AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: axelp on September 16, 2009, 10:32:36 PM
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how popular were underhammers? did they go west with the gold rush? I heard that at one point the Texas Rangers used them? Seems like the simplicity would have made them popular to folks that did not have access to repairs etc...
Ken
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Very popular in NYS with the target shooters.
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Ken,
a segment of the underhammers, called "Buggy" rifles ( or guns ) seems to have had quite a following back East. Look for the Names like Kendall, Hilliard and Billinghurst. They are a cool gun to shoot and not that hard to build!! You can make one as easily < or as difficult > as you want? Most were used in Target or informal shoots.. figure them in around the 1840's or maybe just a bit later??
Lots of the designs don't have a Half position, so the assumption is they were not often carried for Hunting? I tend to doubt that as a 'whole truth', because the Old ones "Lived" with their firearms. They had a different frame of mind, about what was/was not safe??
But that's just my opinion?? ;)
Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan
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Hi,
underhammers are very easy to make and great to shot.
I just get Hogan book with hundreds of pictures.
You can find underhammer rifles as:
Target rifles,
Buggy rifles, short rifles for those travelers or doctors riding buggies, used for defence or hunting.
Pocket pistols, similar to Buggies but with detachable stocks (stocked pistols)
Also you can find boot pistols very popular as side guns less costly than the revolvers and pepperbox pistols.
If you search "underhammer" or "buggy" here, you can find lot of info.
Hope this helps.
Martin
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Beleg would you post a link to Hogans book. I didn't find it.
David Veith
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David,
Hogans book is out of print, you have to buy it used.
I get mine for a fellow member of other forum.
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi235.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee157%2Fbeleg2%2Fpix450562359.jpg&hash=653eae5695bb658713d3a6c29a3600c223053ecc)
You can find it in most used book sellers. It is not cheap.
Theres another book with sketch at TotW and Dixie.
Martin
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I guess that with the lack of a halfcock, that they were more suited to a target gun. I am not sure I'd wanna have one bouncing around in a wagon or off a horse if the hammer was resting on a cap... and having it uncapped would be kind of crazy if you were moving thru hostile territory or hunting...
Ken
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My underhammer rifle has a half cock.
Tom
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Ken -
To answer your original question, How popular were underhammers?, go back to Herschel Logan's book on Underhammers (yes, the author's name was Logan, not Hogan, which may account for some of the problems experienced in trying to find copies on the Internet).
On pages 74 through 78, Logan gives a list of makers, and the location of their shops. It is well to note that this is a list of guns that Logan personally knew to exist, and should not be viewed as comprehensive. There are some 120 guns listed, by makers in 20 States, with a few ( about 22) in Europe. A glimpse at the maps included show the preponderance of these guns to have been made in the East, say from Ohio to the Atlantic, and from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. with the greatest density of makers in the northeastern States. It is interesting to note that this is also the general distribution of flint and percussion makers in the same period. One interesting exception is California, which shows 3 makers during this same period.
Bill
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:-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[:-[ :-[
Sorry for the mistake with the name.
Ken,
A good point on safety.
Much more on "boot pistols" I would not like to have a primed pistol into my boot. ;)
Probably safety concept was different then. ???
Picture???
I would love to see your underhammer guns.
Thanks
Martin
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Take a look at this under hammer site from Germany.
http://www.dedinski.com/en/index_en.htm
Take a look at the engraving
http://www.dedinski.com/en/verkauf/gravuren/index.htm
Ws
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http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y181/metalshaper/uhlock.jpg
photo is of the 'complete' lock used in my brass, box frame UH rifle. the whole works comes right off the gun with the removal of one screw.. < that goes through the guard/return.> the insert is captured on two blind keys inside the frame..
My guns btw, even the Mule ear locks, usually have half positions!! Just MY preference!?
Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan
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I moved the latter half of this thread to "Over the Back Fence" because the thread was getting away from traditional arms.
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=6792.0
Tom