Lyman .54cal, 425gr Minie Bullet?

[E Poffinbarger]

Long time traditionalist, but new here. I'd be interested in other folks experience with this home cast projectile.

For things that might have a nasty temper, I shoot a sidelock Lyman Great Plains-Hunter .54; 1:32twist, hooded front sight, buckhorn rear sight, with a flip-up tang peep for distance.

Thanks,

Osage

 

[BrownBear]

I'd have to be optimistic. My 54 GPR is 1:66, but my shootingn pard has both the 1:66 barrel and the 1:32 for his 54. I don't think he's tried that particular conical, but it really shines with anything else he has stuffed down the bore. And yes, heavy conicals definitely pack a heck of a wollop, compared to light RBs.

 

[E Poffinbarger]

BrownBear:

Thanks for the insight, as far as a smooth handling rifle my Investarms (Cabela's) 1:56 patched ball .54 rifle is outstanding and has adequate punch for most things.

However, after a rather rude awakening in the Mississippi swamp with my Investarms (Lyman)GPR-Hunter 1:32,.54 rifle, I ordered the Lyman .54 minie mold, the resulting 425gr projectiles look good and assuming my shoulder can endure the load development will begin soon.

Osage

 

[Greenmtnboy]

BrownBear:

Thanks for the insight, as far as a smooth handling rifle my Investarms (Cabela's) 1:56 patched ball .54 rifle is outstanding and has adequate punch for most things.

However, after a rather rude awakening in the Mississippi swamp with my Investarms (Lyman)GPR-Hunter 1:32,.54 rifle, I ordered the Lyman .54 minie mold, the resulting 425gr projectiles look good and assuming my shoulder can endure the load development will begin soon.

Osage

:bow: I have shot the same bullet(mold)out of a shallow groved 1 in 33 twist blue ridge rifle but in 50cal(270grn) with great results just use SPG lube far superior than wonder lube by TC.
And by all means shoot real blk powder I found that Goex express ffg works the best but if you can afford it get swiss but not nessary for hunting.

 

[windwalker_au]

Long time traditionalist, but new here. I'd be interested in other folks experience with this home cast projectile.

For things that might have a nasty temper, I shoot a sidelock Lyman Great Plains-Hunter .54; 1:32twist, hooded front sight, buckhorn rear sight, with a flip-up tang peep for distance.

Thanks,


Osage

i shoot a lee mini in my pedersoli tryon .54 it has a 1 in 47 twist my minis have a thicker skirt
for hevey loads they are devistating on pigs,see pic.
bernie :thumbsup:

 

[E Poffinbarger]

Windwalker AU:

Interesting that you noted Pigs. There is an animal in the Mississippi Swamp called a Russian Boar, not to be confused with the recently ucked up stories here in the USA associated with feral hogs, a farmer's pet and/or Hogzilla, this little piggy has an inherently rather nasty attitude. When you get in their area, you can hear them poping their jaws together which is actually a tusk sharpening process.

They also equipped with something just under the skin that covers the shoulders and vitals called a shield, which looks like white colored nylon.
The one shown in my Avatar had a shield that was well over 1" thick.

With a dense 7' high cover of palmettos I could hear this little 450lb+ piggy coming long before I could see him. He emerged at 25yds running full out, at 10 feet I shot him with a .54 Lee 380gr R.E.A.L. projectile backed by 120gr of powder, which almost set him on fire.

As shocking as it was then to me, he never even broke his stride. He made it another 50yards and enough time to have torn me up, before going down

Hence, the interest in a larger projectile.

Osage

 

[windwalker_au]

Windwalker AU:

Interesting that you noted Pigs. There is an animal in the Mississippi Swamp called a Russian Boar, not to be confused with the recently ucked up stories here in the USA associated with feral hogs, a farmer's pet and/or Hogzilla, this little piggy has an inherently rather nasty attitude. When you get in their area, you can hear them poping their jaws together which is actually a tusk sharpening process.

They also equipped with something just under the skin that covers the shoulders and vitals called a shield, which looks like white colored nylon.
The one shown in my Avatar had a shield that was well over 1" thick.

With a dense 7' high cover of palmettos I could hear this little 450lb+ piggy coming long before I could see him. He emerged at 25yds running full out, at 10 feet I shot him with a .54 Lee 380gr R.E.A.L. projectile backed by 120gr of powder, which almost set him on fire.

As shocking as it was then to me, he never even broke his stride. He made it another 50yards and enough time to have torn me up, before going down

Hence, the interest in a larger projectile.

Osage

i have seen shelds that are 2.5inches thick on pigs in the north of australia these pigs are decended from pigs brought to oz by islenders from as far away as newcalidonia, they are never more than a 100lbs but are as mean as hell and will not back off in a fight,they kill a lot of dogs.
heres a pic of a set of hooks with a 45/70 round to show the size,they are from a 600 lbs boar
he was a durack cross he went down when hit with my .54 mini.
bernie :thumbsup:

 

[E Poffinbarger]

For what its worth the initial range results of a Lyman .54, 425gr minie bullet, 90gr of PyrodexRS, and a CCI # 11 mag cap in my Lyman Great Plains-Hunter 1:32 twist rifle are outstanding. As expected, the resulting recoil of this big solid lead bullet is intense, however the knockdown power should be more than adequate for most game including swamp hogs.

At present a 6 shot group surpasses my best achievement using the Lee R.E.A.L.Rifling Engraved At Loading 380gr projectile.

Next range test: if possible develop an equivalent accurate load using 777 instead of PyrodexRS.

Wonder if the nasty recoil was the reason for so many dropped minies being found after the civil war, naw surely not.

Osage

 

[misfire99]

For what its worth the initial range results of a Lyman .54, 425gr minie bullet, 90gr of PyrodexRS, and a CCI # 11 mag cap in my Lyman Great Plains-Hunter 1:32 twist rifle are outstanding. As expected, the resulting recoil of this big solid lead bullet is intense, however the knockdown power should be more than adequate for most game including swamp hogs.

At present a 6 shot group surpasses my best achievement using the Lee R.E.A.L.Rifling Engraved At Loading 380gr projectile.

Next range test: if possible develop an equivalent accurate load using 777 instead of PyrodexRS.

Wonder if the nasty recoil was the reason for so many dropped minies being found after the civil war, naw surely not.

Osage

I think you might be right about the recoil. But it wasn't their rifles recoil it was the recoil of the rifle shooting at them that got them to drop their balls. I bet those 58 cal bullets sound just awesome flying next to your head.

 

[E Poffinbarger]

Misfire99:

Ya know I can't even begin to imagine what that must have been like with noise, smoke and frantic activity while trying to quickly reload hoping that you somehow survive the battle.

By comparison muzzleloader hunting in the swamp for those nasty tempered hogs with gators to contend too can get to be a little dicey at times; however is in worst case total enjoyment.

Osage

 

[rebel727]

I've never shot a great plains but I have a .58 Enfield I shoot original style thin skirted minies out of exclusively. It's very accurate with charges up to 120 grs.of Pyrodex. Recoil isn't that bad but down around 70 grs. It'll still tear hell out of a five gallon bucket at 300 yds.(with a prop) and recoil isn't noticable.