.54 Lyman Plains Pistol charge?

[MosinRob]

Hey guys. I bought a Lyman .54 single shot Plains Pistol. I have not shot it yet. I was wondering if I could get some help on a powder charge that would be a good start for it? Thanks guys. -Rob

 

[cynthialee]

A good rule of thumb in pistols is half the caliber in grains of powder give or take a few grains.
So 54/2=27 I would load it between 20-35 grains. Start small, try it out a few shots. Try it with a few more grains and try a few more shots. Eventualy it will start grouping. Fine tune the charge around this powder measure until you nail it.

 

[Zonie]

I totally agree with Cynthia.

Try using a .530 or .535 diameter lead roundball with a .010 thick cotton patch over the powder charge.

Many people new to single shot pistols read all of the rifle loading suggestions and try using a .015-.018 thick patch like the rifle shooters use.

They rapidly find that trying to get the rifle ball/patch combinations down the barrel is just about impossible.

The .010 thick patches that rifle shooters frown on work very well in a pistol with its lighter powder charge and they are much easier to load.

 

[jethro224]

The .54 GPP I have shoots good with 20 to 30 grains of either 2 or 3F a .530 ball and a .015 patch.
I never used a loading stand just my hip.

My Pedersoli .54 loads much easier with the .010 patch Zonie recommends tho. A .015 makes it real tight.

 

[MosinRob]

Thanks guys, took her to the range a couple nights ago. She really liked 20 grains of ff.