Lyman Plains Pistol (.50)

[mec]

The interest in single shot percussion pistols seems to be world-wide and paper-thin. This Lyman Pistol made by Investarms and totally supported by Lyman Products, holds its own with the premium LePage target pistols made by Pedersoli(at a bit more than half the cost.) It also features coil springs in the lock and a caliber that makes it suitable for hunting and broader field use.

The lyman handbooks as well as the investarms fliers seem to top out at 40 grains of fffg or one of the substitute powders as maximum pretty much without reguard to the projectile. Lighter charges work very well with the .490 or .495 Patched balls and tend to hit to the same sight setting.

The "feel" of this pistol is definately familiar to anybody who has handled early 19th century pistols or close replicas. All visible and functional features are fateful to the best of the original caplock pistols.

 

Goollllllllllllllllly gosh mec! That was one professional write up! :redthumb: :thumbsup:

 

[Old Charlie]

I have the Lyman Plains pistol in .54 cal. It is a very nice gun. I truley enjoy shooting it, after I backed off on the load some. I have fired it with 50 gr. of 777 3f and a 300 grain R.E.A.L. That is a bit much and will give you some sore fingers!Have been shooting it with 35 gr. of goex 3f and that works out much better .
Old Charlie

 

[mec]

Maxiball, Thanks.

Old Charlie: I've thought about either getting a .54 or barbie dolling this one with a barrel set-up. Should be easy as Lyman Products lists all the spare parts for on-line shopping. Not sure I need a larger bore though some people have been using the .54s to take deer and report good results.

The 700 fps range loads are really mild and recoil isn't an important factor with the 40 grain combinations -louder though. Some people stuff a lot more powder in these pistols and one guy even found a load that would kick the gun right out of his hand. My worry about that would not be blowing up the barrel-I would worry about damaging the stock.

 

[Regulis7]

What kind of real world field range would one of these pistols have if hunting eastern white tail with charges in the 30-40gr range? What would be the best choice of bullet, PRB or conical?

Regulis7

 

[mec]

The short and PC answer would probably be that these things don't have enough power for deer. Nevertheless, people report successful hunts with them. I suspect they would do best within 50 yards with the shooter picking his shot most carefully. In this area, deer hunting is done from enclosed stands and the range is determined by how far the automatic feeder is from the stand. Under "hunting" conditions like this, it doesn't really matter what gun you use.

The most energetic load I've tried is the 250 grain REAL bullet/ 40 gr/vol pyrodex. This clocks in the high 800s and the paper numbers closely resemble the advertised velocity of the .45 Colt. A lot of people use this for deer and hogs.
I suspect a hunter would want to use heavier loads than I do. In the past, I had a cheaper .50 pistol and regularly used 50 grains of fffg and pyrodex p with the patched balls and saw no ill effects

 

[Gary]

I have one in 50 caliber and it's quite accurate. My only complaint is that the smooth grip tends to slide around in my hands. Perhaps if I slip a piece of innertube on it it would be better? :redface:

 

[Maynerd62411]

Have you tried wearing thin gloves to keep it from slipping away from you? It'd look better than an intertube. :m2c:
In IL, a muzzleloading handgun (blackpowder revolvers are not allowed)is required to produce 500 fps at the muzzle. If you're putting out 700fps, you have plenty of firepower to legally take a deer. :thumbsup:

 

[flaming canvas]

I have one two of these in 54 cal. The book that comes with them lists 50 gr. ff as the max load. I've had 4 stocks split using that load. I backed it off to 32 grains and have had pretty good accuracy results, although I am still working on the sight picture for long shots. I did manage to hit a mountain lion silhouette at 110 yards on a Trapper's Folly at Fort Davis last weekend.

 

[mec]

That sure does confirm my guess that heavy loads might lift these things out of their stocks. Were you using bullet or Ball? And, if you don't mind, could you describe the nature of the damage to the stock??

 

[flaming canvas]

I was using round ball. The book says not to use conicals, although I see from the posts that some guys are. All four did the same thing, they split through the hole for the screw that holds the lock on.
The last one only lasted seven shots. I sent it in to lyman and got it back with a new stock about 3 weeks later.

 

[mec]

The traditions recommendations say not to use conicals because the bullet might slip forward, act as a barrel obstruction and buldge the barrel. Lyman publishes some data for conicals, so it's contridictory.

I used some REAL bullets and the Hornady jobs FOR SCIENCE! but prefer to use ball loaded moderately even though the bullets proved just as accurate.

Thanks for the information on the stock split. I would have figured the area above the wedge would let go. Not much wood left over after all that inleting for the barrel, action and trigger.

 

[flaming canvas]

The back end of the barrel channel is where the force of recoil hits the wood. The grain of the wood always seems to run through the screw hole to the breech surface.

 

[mowolf]

While I do not have a Lyman I do have a 50 Kentucky from Traditions and a 50 Mountain Pistol from CVA. Both built from kits. Both shot pretty good using 35 grn Pyrodex P at 25-50 yards (the CVA Mt. Pistol is much more accurate). It takes some getting used to, the sites that is. Have had to file and move several times to get decent accuracy but it can be done. Have not tried heavier loads or conicals, all the information I have found says 35 grn max and PRB only. :results: They are a lot of fun and I do plan to carry both when deer hunting this fall, Kentucky as a holster (floopy leather) and the Mt. Pistol has a belt hook. By carring them I get three shots

WaYa

 

[Zonie]

Mowolf: Before you pack your pistol for the deer hunt, be sure and check your states rules for legal firearms.

In some states, muzzleloading pistols are OK, but in some states it is illegal to have one in your possession while deer hunting. :shocking:

 

[nvbirdman]

The stock on my .54 Plains Pistol cracked in the same place(through the lockplate screwhole). I drilled the stock and epoxyed in two steel reinforcing pins(nails).

 

[JackAubrey]

I was told I could use up to 60 grains volume in my >50 cal. GPP. I have never had a problem firing this load w/ a pached .495 ball. It does produce a fireball though!!! Stll, it is very accurrate. I only stoke 60 grains while hunting. If I am just plinking I drop down to 25-30 grain range.

 

[JackAubrey]

I was told I could use up to 60 grains volume in my .50 cal. GPP. I have never had a problem firing this load w/ a patched .495 ball. It does produce a fireball though!!! Stll, it is very accurrate. I only stoke 60 grains while hunting. If I am just plinking I drop down to 25-30 grain range.

 

[JackAubrey]

I was told I could use up to 60 grains volume in my .50 cal. GPP. I have never had a problem firing this load w/ a patched .495 ball. It does produce a fireball though!!! Still, it is very accurrate. I only stoke 60 grains while hunting. If I am just plinking I drop down to 25-30 grain range.

 

[noahmercy]

Definitely check your regs regarding hunting with one of these pistols as there can be some funny rules on the books. For example, in Wyoming, the pistol must have at least a 10" barrel, be of at least 45 caliber, propel a projectile of at least 240 grains, and generate at least 500 foot-pounds of energy at 100 yards. That is a hell-for-stout load from a BP pistol, gents! Most books never show loads capable of meeting those requirements. I'm sure the modern inlines with 777 pellets can get there, but I don't think a traditional pistol would make it. And if it could, not many of us would want to hold on to it!