better to use a temper of lead that will still allow expansion in game. After all, we want every advantage we can muster when it comes to quickly and humanely dispatching the animal.

Are you really going to eat that?

The idea of that one shot kill - dead in its tracks - is very important if you plan to serve that animal at the table. There is nothing worse (in my humble opinion) than adrenaline-soaked meat. Unfortunately, I haven’t yet found any German venison gravy or French sauce recipe that will effectively mask a seriously funked piece of venison.

When I was a boy I had the good fortune of growing up on my grandparent’s cattle ranch.  At an early age I learned that when you are getting a steer or hog ready for butchering, you don’t run it around the corral and get it all heated up before plugging it. If it did get spooked and panicky, you walked away and came back later when it was calm again and then did the deed.  

The same applies to game. If you don’t use enough force to put the animal down dead with that first shot, and it takes off into the next zip code, you won’t want to eat it - if you manage to recover it.

Hal Sharon - Pioneer of modern Forsyth rifling

My first introduction to Forsyth rifling was from that grand old man of muzzleloading, Mr. Hal Sharon. Some of you old timers will remember Sharon Rifle Barrel Company of Kalispell, Montana. I met Hal and his lovely bride, Annie, at an NRA Show back in the mid 1980s.  He became my mentor in this muzzleloading game and I miss him greatly.

He shared then with me the fact that he had been experimenting over the past 20 years with a forgotten type of rifling that made muzzleloading rifles safely shoot like a magnum. He didn’t explain it in detail until 10 years later in 1995 when I told him that I was starting Pacific Rifle Company to build custom underhammer rifles.

Hal asked what calibers I would offer and I told him that I wanted to provide “big-bore” hunting calibres, such as .50 and .54 to my customers. He then told me to find a copy of Forsyth’s book, The Sporting Rifle and Its Projectiles and to study it before I made my decision about calibres. Hall suggested that I start with .62 calibre and go up from there!

After reading the book I was both stunned and excited at what I had learned! It violated all the conformant wisdom that I had acquired up to that point about muzzleloading rifles. Could it really be so?  I mean, seriously, if this was such a good idea, how come the mainstream gun manufacturers and muzzleloading barrel makers weren’t offering guns and barrels that would provide such amazing performance?

Hall insisted that Forsyth rifling really did work and he had proven it himself many times. So, based upon his assurance, I decided that my prototype rifle would have a Forsyth barrel. Problem was, Hal was no longer making barrels and the barrel makers that I contacted responded as though I was totally whacked.

One prominent barrel maker of the time told me flat out that he knew such a concept was nonsense and he wouldn’t waste his time making barrels that he knew wouldn’t work. While another well-known maker claimed that he was aware of Forsyth rifling; however he railed at me saying, “you don’t need 200 grains of powder to kill game with a .62 calibre rifle”, adding that “80 grains of powder in a .62 will kill anything on this continent.”

He wouldn’t fill my order, either.

Thankfully, I was informed about a new barrel maker in Missouri who might be willing to work with me.  I called Bill Moody and explained the concept and after a bit of thought he immediately tracked down a copy of Forsyth’s book and started studying this seemingly crazy notion.

I told him that I wanted a .620" bore, .630" across the grooves, 8 lands at 1:5 ratio with a twist of 144 inches.
After a bit of collaboration on the specs, he agreed to make a prototype barrel for me. My resulting Zephyr performed EXACTLY as Forsyth and Hal said it would – flat shooting, hard hitting, yet mild of recoil, easy loading, easy cleaning, and accurate!

Due to the very slow twist of a properly made Forsyth barrel, there is very little fouling of the bore – hence, easy clean up. And because of the very narrow lands, loading a proper-size ball and patch is easily accomplished with thumb pressure alone; then seated on the powder with an easy stroke of the loading rod. No short starter or any other gadgets needed.

No magic, just simple science and good engineering. Eventually we quickened the twist to 1:104" to accommodate less than full power loads with greater accuracy and went on to successfully make underhammer Forsyth rifles of .58, (24-bore), .62, (20-bore), .72 (12-bore) and .82 (8-bore) which covered the full spectrum of hunting needs for anything on the planet. The rest, as they say, is history.

 The Zephyr was the first production rifle in history to offer Genuine Forsyth Rifling as a standard feature.

Today, there are more Forsyth rifles in the form of the Zephyr, and now, the new Faeton, 
than any other rifles in the world.

 

How about a Forsyth shot gun?

As a little side line, another handy feature of Forsyth rifled barrels is that you CAN shoot shot from them. The extremely slow twist does not seem to adversely affect the pattern too much and delivers about cylinder-bore patterns out to 20-25 yards. However, load that shot into a turkey ranger wad with a tuned droge as made by Stuart Emery and you can deliver a pretty tight pattern waaay beyond what anyone would believe possible from a rifled bore.

 Yes, it does look somewhat obscene, but it works like a charm!

Of course you’re not going to use your Forsyth rifle as your primary shotgun – unless, of course, you do set it up for turkey hunting with the turkey ranger wads and the droge. But, while on the hunt it will put a fool hen into the camp stewpot while you’re out after bigger game. (see my PS below for more info on the wads.)

Now back to the story…

Unfortunately, after 12 years of supplying me, one day Mr. Moody just locked the door of his shop and went fishing never to make barrels again. I was in a real pickle.

Since then I have worked with another company who has produced several Forsyth barrels to my specs for my new Faetons. Unfortunately, they are too busy making normal barrels and don’t have time to fuss with a few Forsyth barrels for cantankerous old crackpots like me.

Rice Barrel Company to the rescue!

A bit over a year ago I was discussing my dilemma with Jason Schneider of Rice Barrel Company, www.ricebarrels.com, and sent him a copy of Forsyth’s book. While he was interested and intrigued by the concept, he explained his production schedule did not allow him time to venture off in a new direction. However, he did continue thinking about it.

In a recent conversation with Jason, he informed me that Rice Barrel Company will soon be producing a limited run of Forsyth barrels. The new tube will be .62 calibre with the following specs:

Internal

Bore:……………...... .621"

Groove to groove...... ..631" - .633"

8 grooves @ 5:1 ratio

Twist 1:104”

External

Swamped barrel:

31" long

Breech ................1 1/8"

waist.................... .890”

Muzzle..................1.020”

Tapered barrel

Length ................32"  - 34"

Breech ...............1 1/8"

Muzzle................1"

The cost of these high quality barrels is estimated at $250.00 - $275.00 plus an additional $20 or so for shipping and handling. Believe me, that's a bargain.

If you are considering building a true Forsyth rifle, I know you won’t go wrong with a Rice Forsyth Barrel. While the Forsyth tube is not yet listed on their website you can place your order directly with Jason by calling him at: (828) 628-3627 or e-mailing him at:  blackpowder@ricebarrels.com.

This will be a one-time run for now and the expected delivery is sometime in January of 2012, so don’t wait and think about it too long before you get in line.

BTW, tell Jason that you learned about it from The Underhammer Society.

Cheers!

PS: Turkey Ranger Wads - Since first publishing this post I have had several inquiries regarding the turkey ranger wads mentioned above and where they can be purchased. The technical name is: DST-20 wad and they are available from Ballistic Products - www.ballisticproducts.com/CSD-20ga-Steel-wad-UNslit-250_bag/productinfo/0207020/     

Ballistic Products also offers several shotgun slugs that should also work well with Forsyth rifled barrels. I put the bug in their ear to send me some and I'll report back to you my results if their PTB agree to the scheme.

If you contact Ballistic Products be sure to tell them that you read about it on The Underhammer Society site.

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H & C DANIELS BREECHLOADING UNDERHAMMER RIFLE

H & C Daniels Breechloading Underhammer Rifle

Thanks to our friend, Terry, from down under in Oz for pointing us to this very rare underhammer rifle. This is about as rare as they get, folks. Clicking on the photos will enlarge them for detailed viewing. Clicking the Back button will return you to the text.

The rifle is for sale and featured by Collectors Firearms of Houston, Texas www.collectorsfirearms.com  who were so gracious to allow us to share this rifle with our readers. If you are interested in this rarity, you can call them, toll free at (877) 214-9327. Be sure to tell them that you saw it on The Underhammer Society page.

The Daniels is certainly a very rare prototype underhammer rifle. Obviously, it is a breachloading design and was manufactured by C.B. Allen for the patent holder,  H&C Daniels of Chester, Connecticut. 

The top of the receiver is equipped with a hinged trapdoor with a removable steel cartridge that is fitted with a percussion nipple. The cartridge would be loaded with the nipple pointed downward into a corresponding hole in the bottom of the chamber where it could be struck by the upward swinging hammer. It appears that the wedge-shaped projection on the bottom of the door would force the cartridge into tight union with the bore thereby providing a better gas seal of the chamber.

Armed with several loaded cartridges at the ready, the owner of the Daniels rifle would be a rather formidable opponent.  

The top of the trapdoor is marked "H & C DANIELS / PATENT / CHESTER / CONN" and at the breech with an eagle over "C.B. Allen" in the center. 

Unfortunately, I was unable to get any other information regarding caliber and condition of the bore. However, if you are a serious contender for this fine piece of firearms curiosa, you can call for the details.

Photos copyright by Collectors Firearms

Thanks, again, Terry, as this is definitely a rare find.

Cheers!



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Salvador Dali Underhammers?

As one who considers himself an artistic sort, I really appreciate others who can skillfully color outside of the lines, too. Robert Worthington is just such an artist. When he discovered the joys of making underhammers he jumped in with both feet and never looked back!

Bob has agreed to share some of his underhammer work with us through the following photos. You will instantly recognize his flare for uniqueness in design.

Clicking on the photos below will provide a closer look at Bob's work. Clicking the Back arrow will return you to the text.

Here's Bob's story:

I've been shooting and building muzzle loaders for a while, and started making underhammer pistols about 5 years ago. I had put together a kit for my son a few years before, and was intrigued by the simplicity and speed of ignition. There were some aspects of that particular piece I didn't like, however, and when I came across the Billinghurst action offered by Muzzle Loader Builder's Supply, www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com (as seen below with my improvements) I decided to try one myself. 

Using the hammer, trigger, trigger bar, and mainspring, I fabricated my own breech collar and turned it into a pistol using a standard threaded breech plug. I've made a bunch of these now, from .32 to .50, with barrels from 8" to 12", and have also made a .40 schuetzen rifle with an Ed Rayl barrel using this action. 

I'm now working on another schuetzen, using the Allan Foundry action; a .36 with a 38" Isaac Haines-style barrel from Green Mountain. This is my personal rifle, with a fixed palm rest to accomodate my messed up shoulder, and cheek piece on both sides so I can shoot when my right eye gives me trouble. 

I call the rifle, "Salvador Dali gets a day job as a gunmaker," or "Flash Gordon enters the 19th century."  I'm also working on a "target model" pistol, with adjustable sights and trigger. 

 

 One of Bob's underhammer pistols.

Yeah, I shoot 'em all, including cartridges, but the underhammer is the real deal! 

~ Bob Worthington

Bob also does an expert job of inlaying silver wire, mother of pearl and other semi-precious materials as part of the embellishment of his work. More photos of Bob's work can be seen at www.greyhavenarms.com.

I must also compliment Bob for choosing to utilize a half-cock safety notch when setting up the hammer and

trigger of his firearms.

.

Thanks, Bob, for giving us a glimpse into your world.

Keep up the great work.

All photos copyrighted by Robert Worthington

If you have an underhammer project or story that you would like to share with us, please feel free to contact me at: underhammers@safe-mail.net and we can discuss it.

Cheers!

Roger

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Underhammeritis - living with the affliction.

In over thirty years of building underhammer guns I have come to notice that there seems to be two kinds of people when it comes to underhammer arms. Those who instantly recognize and embrace the logic and simplicity of the mechanism and those others who view it - may comment that it is interesting - but, ultimately, go back to their “ traditional” flint or conventional caplock guns. But, that’s okay as it takes all kinds to make a horse race.

However, those who do get it really seem to get it. It’s as if a veil has been lifted from their eyes. Some of them that I have known have actually abandoned their other flint and caplock rifles in favor of a fine, custom-made underhammer. They are the ones that I like to say are truly afflicted with “underhammeritis.”

Over the years of writing this blog, you have heard me mention underhammeritis occasionally and some have asked for more information about it and how they might recognize the symptoms. Here is what my research has revealed about this strange malady.

UNDERHAMMERITIS - A fairly common condition in its milder forms that seems to develop among muzzleloading shooters. It is believed by some to be a mental affliction in which the sufferer of said malady is deluded and sincerely believes that there is great merit in simplified percussion firearms actions having as a major element of their design a bottom-mounted, upward-swinging hammer.

There is considerable debate over the causes of this strange condition as some cases seem to start out slowly with only a mild fascination with underhammer arms, which, with more exposure to them, advances in varying degrees of speed.

While in other reported cases, the afflicted seems to be overwhelmed with fascination after just one exposure to a well-designed and crafted underhammer firearm. The final stages of full-blown underhammeritis seem to be complete obsession and there is no known cure. One can only live with the affliction and hope for the best.

In my own experience I am familiar with some extreme cases in which the afflicted shooter completely abandoned - and in one case actually sold – all the other firearms in their collections in favor of their custom-built underhammer rifle.

Granted, that is extreme and it is rare. Nevertheless, it must be realized that such a degree of affliction with underhammeritis is a possibility under certain ideal conditions.

So, what is it about these supposedly unconventional firearms that get those of us who are afflicted so excited? I guess it’s the same appreciation for simplicity that causes us to marvel at Henry’s Model T. So simple and yet so wonderfully functional.

It was the tremendously distracting flash of the typical flinchlock, as seen above, which lead to the original development of the underhammer mechanism in 1750s Europe. Consider that you are supposed to be focusing on sight alignment, trigger squeeze and controlled breathing at this exact moment. Yeah, right. BTW, clicking on any of the photos will enlarge them for closer viewing. Clicking the Back arrow will return you to the text.

Probably more than any other feature, it is that simplicity of design - despite a variety of underhammer mechanisms – that captures our imagination. When you think about it, there has been more diversity of development in underhammer mechanisms than virtually any other muzzleloading firearms design.

All the flint and cap lock mechanisms found on the rifles and smoothbores that are considered to be “traditional” are based on the same design that came over on the boat. Yes, the variations of stock designs may have been inspired on this side of the pond, but the basic sidelock technology is European-based and changed very little in 300 years. The caplock underhammer action, on the other hand, is American-born and bred and is truly as traditionally American as a lever action rifle.

There seems to be some unfounded belief that there is certain nobleness in the complexity of the typical side hammer lock. Many marvel at the mechanical advancements that mark the evolution from the match lock to the finest English caplocks of the late percussion period.

Yes, granted, prior to the introduction of the percussion pill (pill lock) and shortly thereafter, the percussion cap, that complex, antiquated flintlock mechanism was a necessary evil of gun design. But, once Ruggles was granted a patent for his underhammer design in 1826, it’s this scribe’s opinion that the typical gunlock of the time should have become history.

However, that didn't happen and we’re not likely to change the mind of most of those traditionalists so let’s move along.

It’s obvious that one of the major advantages of the underhammer system is its ambidextrous design, being equally well-suited for both left and right-hand shooting. However, there are other advantages that are not immediately apparent to those who have never shot an underhammer or studied the concept.

Our modern traditional rifle was born in the antiquity of arms design and development being the result of an evolutionary process that began with the crossbow. Consider that the typical muzzleloading gun design begins with a long piece of wood into which a channel is cut which will securely hold the barrel. Then more wood is removed to accommodate a complex lockplate and its protuberances. Yet more wood is removed from this frail arrangement to accept a trigger mechanism. And let’s not forget all the screws that hold this Rube Goldberg contraption together.

It can readily be deduced that the result is a stock that is weakest at that most important point of where all the major components intersect. And, all that fuss to do nothing more than simply ignite blackpowder.

Both types of actions do the same thing, that is, ignite blackpowder. Which one makes more sense?

Most underhammer actions, on the other hand, employ some type of “receiver” which acts to contain the hammer and trigger in their proper relation to each other and the nipple and to which the buttstock is mounted. This not only simplifies the design, but the construction, too. In a good underhammer design the result is a rifle with less of a tendency to break at the critical point where all the action takes place.

If one thinks one does not really require a long forearm, then there is considerably less work involved in finishing such a rifle, although, personally, I believe that a forearm of half-stock design is not only functional, but aesthetically pleasing as well.

Looking at the typical flint or caplock action it is immediately apparent that the hammer protrudes significantly above the top of the rifle, as seen above. This is necessary to allow quick and easy cocking of the mechanism. Aesthetically, the hammer or the flintcock is wonderful eye candy that us artistic types are always fiddling with to create something with even greater eye appeal. However, that upward protruding hammer provides Murphy (of Murphy’s Law fame) with untold opportunities to screw up your weekend – and perhaps your life.

Accordingly, if the rifle should by chance fall from your grasp or from leaning against the tree while you answered the call of Nature, Murphy’s Law dictates that it should land on the hammer and either fire the gun or break the hammer, or both.

With the hammer mounted below the barrel, however, the geometry of the stock places the hammer in a very secure and protected location as a rifle almost never would fall and hit the trigger area directly due to the angle of the belly of the buttstock and the length of the barrel. That is, unless, you’ve got some huge hammer that hangs way down below your trigger guard when the hammer is at half cock.

Also consider that the bottom-mounted hammer provides a clear, unobstructed view of both the sights and the target - no hammer protruding into your sight picture. Placing the hammer below the barrel also provides much greater protection to the shooter’s face from cap shrapnel. Be that as it may, many shooters of underhammer guns frequently complain about the cap shrapnel that peppers the wrist and forearm of their left hand – assuming a right-handed shooter – which causes them to flinch. That is so unfortunate because it’s a problem that could have been easily remedied by fitting the rifle with a musket nipple and using musket caps.

I have been a devotee of this simple solution for about 30 years and it still amazes me that shooters will whine back at me that musket caps are so expensive. They’ll buy and burn expensive Swiss powder, but they can’t afford musket caps. Go figure.

Few shooters realize that #11 percussion caps are designed to be frangible. That is, they’re intended to come apart like a grenade when detonated. That feature is most desirable in a revolver where the spent cap can fall free of the revolving cylinder as the hammer is cocked for the next shot. They’re also small and easily fumbled and lost while capping the rifle. (Learn a lesson from military arms - use musket caps.) While essential to the continued functioning of the cap and ball revolver, frangible caps are a pain in the bu… well, actually, they’re a pain in the wrist when spit by most underhammer arms.

Another solution to the cap spitting problem is to design your rifle to utilize a nipple pocket, as seen above, in which the nipple is completely enclosed, or as much so, by the hammer skirt and the nipple pocket. A nipple skirt can also be helpful. The nipple pocket is a feature of more advanced design underhammers of the past, such as the Billinghurst, Churchill and contemporary designs such as the Faeton.

In all fairness, I must say that the Allan Foundry Underhammer Action also provides great protection from cap spitting. BTW, if you take a look at our Underhammer Action Round-up feature of last year, you can read more about the Allan Underhammer Action and why I give it high marks.

If you hunt with an underhammer you will readily recognize that the bottom mounted hammer also provides superior protection over the typical side-hammer percussion when it comes to protecting the percussion cap from inclement weather as well as being inadvertently flicked off the nipple by passing through brush.

And speaking of moving through brush… Of worse consequence is having the typical side-mounted hammer pushed back from the half-cock into the full-cock position as you’re passing through brush. Been there, done that and had the gun go off unexpectedly. Luckily no one was injured, but Murphy had a grand time with me that day.

While I’m sure that other underhammer shooters might be able to add to the list of advantages of the underhammer rifle, those are the basics.

If you’re considering an underhammer just one bit of advice – buy the best quality you can afford. Many shooters begin a new venture looking for a bargain gun just in case they don’t like that type of shooting. However, that is not a fair manner of testing a new concept and creating your opinion. Bargain basement guns generally provide bargain basement results. I have talked with shooters who had at a time shot a low-end underhammer and they were underwhelmed. However, after letting them shoot a well-designed and crafted underhammer, they were truly impressed. One even placed an order for one of my Faeton rifles right there at the range.

By going cheap, you’re only cheating yourself out of what could be a new love affair with underhammers. Or, as some would insist, another outbreak of underhammeritis.

In closing let me remind you that there is no known cure for underhammeritis, there is only treatment which consists of more shooting with your favorite underhammer.

No one said that treatment would be easy, but it’s better than the alternative - that being suffering from underhammeritis and not having an underhammer at all.

Now that would be bad.

Cheers!

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Underhammer Identity - Making Your Mark

Over the past few years of writing The Underhammer Society blog, I have received a number of photos from you readers asking for help in identifying some sort of unusual or unique underhammer firearm. It is so unfortunate that those inspired makers of old did not take the time to mark their work.

Today we see the same situation – underhammer (and other) makers who don’t mark their work. The simple rule should be that if your idea is worthy of the expense of money and labor to make it, it’s certainly worth marking it as yours.

However, doing so in a professional looking manner is generally not considered an easy task. Many of us have seen otherwise beautiful custom-made muzzleloading arms that were marked with poorly aligned lettering stamps or worse yet, marked with a “signature” on the top flat of the barrel that appeared to have been engraved by a dull screwdriver being driven by a 5 lb. sledge. The mark became a witch’s wart on the nose of a bathing beauty.

For years I have used an electro-acid etching system that does provide a very crisp and professional looking trademark. This is an industry standard metal marking process in which a stencil is used along with an electrolyte solution and a marking pad that is connected to a low voltage power source to deep etch metal parts. My marking results can be seen below.

We’ve all seen the results of this process as trademarks on such things as knives, firearms, feeler gauges, drill bits, milling cutters, saw blades, ball bearing races, carbide cutters and thousands of other types of metal tools, parts or instruments.

The problem with most pro-grade systems is that they can set you back up to a $1000. I bought rather used pro-grade equipment way back in ’96 and it cost me over $500 then - definitely out of range for the hobby builder and even some full time professional gunmakers.

The ETCH-O-MATIC comes complete with all you need to achieve professional marking results

Well, I’ve got some good news! Produced by Martronics Corporation, the ETCH-O-MATIC™ is a nifty, professional-grade, compact etching device that provides perfect marking, is quick and simple to use and costs less than $100 to get started.

No, that’s not a typo – it is less than $100. In fact, right now it's only about 80 bucks.

I could go into all the gory details of how the electro-etch process works, but the folks at Martronics had the good marketing sense to include several videos right on their website: http://www.etch-o-matic.com/eom.htm that clearly demonstrate just how quick and simple it is to use their system. Click on the link and take a look for yourself.

The ETCH-O-MATIC™ can be used for marking most any kind of metal including carbon and stainless steels, aluminum, brass, copper, bronze and carbide. It will even mark through black oxide on steel. Several types of marks can be obtained in addition to the simple black mark including the deep etch, a black deep etch and a frosty etch.

We have all seen the ETCH-O-MATIC marks on knives, tools and instruments of all kinds.

In the regular mode, a crisp black mark is left on the metal surface. For those who will be applying their own blue, brown or plating finish over the metal, there is a deep-etch adapter which will provide a mark with depth and will be readily recognized once you’ve finished the metal with your preferred finishing process.

Martronics’ ETCH-O-MATIC™ starter kit contains the ETCH-O-MATIC™ marker with the standard size marking head of ⁷/₈" x 1³/₄", an electrical cord, ground plate, 2 oz. electrolyte solution in a plastic bottle, 10 special stencils, a neutralizer, deep etching adapter clip and complete instructions. Very simple and thorough instructions, I might add.

But, if that wasn’t enough, they also offer free technical help. Yes, you can actually call and talk with one of their live-person technical people who can help you get the optimum results from your ETCH-O-MATIC.

Martroncis claims that each kit will make approximately 1,000 marks before refill supplies are needed. Doing the quick math, you can see that each of your professional looking trademarks cost but pennies to apply and lends a look of professionalism that puts your work into the category of the big guys.

The ETCH-O-MATIC Starter Kit includes 10 sheets of a special stencil material which can be placed into an ordinary typewriter to make some quick stencils that will provide a good, legible mark. However, for the very best marking quality I recommend using their Dura-Film Stencils.

Martronics also offers a stencil making system that will allow you to make your own high-quality stencils from your own artwork on your home computer. If you’re interested, more information on their Stencil Maker Kit is available on their website.

For those of you who may not use very many stencils, Martronics will even make stencils for you – at a very reasonable price - if you send them your artwork. Talk about a full service company - I really like the way these people think.

Take a look at the website: http://www.etch-o-matic.com/eom.htm and see if you don’t agree that this is the best way to achieve a professional looking trademark on your fine firearms, or putting a good identifying mark on your tools and other valuable metal items as well.

So, that’s the story for the press and I’m sure you all now feel warm and fuzzy about it.

However, the real question on my mind is, “Will this eighty-dollar wonder work as well as my really pricey “professional” marking system?” We shall see.

I prepared a piece of flat bar steel by cleaning and lightly polishing the surface. I have to say that the folks at Martronics also provided us with a sample of their stencil material for comparison to the high priced “professional” stencils that I have been using for almost 20 years.

While Martronics indicates that you can hold the stencil in place, I have found that if you really want a crisp mark, its best to use some scotch or masking tape to secure the stencil to the work surface. This will also help assure that your alignment and position is correct before you start.

Clicking on the photo will provide a close up view, then click the Back button to return to the text.

The top mark in the photo above is the regular black etch while the bottom mark is the result of the deep etching process. Both were produced from the same blue Dura Film Stencil seen above the sample.

While we’re here I must admit that the quality of their stencil is first rate. I was really impressed with the durability of it and can see that you could easily get dozens of crisp, clear etchings from each stencil. The really good news is the price for their stencil making service. The company that I used in the past recently quoted their minimum charge is now over $70. Then there are graphics charges and plate charges, etc, etc…

That’s a lot of money for a small sheet of stencils. Especially if you only mark a few guns per year.

The folks at Martronics quoted $19.60 to make a 4” X 5” sheet – and that even includes the one-time $10.00 plate charge! If you plan and lay out your artwork carefully you can get quite a few stencils from that one sheet, They also offer larger formats all the way up to 8” X 11” if you need it, the price of which is only $54.50!

Now, back to the test.

I taped the stencil in place on the steel sample, plugged in the unit and wet the marking head pad with the included electrolyte solution according to the directions. Then I attached the ground wire to the steel sample plate and touched the ETCH-O-MATIC pad to the steel. Holding the unit on the steel for about 5 seconds produced the crisp black mark you see in the photo.

Martronics claims that their basic unit is also capable of deep etching which is necessary when you are planning to blue or brown or plate the finished metal.

For the deep etch, Martronics includes another special alligator clip that provides the DC current needed for the deep etch process. I simply connected that to the metal plate then attached the regular ground clip to it.

BTW, stencils can get “plugged” with the steel oxides that are created during the etching process, so it’s a good idea to keep the stencil clean with a bit of electrolyte or even soap and water between etchings.

To achieve the deep etch, it took about three applications of about 6 – 7 seconds each and the mark looks perfect. Just like I (used to) get from the high priced gadget with its cords and clips and plugs.

This Martronics ETCH-O-MATIC is just dirt simple and the results are certainly “professional” quality.

Check out their website: http://www.etch-o-matic.com/eom.htm because I believe you will find the ETCH-O-MATIC to be a most valuable addition to your shop for marking more than just your firearms.


Cheers!

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An underhammer punt gun???

Clicking the pics will enlarge them for closeup viewing. Clicking the Back button will return you to the text.

Over the past few years we have seen some interesting underhammer firearms that our readers have shared with us. However, this one surely takes the prize in the curiosa category.

It is a punt gun, and while punt guns are rather scarce these days, an underhammer punt gun is a real prize – if you collect really big shotguns, that is.

The owner of this monster bore, Jim Marsh, does collect really big shotguns and relates,

“This punt gun is from the 1870s and was said to be used for many years at an old Shooting Club (Duck Hunting Club). It weights about 100 pounds, is 6ft., 4 inches long and has a bore size of 1-1/2 inches. Also the gun has a rubber mount painted gray as seen in the picture below. 

The gun does not have any markings on it at all – nothing. I am an antique shotgun collector of big-bore shotgun and punt guns and anything about old time duck hunting. Although I have had this gun for many years, I have never found out anything about it. I hope The Underhammer Society readers can help identify it.”

 Regards,

 Jim Marsh

For those of you who are not familiar with punt guns, here’s a bit more info below from Wikipedia that will help in understanding these monster shotguns. 

                   

A punt gun is a type of extremely large shotgun used in the 19th and early 20th centuries for shooting large numbers of waterfowl for commercial harvesting operations and private sport. Punt guns were usually custom-designed and so varied widely, but could have bore diameters exceeding 2 inches (51 mm) and fire over a pound (0.5 kilos) of shot at a time.^[1]

 
A single shot could kill over 50 waterfowl resting on the water's surface. They were too big to hold and the recoil so large that they were mounted directly on the punts used for hunting, hence their name. Hunters would maneuver their punts quietly into line and range of the flock using poles or oars to avoid startling them.

Generally the gun was fixed to the punt; thus the hunter would maneuver the entire boat in order to aim the gun. The guns were sufficiently powerful, and the punts themselves sufficiently small, that firing the gun often propelled the punt backwards several inches or more. To improve efficiency, hunters could work in fleets of up to around ten punts.

In the United States, this practice depleted stocks of wild waterfowl and by the 1860s most states had banned the practice. The Lacey Act of 1900 banned the transport of wild game across state lines, and the practice of market hunting was outlawed by a series of federal laws in 1918. In the United Kingdom, a 1995 survey showed fewer than 50 active punt guns still in use. UK law limits punt guns to a bore diameter of 1.75 inches (44 mm) (1 1/8 pounder).^[2]

I have to admit that I have never seen an underhammer punt gun before and have no idea who could have made it. If any of you readers can identify it, please Post a Comment below to share your info with all of us.

Thanks, Jim, for sharing your unique and unusual prize with us.

It should be remembered that those of days of old who used these methods were not sportsman as we consider ourselves. They were market hunters and cared little about the balance of nature and no concept of conserving the resource. It was an attitude that prevailed at the time and resulted in the near extinction of many animals including our beloved bison.

A note in passing: it was Teddy Roosevelt who understood the dangers of this type of market slaughter and warned of the follies of such practices and worked diligently to stop market hunting. In that respect, he was one of the vanguard conservationists to whom we modern hunters owe a tremendous debt of gratitude.

Cheers!


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