A not-so-funny thing happened on the way to the blog...

Recently I received a wonderful book containing over 100 pages of well-researched, tested, and detailed information and illustrations regarding one of history's best kept secrets. While not specifically 'underhammer' in nature, I believe the information contained within it to be of such significance to all of us muzzleloaders that it's being featured here.

Truly this book provides a tremendous wealth of information that will be of value to anyone interested in firearms as the information represents the very genesis of our sport and was the springboard for the whole industrial revolution. On a scale of importance to the development of civilization, the information it provides is akin to the discovery of fire.

I wrote a review of the book with the intention of sharing the information with our readers. However, when I clicked the button on the blog composer to actually publish the review to the web, Google's computer system IMMEDIATELY recognized the subject matter and refused to publish the review. It posted an orange Error Message that stated that my post was refused for (inappropriate) content.

Thinking that this was just a minor snafu - a problem with incorrect punctuation marks, perhaps, which can sometimes confuse the html editor - I edited and resubmitted the text. Again, the Error message INSTANTLY appeared. For over two hours I edited and re-edited the script and title into every conceivable form so as not to offend the Google computer's sense of appropriateness and every time it flashed the same message as if to say, NO, WE WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO SHARE THAT KIND OF INFORMATION! It actually remembered the syntax and the subject matter and refused to accept ANY revision of the original material.

Perhaps now you understand why this "review" is so ambiguous. That computer is damn smart and recognizes not only words, but THOUGHTS. At first I figured there was some geeky kid at Google who was reviewing my material and sat in judgment only to give it a thumbs down verdict. But, no, after further consideration I realized that the review was too lengthy for anyone to INSTANTLY recognize and respond to the post. Only a computer could read and think that fast.

Frustrated with the situation, and dog tired (it was 1:30 am), I decided to call it a day and try again in the morning, although I didn't quite know what I might try.

During my wake-up coffee I received an inspiration to try another approach. I scanned the cover of the book and converted it to a j-peg image which I then uploaded into the blog composer as a picture instead of readable text from the night before.

Bingo! It worked. Luckily the mind of Google apparently cannot read the text compiled within a j-peg graphic as it did not refuse to publish the photo of the book's cover - which pretty much tells the story.

Checkmate, HAL.

I sincerely believe that the authors of the book (sorry, the computer remembers their names, and I'm not taking any chances of having this post censored, too) have contributed tremendously to our understanding of a subject that has remained shrouded in mystery for nearly a thousand years. Apparently there are still those who would prefer that it remain that way as they obviously don't want you to have this book.

At $39.97 I believe it to be a bargain considering the wealth of information contained within. To place an order and learn of other interesting books offered by L&R Publishing Company, please visit www.blackpowdernet.com for more details. For those who would like to read my review, please contact me at: underhammers@safe-mail.net and I'll be happy to e-mail the full review to you.

The story you have just read is true. The names have been withheld to protect the innocent - but mostly to put one over on Google's computer.

Follow up: Thinking that perhaps because I tried publishing late that night (now four days ago) while Google may have been performing some kind of internal maintenance, and that perhaps their system was down and just couldn't respond to my input, I again tried to publish the most tame revision of the review and it was immediately refused - again. So, it seems pretty obvious now that they really don't want me to share this information with you.

Perhaps some validation to any conspiracy theorists among you.

.

Gurtek goes low-tech.

Many believe that it is an appreciation of a simple, efficient, yet low-tech approach to certain aspects of life that keeps us playing with muzzleloaders at a time when most everyone else seeks quicker, easier and cheaper ways of getting through life. For the most part we’re not looking for the high-tech, easy, time-saving manner of burning powder and sending lead down range. We are those who choose the road less traveled. We prefer the slower, low-tech, certainly old-tech, road where we may shoot less but we enjoy it more. When it comes to technology, for many of us the saying that “less is more” certainly applies. More times than not we prefer low-tech and that’s one reason why we admire underhammer guns – simple, efficient and low-tech.

Brent Gurtek is also such a man and we thank him for sharing some photos of his first underhammer project. In a phone interview with this full time gunmaker, he said his usual work consists of Kentucky rifles and similar side-locked firearms of the 1750-1850-period. However, he always harbored a love for underhammer sporting arms. Recently he decided to finally take the plunge into the pool of underhammer makers. He brought his experience with longrifles to the bench to create this unique underhammer which exudes the innovative design and flavor of an original piece of the early 19^th century.



Brent said that his rifle wears a 36-inch octagonal, straight-tapered (1" - 7/8") .50-caliber round-ball barrel by Ed Rayl. The tapered barrel lends a wonderful sense of balance to the finished rifle, both in handling characteristics as well as aesthetics, and unbeknownst to many, it also provides superior accuracy.

The case-hardened action is made by Charles Bowers and features the simple logic of the time-honored triggerguard/mainspring construction. The Bowers action uses Allen screws (unfortunately) to secure the barrel/receiver connection for ease of take-down and barrel swapping for those who are inclined to shoot two or more calibers (or bird shot) from the same platform.






Brent chose curly English walnut for the stock and its mountings are brass. He claims that his patchbox design is loosely based on others from eastern Pennsylvania and reflects his longrifle background. It certainly seems to “date” the piece as an early transitional type of percussion rifle just emerging from the Golden Age. Brent then tastefully antiqued the whole rifle to give it the flavor of a well-maintained original.

Brent’s manner of fixing the ramrod pipes to the barrel provides a rigid and durable arrangement. The “pipes” are made of brass sheet having a flange that is soldered to the barrel and decorated in appropriate manner. All in all a very nice treatment and one which displays the ingenuity of frontier gunmakers who had little in the way of machinery to provide the methods of construction employed by the factories and even some of the more established gunmakers in the more settled areas of the East.

Brent fabricated the ramrod thimbles from brass sheet which he
soldered to the barrel for a wonderful frontier gunmaker's look.

“I make most of the bits & pieces for my guns, preferring to use ’catalog’ parts as little as possible." says Brent. "The sights and butt plate shown here are both of my own manufacture.” he adds. It is that fabrication of his own “bits and pieces” that lend that certain individuality to his work. He also stated that he’s been diligently working on an underhammer design of his own which we hope to see in the near future. Brent sums it all up by saying, “Underhammers are inadequately appreciated by modern muzzle loading shooters and THAT MUST CHANGE!!” To help remedy that situation he is presently involved with three other underhammer projects and plans to continue to build underhammer rifles, too.



Since the original posting, we received this pic of the nice doe that Brent harvested with the rifle displayed above. Way to go, Brent!

Just a reminder that clicking on the images will enlarge them. Clicking the "Back" arrow will return you to the text.

All photos copyrighted by Brent Gurtek