.62 caliber underhammer boot pistol

[coyotejoe]

I had this 6" length of 20 gauge barrel cut from a fowler and thought there must be something I could make with it. This is what evolved. It is set up so that at the half-cock carry position the "striker" is off the cap just far enough to get a capper in there. It has a deliberately long and heavy trigger pull like a double action revolver. I've fired it with a .590" patched ball and with one ounce of birdshot and with 20 pellets of #4 buckshot. With 30 grains of 3f recoil is pretty stout, 40 grains is painful and 50 grains is OUCH!! The gun weighs only 17 ounces and 50 grains bruised my palm and the triggerguard raised a blood blister on my second knuckle.

[coyotejoe]

And here is the recoil with 50 grains. I was aiming at a target on the ground about 30 feet away so you can see it has quite an "up-chuck".   I'll never do that again.

[Pat/Rick]

I would encourage you to do a instructional article with plans for The Backwoodsman magazine. A friend of mine is building an 8 gauge long gun from one of their articles.

 BTW, I like the pistol and admire your craftmanship, looks like it would work as a grouse getter just fine.

[coyotejoe]

yes, it probably will end up in Backwoodsman, I've had several things published there. As to getting grouse, from the little shooting I've done I think I'd have to be within 30 feet to be sure. It was made mainly just for something to do with a cold winter.