Custom deer pistol

[don hepler]

Anyone, built or had someone build a large bore pistol, just for deer hunting? Virginia, has changed the law, as of last season, to include single shot pistols for deer hunting, as long as they meet the same requirements as the rifle. Which basically says, it must be loaded from the muzzle, 45 cal or larger, and loaded with at least 50 grains of BP or BP sub equivalent. I believe there are a couple of factory guns which would meet that, but I am interested in building something. I just wandered if anyone has built one.

 

[BrownBear]

A bud of mine built a "custom" that flat amazes all of us who have been around it. Life started as a Lyman Great Plains Hunter rifle with its fast twist barrel. He picked it up as boot in a trade for something else because the barrel was bulged about half way down and the stock was cracked, even as the bore was pristine.

He hacked the barrel to 12" and carved a stock, otherwise salvaging all the Lyman parts to turn it into a "Lyman" pistol. Wow....

He's shooting 60 grains of 3f Goex under a .530 ball and .020 patch for 50 yard groups that rival what most guys can manage with rifles. He's tried other loads, but that's the combo it likes best. And like it, it most certainly does! Deer really hate it, though. :wink:

 

[jeremiah ingraham]

I'm not sure if you are interested in a smooth bore but North Star West has a Trade Pistol kit in 28ga, 24ga, and 20ga. I know it won't be accurate for long shots but it might be something to consider.

 

[galamb]

Happy Birthday.

And sorry, I can't advise on a Deer Pistol.

Up my way we find deer hunting challenging enough without allowing the Deer to be armed so that they can fight back :rotf:

(plus it's illegal in all of Canada to hunt any game animal with a pistol of any description)

 

[larryp]

Haven't built one myself but Jim Chambers has a kit made just for hunting. http://flintlocks.com/pistols.htm

 

[FishDFly]

Howdah Hunter Pistol Percussion, do not have to build it, just order one, even a double barrel.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

there are modern made CVA and Traditions rifles with pistol grips. Hack the butt stock off just behind the pistol grip and shorten the barrel. Already made for rifle loads so they will take 70 to 80 grain loads. I bought one online in 50 caliber but have not decided how long a barrel I want. Cost of the rifle with lock, etc was $120. already has a hooked breech and barrel key for easy removal.

 

[don hepler]

The Jim Chambers looks very good. My ideal would be a scaled up Patriot TC. I have one in 45 cal. If I were to scale it up and put a 54 barrel, then I would feel comfortable taking it to the deer woods.

Kind of surprised that no one here has built one.

 

[ohio ramrod]

Each to his own. But myself I would not like to shoot a large bore pistol with 50 grain loads! :idunno:

 

[frogwalking]

I regularly shoot a 20 ga. English trade pistol with #4 buckshot and 50 gr.

 

[longrifle78]

This is one I built a couple years ago. 10" 45cal, I think it would work fine at close range on deer.

 

[Mickc01]

A very well made pistol, longrifle. Thanks for sharing.....Mick C

 

[crockett]

Any of the kit guns in 50 or 54 caliber and a 10-12" barrel ought to do the job. A rifle should remain your preferred choice and the pistol used in special situations. One would be if you are sitting on the ground against a tree and a deer comes in on your "wrong" side where you can't cranked the rifle around for a shot. If the range is close a pistol may work. You track down a deer and it is still moving around, a pistol at close range I suppose will work. In a bramble "hell" you might want to forget the rifle and just carry a pistol.

 

[don hepler]

That's nice. I have a pistol sort of like it.

 

[don hepler]

When I was younger, I hunted with a handgun a lot. They were modern guns, but I was very successful, that's why I'm thinking more of the larger calibers. One reason, is for it to be legal, and the other is give me a little more range. I hunt from elevated stands, and pretty easy picken with a rifle. Although, I must admit that I have missed two at close range with my flintlock rifle, but would have been easier to move into position, had it been a pistol.

 

[FishDFly]

Thoughts, I am not a fan of hunting deer with a M/L pistol and will not enter into that discussion.

A .54 barrel on a Patriot is fine way to shatter the stock and get hurt.

A guy in our club showed up at a shoot and at the end of the shoot he wanted to shoot his Traditions pistol. We have no idea how much powder was in it, projectile was not a round ball.

When he set it off, the explosion was tremendous,
the ramrod hit the roof. Total silence.

He was holding his right arm with his left. I went to my truck and retrieved my EMT bag with necessary supplies. One of the shooters was an RN and better trained than me.

It was one of the worst lacerations I have ever seen, the Traditions stock literally cut him to the bone and broke his wrist.

Be careful of what you do.

 

[don hepler]

Sorry....I didn't mean to actually use a Patriot stock. I meant scale up the shape to a much larger stock, that would be suitable for a larger barrel. I like the saw handle shape, for control. The weakness of the Patriot was due to straight grain walnut, and smallish size. I'm not a fan of deer hunting with undersize pistols, either. I'm hunting from my elevated bow hunting stand, in heavy cover, and moving my longrifle into position often spokes deer that are so close.
I can appreciate your concerns. No way a 54 barrel is going into a 13/16 ths. barrel channel. I've been doing gun smithing and machining most of my adult life. I'm sorry for the way I worded it, I did actually mean to scale up the style, using maple.

 

[hawkeye2]

As far as the Howda goes last time I checked Virginia did not allow hunting deer with a multiple shot muzzleloader even if you only loaded one barrel, could have changed though.

 

[don hepler]

No,.. Virginia, law says single shot, loaded from the muzzle, at least 45 cal. or larger, with at least 50 grains of BP or sub. equivalent.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

While many are of the opinion that a front loader pistol is too anemic for deer, there are several pistols made that can surpass the energy of some moderate rifle loads. The handful of production guns are primarily nontradional. Of thr traditional guns with power, most are simply not accurate enough/the shooters don't practice enough to be proficient.