Pecatonica River Underhammer kit.

Pecatonica sell nice kits. Well worth the money. You're getting a great barrel also in a Green Mountain. For an entry level project, unless you're into wood working as a profession, maybe not.

I have an H+A .45 underhammer that's been my primary deer ML for the last few years. It works well, but it's a tool, not a showpiece.

Since i like it so much, i picked up a Deer Creek unfinished action; which is waiting to be my project #1, but keeps getting sidelined for other stuff...that and the quotes i got on case coloring it were a bit off putting...it'll probably wind up Laurel Forge browned...

So, first off, GO FOR IT!

Secondly, i'd use a Colerain octagonal-to-round barrel from track of the wolf. I was thinking .62 smoothbore myself..

Underhammer's suffer from short ramrods, cuz the rod, when positioned on the bottom flat, runs into the nipple.

The solution is to solder the ramrod pipes onto the next flat over,either to the left or rite, of bottom. Or place 'em on both side flats & carry 2 rods.

I recently got an older original Numrich made H&A underhammer. It's a total hoot to both handle and shoot. And maybe I lucked out but the flannelette patches with a .440 ball shoots neatly accurately.

It does suffer from that short ramrod issue as Doak mentions. I check for being unloaded by watching the end of the rod disappear about 3/4" into the bore. And when loaded with 40gns of 3f and a patched .440 ball the end is only out of the bore about 1/2" so I push it down with the end of my short starter to pack the load down.

If I were building one from a kit I think I'd strongly look at Doak's idea of setting it off to one of the lower angled flats to allow for a longer rod. If done right it could be quite the "feature" and item for discussion on the line.

If you're shooting for fun a .45 is a great way to go. Less powder and less lead per shot adds up to more shots per dollar over the long haul. I don't hunt so I can't comment on the use of a .45 for good size deer or larger critters. But it would obviously work for anything smaller.

guess one could acquire more barrels, and have a switch barrel gun. I didn't know if Deer Creek was still in business.

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Yes, the benefit of the Deer Creek product is that you can switch out the breech block/barrel with some allen set-screws... that, of course, is also a downside to be looking at those screws... but i was thinking a switch barrel set up would be far more versatile. i don't know the specifics, but i believe Deer Creek did go under.

on mine, i was thinking no fore-stock, and no ramrod to keep it clean looking. Perhaps an overly-long rod with a stop i could just run through a belt loop to carry like a sword. But i probably wouldn't stray far from the range or the clays course with it...i'm not skirmishing!

the use of a .44 for good size deer or larger critters.

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The .45 RB out of a Colt 1860 pistol was judged by the Army Ordinance Board as good enough to take down a horse; so i think a .44 RB with twice as much powder behind it (or more) from a longer barrel should do the trick (and a couple bucks, does, and an errant woodchuck and coyote would agree).

Depends on the width 'across the flats' and the caliber. Call them and ask them what they would recommend. This is my John and Caleb Vincent Ohio sporter rifle from Pecatonica River with a 36" Green Mountain barrel but I can't remember the measurements across its flats.

Not Your Average U/H!

Here's my underhammer rifle; a Norwegian military Kammerlader from the 1850s. They are a capping breechloader, .70 caliber shooting a 690gn conical bullet over 95gns of Fg.



It loads basically like a C&B revolver.

...on mine, i was thinking no fore-stock, and no ramrod to keep it clean looking. Perhaps an overly-long rod with a stop i could just run through a belt loop to carry like a sword. But i probably wouldn't stray far from the range or the clays course with it...i'm not skirmishing!

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That would give the gun a really smooth look for sure. Especially with the H&A style of action where the receiver block blends from round to octagonal to match the barrel.

You'll want to pack a good leather glove along with the belt scabbard ram rod if you'll be shooting at any sort of continuous pace. The barrel is going to become uncomfortably warm if there isn't a break taken between each shot. I shoot my flintlocks with a group of 3 or 4 other folks on the trail walk shoots. And even with that the barrel becomes warmer than I would want to hold onto after the fourth or fifth shot and holds that heat for the rest of the trail. We all shoot then reload right away. So once the ramrod is put away there's seldom more than a minute before I shoot again. With no wood to hang onto I'd HAVE to wear a good sturdy leather glove.

I like the idea of a scabbard for the ram rod though And that way a small and thinner sort of foregrip could be used which doesn't take too much away from the look of the rifle.

I also have a vision of a "round rod" style H&A underhammer action with the fore end blending to the octagonal barrel and with the barrel transitioning at around 30% to 40% of the way out to a nice wedding band transition and then being round the rest of the way with a nice wedding band detail at the muzzle which is cut with a dovetail for the front sight. This would lighten the barrel significantly and I think it would add a lot of design to the look.

Very nice rifles, gents.

Speaking of Pecatonica River, I notice that the Jedidiah Starr Trading Co. also sells their kits. Are there any pros or cons to ordering from one or the other that anyone here is aware of?

Jedidiah Starr Trading Co. also sells their kits

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Wow. That's a lot of wampum for that kit!

I have 3 pecatonica underhammer kits 2 h&a and 1 Allen foundry action the Allen is a better and more refined. The h&a hammer and trigger are not always properly heat treated so they wear and the notches or sear will chip otherwise they are great kits for under $600 here are a few considerations
Have them cut dovetails for sights and forearm doohicky

Have them solder ramrod pipe and order extra pipe kit only comes with 1 and it really needs 2

Get replacement nipple from Track of the wolf or better yet Ted Cash the ones from pecatonica burn out

My 2 h&a both are 36" long with 13/16 barrels one is.45 the other .36 the .45 weights at 7# it is perfect for hunting and target shooting though this summer I have been using the .36 for the weekly league shoot from 15-100 yards

The Allen foundry action has a 34" 1" across the flats with a 1-18 twist for bullets weights about 10# with scope when I do everything right will shoot 1 1/4 at 100 yards a great light bench gun