Just another .45 cal muzzle loading underhammer

Started this one yesterday with an unused lock.
First a new spring was needed in a different shape to clear my knuckles, that was reshaped yesterday. Then this project needed some wood for the stock, luckily there was a Walnut blank big enough for this project in the wood pile.

Here in this first picture, is seen a beginning mockup. There is room for the knuckles behind the hammer spring. The two holes in the stock are to mount the lock. Extra wood was left on the stock until the final shape is "figured out".

Nipple is in the pocket just above the hammer head.
Barrel is almost done for the inlet and is the last pistol sized piece in the .45 cal pile.
Next: Making the barrel tang out of 3/16 inch stock.

Blocks for Round Balls

I was wanting something to keep those round balls from moving all over the shooting bench.
Beginning with a small piece of Walnut, several holes at 3/8 inch (dimples) for .490 round balls. Shown in the first picture are five of those round balls in a larger block.  The smaller block shows five holes and seven holes. The larger block has staggered hole spacing for fingers to easily grasp those round balls and the holes are about 1 inch apart.

Next pictured are six .375 conicals in the smaller block. This block has on three of its sides different count of holes. 5, 6, and 7. As seen in the second picture, there are six holes on top and seven holes at the front side. These blocks have one coat of finish. The larger block is 1/2 inch thick by about 8.5 inches long and the smaller block size is 1 inch square by about 4.5 inches long.

Wood Lock - in progress

Starting with the book, "The Underhammer Rifle" by Jeff Baron.

I wanted to make a copy of one of the books images, a "Wood Lock".

I began by re-drawing it in CADSTD just to see if the geometry is correct. I could not seem to understand how that particular design would lock up, so I continued anyway. I cut out the hammer and trigger and pinned them to a piece of Maple scrap with brass pins.
Unfortunately the first trigger showed me that what I cut out would not lock up in full cock. The hammer just pushed the trigger out of the way. So, I cut out another trigger, this one pictured, and moved the trigger pin closer and higher up so that the trigger ledge is in front of the trigger pin. A slow pulling of the trigger shows that the hammer moves downward ever so slightly, this is good I presume.

Here is a close up of the lockup. It appears that the locking area is too deep, but the trigger swings out of the way very nicely.




I have formed the hammer spring out of an old hand saw blade. I annealed the top strap area, cut out a 1/2 inch wide piece about 6 inches long. Then annealed it again to make it nice and soft for the forming.

Here is that spring, partially formed. Since it's still really warmish here in Phoenix area, I may wait to temper the spring in the bar-be-que.





Update: 9/30/2013
After playing with this lock type, It will be relegated to the "tried this one" pile. Or in other words, it may get redone at a later date, just not now.
IdeZilla.

Underhammer Pistol, in progress

This frame was sent to me by a person (I forget) from www.garagegunsmithing.com (closed for repairs). The barrel, trigger, hammer and other parts have been cut out and then added. Hammer spring is from the hardware store and was intended to be a screen door spring. Barrel is from a DP Enfield .303 stub. Barrel total length is 6 inches long while the top portion of the frame is 4 inches long.

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 Here are the internal parts, trigger attached to the frame with a 1/8 inch brass pin. Hammer has a low-temp silver soldered cup. The barrel and it's stub have been roll pinned vertically and low-temp silver soldered to the frame, it should not come off. The action has only a full cock position, no safety position. A wooden "H" is to be made to insert between the barrel and the hammer to hold the hammer in a safety position.

 Shown is the hammer all the way closed as in a "popped cap" position. Yes, there is a brass washer under the nipple, the threaded portion of that nipple is a bit long and protruded into the chamber area. This protrusion would keep the cleaning behind it troublesome.

Pulling the hammer down will release that "H" and have it fall away. Pulling down in the front of the hammer will set the action to full cock as shown here. The hammer cup has a split at the front to help in digging out a spent cap. Trigger and hammer are cut and shaped out of 1/8 inch hot rolled steel.

There are three 6-32 threaded holes to mount the two wood side panels to the frame. The side panels or grips have been band sawed out of the selected wood and are awaiting finishing. They will cover the frame completely all the way up to the rear of the barrel. Front and rear sights have not been decided upon.

That's all for now.

IdeZilla

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Barrel changed, Jan/13/2014
.50 cal, 1:28 twist.
Back 10 inch portion of a barrel.
Purchased at "internet specials" from G.Mountain barrels while they were available.
Front heavy.  :-)

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Jan/27/2014
New grips fitted, shaping in progress. The wood looks like Padauk.

IdeZilla

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Jan/30/2014
Front and rear sights added.

 How it looks today.

Brass Plate on top of the frame, 22LR case as rear peep sight.

Top view.
Rear mounting screw hole is slotted to allow for very slight windage adjustments. Needs cleaning and polishing.

Front peep made from multiple sizes of brass tubing all soldered together. Faint line on the barrel top is made by putting a balance bubble on a file and gently sliding the file on the barrel.

IdeZilla

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Jan/31/2014
Range Report
11 meters, .490 RB, 30gr of 777 FFFg, blue pillow ticking patch lubed with bore butter.

It hurts to shoot this one as the rear of the grip is still square and  a bit small.

First target at the bottom, second target at the top. 10 shot groups both targets.

IdeZilla

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Feb/10/2014
Second Range Report.
11 meters, .490 RB, 30gr of 777 FFFg, blue pillow ticking patch lubed with bore butter.
About 12 or 15 shots ( I lost count :-) with POA at red dot.

IdeZilla

Yup, another shooter.


Notes:
The pistol grip has been thickened on the right side and a thumb rest has been added on the left side. This modification has helped in removing the pain in shooting this pistol.


That single hole up at the top between "1L" and "2L" is from a 7.35x52mm Carcano 1938 [SA] barreled rifle.

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Feb/11/2014
Showing how the "safety" or half-cock works.

 Top view, how the grip has changed.

Left Side.
The "H" block holding the hammer in half-cock position for capping.

Right side.
Hammer filing on bottom, for looks.

IdeZilla

Those Possibles Bags

I really wanted a Possibles Bag, the ones that I saw were not to sturdy or cost way too much. So, I traveled down to "Oregon Leather" and got a pile of fixings.

I started with this one, it includes a "Holstein" hair-on flap. Internally there are two full size pockets, the front one is full depth while the rear one is attached to the inside of the back. Then a side sleeve was added for the short starter. Lacing is a light tan color.

A pencil sized pocket was added to the strap along with a brass clip to hold several powder measures thus helping with muzzle loader activities.

The inside view shows a plastic powder horn and several other tools needed for a short outing.

Sold

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Then another bag was started, with a slightly larger hair-on flap.This one is basically the same size as the first. Also, there's no short starter pocket on the right side as the strap is mounted there. Lacing is black leather and the strap is plain leather.

Sold

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IdeZilla

Comments Welcomed

More Bags Here

Let's try this again, updated.

OK, the first post seems to have disappeared and won't come back. Bummer.

Here is an example of one of my first underhammer builds (third, actually). That target is my first shot. This one has a .50 cal steel Green Mountain rifled barrel of 1:28 twist. The stand came later when I realized that loading this pistol on the bench would not be easy.

The lock is crude but it works. The trigger has a "hat" that is supposed to rub on the hammer spring. This rubbing forces the trigger forward and into a locking position.

The action gets mounted to the barrel block. Action is housed in a piece of 3/8 inch key stock.  A top strap was inlet to the barrel block and then all parts get mounted.

Picture shows all parts together but has no finish on the Walnut.

A clip of how it works.

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Update: Feb/13/2016

As it looks today.

Newly faced trigger, with brass.

Solder joint.

Pinned hammer flash cup.

Date of manufacture, "P03042011", March/04/2011.
Barrel roll pinned to block.

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IdeZilla

Comments Welcomed

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