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Lyman Plains Pistol

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TomcatPC

32 Cal
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Hello
I recently was given a .50 Cal. Lyman Plains Pistol.
A couple questions.
1. What powder charge is recommended for a .490" patched round ball? I have both FFG and FFFG, I was planning on using up the FFG first. My gut reaction says around 30-ish grain range?, but thought I'd ask here first.

2. Is this pistol based at all in reality? Does this pistol have any "historical correctness"?.

It looks like it will be fun to shoot none the less and is my first muzzleloading firearm.
Thanks
Mark
 
I'd say a powder load of 25 to 35 grains would be about right for your .50 so, your guess is about right.
Because the powder load is lighter than the load for a .50 caliber rifle and to ease loading the gun, I would recommend using .010 to .012 thick patches.

The gun is fairly typical of the single shot pistols common in the 1840-1860 time frame.
 
For what its worth, that Lyman pistol is constructed using the same components as their Great Plains Rifle and It can handle much stiffer charges that what we would consider normal "pistol loads". The charges I shoot in my .54 pistol would make some people's remaining hair stand up. 😳
 
For what its worth, that Lyman pistol is constructed using the same components as their Great Plains Rifle and It can handle much stiffer charges that what we would consider normal "pistol loads". The charges I shoot in my .54 pistol would make some people's remaining hair stand up. 😳
Every time my hair stands up a little more falls out... don’t have much left for 80 grain charges in a pistol!
 
"Tom stood alone in the woods, pistol braced in a firm two handed hold, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves all around him, the last beams of the day's sunlight filtering through the trees. He turned his head slightly to the left, spit out some tobacco juice, mumbled a quick prayer to St. Barbara, and touched off the charge, sending the hapless squirrel standing near a small shrub ten yards away to kingdom come in an explosion of fur. As the cloud of smoke dissipated on the breeze and remnants of squirrel carcass rained down around him, Tom realized he should probably reduce his powder charges when shooting squirrels in the future."

😄
 
"Tom stood alone in the woods, pistol braced in a firm two handed hold, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves all around him, the last beams of the day's sunlight filtering through the trees. He turned his head slightly to the left, spit out some tobacco juice, mumbled a quick prayer to St. Barbara, and touched off the charge, sending the hapless squirrel standing near a small shrub ten yards away to kingdom come in an explosion of fur. As the cloud of smoke dissipated on the breeze and remnants of squirrel carcass rained down around him, Tom realized he should probably reduce his powder charges when shooting squirrels in the future."

😄
Well done.

In his unfortunate mental state, he could have sworn that squirrel was a buffalo. But his tobacco was actually Jack Links Jerky....

When the weather permits I'll get to the range and make a little video. You'll be surprised what the Plains Pistol can do. Heck, I shoot a lot more than 30 grains in my .44 Dragoon. Why water down a .54 that is essentially a short rifle.
 
Welcome, TomCatPC.

I have one of those Lyman Plains Pistols in .50 caliber. It is capable of very good accuracy if the shooter does his part. Zonie made some excellent suggestions with regard to starting loads. The Lyman owner's manual says the maximum recommended load for this pistol is 40 grains of FFFG under a .495" ball. That is on page 14 of the Lyman User's Guide, available free online. Just click the link. Oddly enough, I didn't find a recommended starting range for the powder charge in the manual, but Zonie's suggestion sounds good to me. I haven't settled on a load for mine, but was experimenting with 35 grains of FFFg. I (and some others) have found the .490 ball is hard to load. I have gotten some balls in .480", which is probably not tight enough for best accuracy, and in .487", which might shoot well and be a little easier to ram, but I haven't tried either of those in this pistol.

I would recommend that you get a copy of Percussion Pistols and Revolvers, by Johnny Bates and Mike Cumpston. Amazon has it. This book has a whole chapter on the Lyman Plains Pistol. The authors experimented with various propellants, including both Goex and Swiss black powder and three different BP substitutes, with charges ranging from 20 grains to 40 grains, with patched round balls, Lee R.E.A.L. bullets and Hornady 385 grain Great Plains Bullets. This is a very sturdy pistol, tolerant of a variety of loads.

Regarding historical accuracy, it is "similar" to a number of late fur-trade era pistols, but it is not an attempt to copy anything in particular, as far as I know. The "snail," or bolster, where the nipple screws in, is unlike anything you are likely to find on an original. Here is a Tryon pistol from the early 19th century, for comparison:

Tryon Pistol.jpg


This next one is a pistol by A.W. Spies. The hammer spur was unfortunately broken off at some point:

A.W. Spies Pistol.png


The Tryon pistol is half-stocked, like your Lyman Plains Pistol, but it has a back-action lock and a captured ramrod. The Spies pistol was converted to percussion from flintlock. It has a full stock and a brass barrel, unlike your Plains Pistol's half stock and steel barrel. You see a lot of variation in the pistols of that period, and I think the Lyman is a composite of features from a variety of sources. In my opinion, it was probably inspired by the "Factor's Pistols" which were offered by the now-defunct Green River Forge and the "Trapper's Pistol" from the also defunct Green River Rifle Works in the seventies and eighties. The first was a fullstocked flintlock, but the GRRW Trapper's Pistol was available in percussion or flintlock, halfstock or fullstock. North Star West also made a simple Trade Pistol in flintlock, similar in style to the Green River Forge pistol. This was available until NSW closed up shop just a few years ago. You rarely see any of these three pistols up for sale on the used gun market. People who own them tend to keep them!

If you are interested in original single-shot pistols of the fur trade, the American Society of Arms Collectors published a great monograph by Charles Hanson in the ASAC Bulletin 62:9-18. You can access it right here: Fur Trader's Pistols

I think the Lyman Plains Pistol, like their Great Plains Rifle, has some nice features but some room for improvement. It would be great if they would offer an upgraded version, as they have done with the "Signature Series" Great Plains Rifles. The Plains Pistol could definitely use a more authentic and more ergonomic grip shape, better sights, and a nicer-looking snail. Ain't gonna happen, though.

Regardless, the Plains Pistol is a good shooter and a good value. I hope you enjoy it!

Notchy Bob
 
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For what its worth, that Lyman pistol is constructed using the same components as their Great Plains Rifle and It can handle much stiffer charges that what we would consider normal "pistol loads". The charges I shoot in my .54 pistol would make some people's remaining hair stand up. 😳
LOL, when I am out hunting I carry my 54 Lyman as well, and because I may need it for a final dispatch - I load it the same as the 54 rifle I carry.
For target shooting though, I do back off to 35gr as I want to shoot it more than once or twice.
The pistol will handle a much stiffer load though...
 
I sold my .50 GPP some time ago but when I had it I had to try a few stout loads. 60 grains 3f and round ball, 50 grains and a maxiball. Like that... the stock design is not exactly perfect for recoil control.
My two hand hold is left hand forward, gripping the forestock ahead of the trigger guard. This results is a very steady hold and control under recoil.
 
Always somebody pushing the envelope. For target shooting, minimal loads usually work best. In my 45 cal pistol, a load of 15 grains was about the best for my accuracy. No worry about recoil and less stress from trying to hold on. I'd go as little as 20 in the Lyman pistol. (I have one. I just haven't had the time to put it through it's paces yet. ) As for powder loads, German very heavy barreled Boller pistols in 18 mm are often shot with over 150 grains of powder.
 
Always somebody pushing the envelope. For target shooting, minimal loads usually work best. In my 45 cal pistol, a load of 15 grains was about the best for my accuracy. No worry about recoil and less stress from trying to hold on. I'd go as little as 20 in the Lyman pistol. (I have one. I just haven't had the time to put it through it's paces yet. ) As for powder loads, German very heavy barreled Boller pistols in 18 mm are often shot with over 150 grains of powder.
Going that low is dangerous.
Some nut will shoot that at some hard wood one day and the ball will come straight back at them.
 
My two hand hold is left hand forward, gripping the forestock ahead of the trigger guard. This results is a very steady hold and control under recoil.
This is correct way to shoot a strong pistol. Forget the movies!
One can use the weak hand on the grip and trigger too and use the strong hand forward. The strong hand doing the sight alignment and hammer control.
Some acquire wrong handed pistols to keep the strong hand on the grip but the mechanism is in easy reach for the weak hand.
 
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