Underhammer Muzzleloaders
- Thread starter Smokepole
- Start date
See if you can find a book "the Underhammer Gun" by Herschel Logan I think. Gives lots of diagrams of different mechanisms. Most are relatively simple and can be built in the home workshop without fancy tools. One word of caution is when you see a design you like, think it through thoroughly to be sure you understand how the mechanism works. One or two are missing an important link and would not work in the manner illustrated.
Underhammers have the advantage that they are unlikely to foul because the nipple screws directly into the barrel. Also while the modern ones have the mainspring incorporated into the trigger guard, there are a number with internal mainsprings.
cheers mooncoon
stevejones
Regular
- Location
- Courtenay, BC
Backwoodsman Magazine Plans
You might try "Backwoodsman" magazine. I know they have published plans in the past but as I recall they were for a boot pistol. The author supplied some simple plans and wrote a step by step process that seemed fairly straight forward....
Cheers. Steve.
You might try "Backwoodsman" magazine. I know they have published plans in the past but as I recall they were for a boot pistol. The author supplied some simple plans and wrote a step by step process that seemed fairly straight forward....
Cheers. Steve.
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juanvaldez
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Sudbury, Ontario
Under hammer, the original 'direct ignition' percussion muzzle loader circa 1830. The hammer is mounted underneath the action and swings upwards to the barrel. The nipple is screwed in under the barrel and the flash goes straight to the powder a few thou away.
Many designs use the trigger guard as the mainspring so you have 3 moving parts, the trigger, hammer and trigger guard/mainspring. Very simple.
I'd advise a powder chamber with reduced opening so a cleaning jag doesn't block the flash hole when wiping between shots.
Muzzleloadingforum has good info on them in various posts. You can even make the frames from aluminum with a hacksaw and files. Or bend frames from round bar in a pipe bender.
Many designs use the trigger guard as the mainspring so you have 3 moving parts, the trigger, hammer and trigger guard/mainspring. Very simple.
I'd advise a powder chamber with reduced opening so a cleaning jag doesn't block the flash hole when wiping between shots.
Muzzleloadingforum has good info on them in various posts. You can even make the frames from aluminum with a hacksaw and files. Or bend frames from round bar in a pipe bender.
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Or, the working parts can be hung down from a rather conventional top tang, or mounted to a lower tang (imagine installing a breechplug with the tang on the bottom).
The Logan book is excellent for ideas. At one time you could buy the castings for a Billinghurst style action. There are many varieties of underhammer actions. Even saw a Booth - Ottawa made side by side double barrelled underhammer; hammer could be flipped left-right to control which barrel was fired.
If you want to scratch build a ml gun, there is nothing simpler than an underhammer, and properly done, an attractive functional firearm will result.
The Logan book is excellent for ideas. At one time you could buy the castings for a Billinghurst style action. There are many varieties of underhammer actions. Even saw a Booth - Ottawa made side by side double barrelled underhammer; hammer could be flipped left-right to control which barrel was fired.
If you want to scratch build a ml gun, there is nothing simpler than an underhammer, and properly done, an attractive functional firearm will result.
I think this one is patterned after Bacon and as I recall in the book, the little V shaped piece ahead of the trigger was not illustrated. It transfers a down motion on the trigger nose to an up motion on the sear nose
cheers mooncoon
cheers mooncoon
juanvaldez
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Sudbury, Ontario
http://www.underhammers.com/
