Hopkins & Allen "Buggy Rifle"

[Slamfire]

I've got one that was sold by Numerich in the 70s. Had to put a new set of sights on, as these old eyes couldn't adapt to that tiny little notch in the rear. Put on a set of Williams WDOS with the wide "English" V notch and a beaded front. Using 25 grains of FFFg and a patched .330 00 buckshot I got her hittin' a 3" bull at 50 yards from the sit ot braced against a tree. This rifle has a .350" bore rather than the usual .360", and is supposed to be able to use 9mm cast bullets for conicals. The twist in 1 in 40". Shootin' black powder it demands to be wiped after every shot, which ain't much trouble when huntin', but I think I'm gonna try and find a charge of 777 that'll work. Its a whole lot easier to clean up after a day at the range.  :wink:

[ribbonstone]

HAve an old "Offhand" H&A underhammer in .36...shares the smae tight bore that you describe, just a lot longer. .351" slugs can be pushed down the bore with finger pressure, but won't fall down of their own weight.

Twist doesn't like long bullets...but will shoot short slugs if (1) are cast of nearly pure lead (2) are short in lenght (light) (3) sized to .350-351" to ride the tops of the lands when loading.

That's not a common size...may be able to hunt down an old bullet sizer/lube die for the .351WSL (usually come out near .351").  Have found that a 9X19 RCBS taper crip die can be used...pushed through the die, they pop out the top at .350".

Hollow base would be better, but need to be about 120-130gr. in weight. Twist is really about bullet length, so even at 130gr. they need to be blunt nosed to be short enough to be spun stable by the slow twist barrel.

Good little guns..simple and surrpizingly accurate.

[BS]

slamfire, is this one with the 21" barrel? They are a cute little blaster.

[Slamfire]

Yes it is the reload while sitting down model.   Jest right fer an ol' man who cain't stand up all day.  
I was wonderin' how to size 125 grain cast semi wadcutter to say .352, but that 9x19 taper crimp die sounds like it is worth tryin'.  

[BS]

I have not seen the 9x19 taper crimp die, how does it resize a bullet. I have seen the bullet luber-sizer used for lead pistol bullets. Bullet makers have some resizing dies also, they work on a reloading press.

[ribbonstone]

9mm taper crimp die isn't designed to resize bullets, it's designed as a finsihing taper crimp to 9X 19 ammo....but all it is is a finely polished tapered hole in a steel die, no shoulders or edges.  IT just happenes that the die at hand (RCBS) tapers to a .350-351" hole at the top, so a soft lead bullet pushed through the die (from the bottom up) pops out the top at about .351"

I did have to turn a .350" rod, making the ends dead flat.  Tried making one with a "ball" end and I did come out with a slightly hollow based bullet once it had been sized, but it's too dificult to get the ball end centered.

Considering the very long taper to the die, it does a good job of sizing oversized bullets.  Ran some of the Buffalo  .36cal. conicals (.375") though the die and they also poped out at .351".

Do hav eto kick them in the butt rater hard to get them to slug up...micro powder charges just won't do the trick.  With this long barrel, accuracy got better as charge weith increased.  I use 40gr. as an accuracy load....at least at that level, the underhammer isn't blow back to set at 1/2 cock...but have gone up to 60gr. without any problems.

[Slamfire]

I have a Lee lubri sizer die for 9mm that sizes to .356, I expect I can use the push rod from that, I can turn it down some if I need to.
Took the little feller out and stuffed 25 grains of fffG with a patched 00 buck in it. Shoots good enough, but demands to be wiped after each shot. That won't hurt when huntin' pasture griz.  :lol:
I found a half pound of Pyrodox P that my youngest son left behind, maybe I give it a whirl.  

[offhand35]

I had the Numrich H&A OFFHAND model in "36"cal , [actually 35] for a while. I had a .340 round ball mold made at Dixie Gun Works.  I still wasn't happy   enough with it to hunt squirrel. I eventually went with the H&A 36cal from Blue Grouse BP, made by Deer Creek.

[Slamfire]

I bought the buggy rifle from Bruce. He had it on Auction Arms. I'm not much into squirrel eatin' so I don't need that dime sized accuracy. I've heard some of the Deer Creek barrels are pretty rough. But with the action you can use any barrel you want.  

[Winter Hawk]

" I've heard some of the Deer Creek barrels are pretty rough. "

I suggest you talk to Longcruise about that one.  He says his Deer Creek barrel will outshine a Green Mountain barrel, right Longcruise?

-WH-

[Slamfire]

Well I didn't say all of them were bad, but this last lot has gotten some mixed reviews.  :roll:

[lostid]

I eventually went with the H&A 36cal from Blue Grouse BP, made by Deer Creek.

 Deer Creek,,don't "make" nuthin. Yet, they are good traders