.50 Cal. Underhammer Build Completed!

[Razor62]

After clearing this with Red Badger I'd like to share with you the progress on my latest rifle. The reason that I was unsure of posting this thread was the fact that this rifle will not really fit well into the category of traditional. It's sort of a hybrid, combining some of the things that I love about traditional muzzleloaders and some of the things that I like about modern muzzleloaders.

For starters it's an underhammer which is traditional but it's a modern action albeit a very simple one as all underhammers tend to be. It's got an 28" long octagon barrel which tapers from 7/8" to 13/16" and it's percussion, utilizing a number 11 cap. That's where the traditional aspects end however.

The barrel is a 1:28" ROT (definitely not traditional) and the stock will be a 21st century design to help align my eye with the especially non-traditional 3-9 X50mm scope that will eventually sit atop the barrel.

Here's a stock photo of the Allen Foundry Underhammer Action that is to be the heart of the rifle:



The necessary parts acquired. I had Joe at The Gun Works fit the barrel to the action because I know from experience how tricky this can be without the proper tools.



The 2 dimensional stock sawn out from the blanks of English Walnut an Ebay score!




Fitting the action and buttstock. Also roughing in the grip area.






Inletting the buttplate:



Rough shaping the buttstock and cheek rest:





That's as far as I've gotten thus far. I think the next big step will be to mount the scope temporarily to allow me to contour the cheek rest so as to place my eye directly inline with the scope. Once I've got the cheek rest dimensions established the scope will come off and be stored away until the rifle is completed.

I'm very satisfied with the length of pull that I settled upon - 13.75" . She comes to my shoulder lightning fast and places my eye as close to perfect as can be had at this point.

Those tool marks are an eyesore but they'll all begin to disappear as the job progresses. There's still allot more wood to be removed before the final contours of the buttstock are reached.

I've got allot of little extras planned for this gun. Stick around it should be fun....

[gunmaker]

How is it you live in RI & know Joe at gun works in Springfield, Or??  I used to live near Joe & Suzy's shop and have got lots a good stuff over the years....Really good people to deal with...Tom

[mongrel]

Fast-twist rifling is most definitely traditional -- just not overly common on American muzzleloaders. Before the flintlock was perfected, though, in roughly 1600-1610, Germanic (actual German as well as Dutch, Swiss, Scandinavians, etc) gunsmiths had pretty much covered all the bases in terms of what might make a rifle accurate -- every sort of sighting equipment other than actual scopes, and varying twists and depths of rifling. Sometimes the most common perception of "traditional" actually excludes a lot that was actually, well -- traditional. I happen to be of the opinion that our ideas of what's traditional and correct ought not be limited solely to what American gunsmiths were doing during a relatively brief portion of the muzzeloading era, and that being the case I find what you're doing perfectly traditional.

Just with a few modern twists, is all.

Looking forward to seeing progress on this one.

[Razor62]

Gunmaker, I don't really know Joe & Suzi. I spoke with both of them at some length when I placed my order for the parts of this rifle. They were both extremely helpful. I found them on my quest to find a fast ROT barrel for this project and when I explained to Suzi what type of action I was going to use she let me know that they actually were a distributor for these actions. I was planning on buying it from Petaconica River but I'm thrilled that I was able to give Joe and Suzi the order for nearly everything that I needed. I placed the barrel order with Joe and he advised me on some of the specifics. I asked him to fit the barrel to the action and I received exactly what I wanted. So that's how I came to know these fine folks and I'd highly recommend them and their products.

Mongrel, Thanks for the education on traditional muzzleloaders and fast rates of twist. I stand corrected.

Waiting on the scope bases now. I think that I'll start on the forend in the meantime. 

[Razor62]

Got a little more shaping done last night. This is about as far as I want to go until I get the scope on. Got most of the rasp marks out and now you can get some idea of what my $35.00 piece of English walnut looks like. Not too much character. This will be a working gun after all, not a show piece. I was able to take advantage of the way the grain ran in order to get the most strength from the wood in critical areas. The base of the grip section is probably the weakest point. I can see the risk of a chip coming off if it were to take a blow just the right way. I've got plans for that grip however which will address that concern.

Shaping Up!...

[gunmaker]

Is that one of Joe's "Oregon BBl. co." tubes, if so they're a quality product. I can't say enough good about those 2.   He was a champion muzzleloader shooter in his day, and has a lifetime of gun knowledge rattling around in his head.  ....Tom

[William]

On the contrary Razor, I think the wood is showing some very pleasing character with the recent shaping and should be very interesting once finished.

I had a Lyman Great Plains Hunter barrel that had been modified to fit onto a Cabelas Hawken stock, also a 50 caliber.  It was once hole accurate at 75 yards using a Lee REAL bullet, a lubed Wonder Wad and a rather heavy charge of 3f Goex.  It had been drilled for a modern scope but that just wasn't for me.  If you are dead set on a modern scope then by all means put one on but also consider a period look tube sight such as these;
http://www.buffaloarms.com/Products.aspx?CAT=4100
http://winchestersutler.com/BCA_Scope.html
http://hi-luxoptics.com/product/riflescopes/malcolm-replica-scope-series/

[Razor62]

Is that one of Joe's "Oregon BBl. co." tubes, if so they're a quality product.

It most certainly is an Oregon Barrel Co. barrel. I'm certain that I made the right choice. Thanks for the added confidence though Gunmaker. You'd be surprised how hard it is to find an octagon barrel with a 1:28" ROT. Never mind a tapered one. Joe made it to order and I had it in my hands within two weeks. Now that's simply unbelievable!!! Who provides service like that in this day and age??? Their address is : http://www.thegunworks.com/ in case anyone's interested.

[William]

I actually stumbled onto this as well, which evaluates and recommends BPCR scopes;
http://www.texas-mac.com/Searching_for_a_Cost_Effective_BPCR_Scope_Solution.html

[gunmaker]

Fast twist's are out there----but NO one beats Joe's service.  Here's 2 number's of bbl. makers.  Mark DeHaas in Mo. @ 660-872-6308 & Ed Rayl in Wv @ 304-364-8269 both are 1st class people, but the wait will be longer.  Rayl always takes a year!!! One man one bbl is the way he does it.   I have a 1:28 ROT .50 coming from Ed in next few weeks. Lets compare shot groups when we finish our guns   O.K. ?  keep those pic's coming, & glad your aboard....Tom

[Razor62]

William, those scopes are gorgeous! I'd seriously consider putting one on the Allen Boxlock that you liked in this thread.  http://traditionalmuzzleloadingcheap.com/forum/index.php?topic=15920.0   Those designs would be right at home on that rifle. In fact I almost purchased a brass tube version when I built that gun but the cost scared me away.  Thanks for the links though. I'll bookmark them because I'm still thinking of scoping that boxlock. And thanks for your kind words yet again.

This rifle will be a hybrid, combining new and old and as such I'm planning on a modern scope to compliment the modern stock architecture and to gain the large objective lens for dawn / dusk hunting. The 3 - 9 X magnification will be a welcome addition as well.

Tom, thanks for those numbers. I'll keep those too. Something tells me I'll be building a few more guns.    Comparing groups sounds like fun just keep in mind that I build guns better than I shoot 'em. I'm not saying that I'm a great builder but merely that I'm NOT a great shot.    Thanks for the warm welcome too.

[William]

Oh yea!  A brass tubed scope would look really nice on that Boxlock!  I've glad I could help you out and provide a little information but your craftsmanship is what garnered the compliments, keep up the good work.

Before I gave up all my CF rifles I was always happy with Leupold products and I'll leave it at that considering the nature of out forum here.

[Razor62]

Cut the grip section back today to accept an ebony grip cap:



Also modified the forend to accept an ebony nosepiece:



Once these two modifications are blended into the lines of the stock they'll add an attractive and interesting look to the rifle.

[Razor62]

Got the grip cap and the nose piece installed and inlet the forearm for the barrel and hammer / nipple.

Grip cap installed:



Nose piece installed:



Forend inlet to barrel:



Forend inlet for hammer / nipple:



Still need to run the ramrod channel, inlet an ebony diamond center piece for the forend screw and shape the forend.
Some of the pics were taken in different lighting giving the illusion that the forend is a different piece of wood but it's not.

[gunmaker]

Could we see a copy of your resume' where'd you learn your craft Razor62.  I got into this habit because I'm left handed.  When I started out with muzzle loaders no left handed guns were on market---yea long time ago 1971.  But there were LH parts in catalogs,  So as a heavy equip. mech/welder I bought a couple a CVA kits put 'em together & then built my first one from scratch. I still shoot it, it's my go to gun even today...Tom   keep it up !