Underhammer stock

[Oldnamvet]

Was/is there a unique stock style for an underhammer?  I favor pistol grip type stocks due to problems of old age in my hand/wrist.  A pistol grip is something I can hold onto comfortably -- moreso than a straight grip.  I'm getting parts together to make a 62 cal smoothbore underhammer and am wondering about the stock configuration.  Don't want to get verbally tarred and feathered if a picture was posted that was wildly non PC.

[Roaring Bull]

Don't worry, Tom.  I can control the verbal tar and feathers.  I wanna see pics when ya get 'er going.

[Oldnamvet]

So far I have obtained the action and rough stock (walnut with nice figure).  Stock is a little short for me so I'll be extending it an inch or so with some redheart wood.  Custom breech plug is required so it is being made to fit the barrel.  Then I have to start the soldering, shaping, filing, sanding, etc.  Sometimes I wonder what I got myself into.  Should be done by spring.

[FrankG]

The butt stocks are similar to a shotgun butt for a single shot with bolt through butt or top and bottem tang. Saw one a long time ago with a shutzen butt plate that hooked under arm pit !
Are you making your own action too ?

[Oldnamvet]

Making my own action??  That is really beyond my current capabilities.  If I lived another 30 years or so (not likely), I might be able to learn to do that.  Sooo, answer is I bought the action and the rest of the parts as a kit.  I'll be assembling things and then finishing everything. Soldering, filing, and drilling is about as far into metalwork as I'll go.

[bull frog]

Under hammers can be an acquired taste, but once you get used to them they kind of grow on you.  You just can't beat one for simplicity and reliability, they just don't come much simpler than an under Hammer.  The ones that just plain out right baffle me are the under hammer flint locks.  From what I have read, they were said to work very well too.  I still have an under hammer in my arsenal, got no idea when it was made, but it was well taken care of by it's previous owner.  It's a Hopkins and Allen .50 cal that came out of an estate sale somewhere in Calif.  I think you will really love it when it is done.  Think I saw Track of the Wolf with some parts recently, it had a metal frame that the barrel screwed into, main thing I remember it had tangs that were bent for a pistole grip stock.

[Oldnamvet]

Just one of those things I guess like an itch that has to be scratched.  I tried one once and liked not having the caps up near my face.  It only took once to get spattered by a cap with an old CVA that made me leary of them.  No issues with my flinters as yet.  But the underhammer will keep cap fragments away from your face and the sighting plane is really open so for bird hunting it should be nice.
Underhammer flintlock??  That does sound weird.  I would think that the powder would flash in the air but I guess the lock is fast enough that it is right next to the vent.  The pan would have to be different though I would think.  No pan but a recess in the cover for the powder??

[bull frog]

I saw pictures of a couple of very fancy ones.  They were built a lot like a box lock, or a regular underhammer.  The pan was centered on the bottom flat.  Appeared to have the flash hole in the bottom of the pan.  Frizzen was centered over the pan as usual.  The flint struck the sparks directly into the pan on into the powder charge, only upside down.  Would probably caught on more if the flint system lasted longer and not superceded by caplocks.  will look and see if I still have a picture of one some where.

[Oldnamvet]

Been working on the stock.  It was too short but the piece of walnut was too nice so I put a piece of redheart on the butt to extend it a couple of inches.  I had sanded and was getting ready to whisker it but wanted to get a feel of how it will look with an oil finish.  So I wiped it down with paint thinner -- also to see if I had any glue spots from putting on the extension.  Gonna be a unique gun for sure.

[Roaring Bull]

Dang Tom that sure is nice.

[bull frog]

That's first class for sure tom.

[DandJofAZ]

Every one of us should have at least one gun unlike any other in the world.

[Oldnamvet]

Decided to put on a redheart grip cap as well.  Then the forearm needs a cap of redheart too since it is not nearly so figured as the stock.  I haven't even started on filing the dovetails in the barrel for the lugs and rear sight.  I may have it done when warm weather hits here again -- about June 2009.

[Roaring Bull]

perfection shouldn't be rushed right?!?