underhammer?

[davey]

got a Numrich Arms                               anyone know value and what caliber (.50 or .54)
        Hopkins & Allen the "OFF HAND"       no serial # ?                   any ideas?   
        W hurley, NY

[coyotejoe]

Most that I've seen were either .36 or .45 caliber, although they did build a few .58's also. As to value, it's hard to say, I've seen them for $75 to $250.  Back when new they retailed at $39.95     Numrich Arms used to make a pretty good barrel and the .45's were popular for target shooting at one time but that was 40 years ago and I'd be surprised if the bore is still good. If you intend to fire it I'd sure recommend you have it checked out by a knowledgable person, especially the nipple. Numrich used an odd-ball nipple thread, 1/4x32, and I've seen some rethreaded to the more common 1/4x28. That is dangerous because most of the threads will be mangled and the nipple could blow out. I believe "Track of the Wolf" does have the proper nipple if the threads have not been ruined.

[longcaribiner]

Numrich picked up the inventory from Hopkins and Allen.  They made short barrelled guns long barrelled guns and everything from 36's to 58's.   I had a 58 caliber and still have the 45 caliber long heavy barrel 45 cal with reciever sights.  It had a 40 inch barrel and was much too heavy for offhand shooting. 

While the design was developed in New England in the 1830's, most muzzleloadr folks dismiss it faster than a red headed step child.  They don't consider them traditional.    However most of the really big heavy bench guns (60 to 70 pound rifles with 4 to 5 ft barrels.)built today are underhammers.     

[S.S.]

Lots of early boot pistols were under-hammer ?
They are about as traditional as a caplock can get!

[offhand35]

I had a Numrich Arms Offhand model in 36 cal for a while........went through a heck of a time getting it to shoot, mostly because  a normal .350 ball and patch would not fit the bore.  I eventually pulled the breech and slugged the bore. It turned out that the groove diameter was .350 [hence Offhand35].  I had to have a .340 mold made at Dixie. Come to find later that the reference section in the Dixie catalog actually lists the proper bore, groove and ball sizes for the Numrich H&A underhammers.  You may want to look there before deciding on a mold size for yours.

[longcaribiner]

http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv85/longcaribiner/001.jpg[img]

[Winter Hawk]

I had the Heritage model for many years, .45 caliber.  It cost $65 from Dixie Gunworks back in 1968, IIRC.  You learn real fast to wear a long sleeved shirt when you shoot one.  My left forearm still has a tattoo from powder flying out of the nipple!  Kind of wish I still had it, though.

-WH-

[longcaribiner]

That "nipple spit" can be limited by one of those little funnel shaped flash guards that goes around the nipple.  (Forget what they are callled.)

[Semisane]

They're called "Demnipplespitzerstopperthings".  Otherwise known as a flash cup.  Easy to make with a copper tubing end cap from the hardware store, or get one from Track of The Wolf.

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(mz1uz2ekad1ott55jmnldj3l))/Categories/partDetail.aspx?catId=14&subId=171&styleId=783&partNum=FLASH-CUP-2-I

[coyotejoe]

The H&A underhammers were originally provided with a brass flashcup which fit the recess milled into the bottom barrel flat. It no doubt helped with the cap splatter but didn't entirely eliminate it, long sleeves are still recommended, an archery wrist guard is even better.