H&A underhammer

[caliber45]

I find underhammer rifles horrendously ugly, but wanted to toss this out: A local gun shop (Tucson) has a Hopkins & Allen underhammer in .45 caliber for sale for something like $150. I know so little about them that I have no concept whether this is a "bargain" or a bummer. Stock seems to be walnut with some figure; forearm likely is a poorly executed replacement. If anyone finds this interesting, I'll provide the shop name and phone number. -- paulallen, caliber45, tucson

[Mike R]

I don't know about the price.  My first MLer was a H&A underhammer 'deluxe' model with the tang peep sight and fancier stock. It was a .36.  I didn't know squat then and overloaded it horrendously with hand cast bullets from a mold I made by drilling  holes into brass blocks [they were a sort of flat based stubby conical], yet it would shoot 1" groups at 100 yds all day long!!!  People at the range would scatter when I loaded her up.  In my poor collegiate days I traded it [and a .22mag] off for a .308 deer rifle.  Many models had no front stock and it is possible that a previous owner added one. 

[smokinbuck]

Paul,
H&A underhammers are notoriously ugly is a true statement, but they do shoot well and are easy subjects to remodel. They are inexpensive, foregiving and like a puppy, they just keep on giving. You find them available periodically and they often command what seems to be higher than average dollars. I have built offhand target rifles, chunk guns and even trap guns out of them. Give it a try, you might like it.
Mark

[Curt J]

Like 'em or hate'em, the H & A underhammers are simple, reliable, and will shoot as well as anything I've ever owned. I have a ".45 TARGET" model with 1 1/8" octagon barrel that won me a shoe box full of ribbons at local shoots back in the 1970's. It has also killed a deer or two. The ignition on these guns is unbeatable.

[spud]

I have a H&A underhammer with two bbls. a 1 1/8 .45 target and a 30" .36 cal odd looking but dead accurate!!!