Lyman Trade Rifle

[user 54762]

Howdy pards,

I managed to get a NIB Lyman trade rifle, 50 cal percussion. Finally took her out and I am flabbergasted by the accuracy of this thing. It’s got the 28” barrel with a 1 in 48 twist. I did some experimenting and found 65 g of 2f to be the best load. I’m shooting a .490 Hornady round ball with a lubed .015 patch from the “Gun Works”. I’m using the iron sights and I wanted to zero it at around 75-85 yards, it was already about there so I didn’t even mess with the sights.

My luckiest shot of the day was standing and I was aiming at the bottom of the black circle

I think next I will dial down the powder charge and find what is most accurate for plinking at 25 yards.
Mainly just posting this because when I was using the search bar in this forum, not a lot of info was out there on this specific rifle. Thanks for reading.

 

[ORBushman]

Yep, I was happy to get one last month! Haven't had a chance to shoot it yet but, thank you for the post as it gives me ideas where to start.! Great pic by the way!!

 

[deermanok]

Nice rifle and shooting.
I'd love to find one in a flintlock someday.

 

[Trot]

Those Investarm barrels can be very accurate! I've got two Investarm Hawkens and a Trade rifle and they are among the best shooters I have had.

 

[Kentuckyjed]

Found one just like it in a pawn shop 24 years ago bought it for my girlfriend now wife for $100, it is a 1991 vintage. Shoots great and is a nice looking rifle. I would love to have one in flint.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

My first muzzleloader back in the 90's was a LTR, it was a tack driver.

 

[2 shots]

great little guns. i have a very early one with a 1 in 66 barrel on it. took my first m/l deer with it 32 years ago.

 

[user 54762]

great little guns. i have a very early one with a 1 in 66 barrel on it. took my first m/l deer with it 32 years ago.

I’d really like to find a barrel like that for mine, would be fun to swap out every once in a while

 

[PastorB]

I have had a .54 Trade Rifle for about 40 years, it is a great shooter with PRB's or Conicals. It especially liked the Hornady Great Plains Buller, which I believe is no longer available. Also have a drop in barrel in .40 caliber. Very heavy, and not much practical use, but very accurate and more fun to shoot when just plinking.

 

[user 54762]

Ok, little update. Today I figured out a good plinking/target practice load. 35 grains of 777 2f, .490 round ball with .015 patch. Really accurate 25-50 yards. Also figured out a good elk load, Hornady Great Plains 385 gr with 85 grains of 777 2f. Hits really hard, very small groups out to 100.

On a side note, I lucked into a flintlock version of the same rifle! My first flintlock. Excited to start that journey as well.

 

[SDSmlf]

Ok, little update. Today I figured out a good plinking/target practice load. 35 grains of 777 2f, .490 round ball with .015 patch. Really accurate 25-50 yards. Also figured out a good elk load, Hornady Great Plains 385 gr with 85 grains of 777 2f. Hits really hard, very small groups out to 100.

On a side note, I lucked into a flintlock version of the same rifle! My first flintlock. Excited to start that journey as well.

You may already know this, but the flintlock version will likely require some real blackpowder. Many folks like 4F for the pan, but 3F will work fine for the main charge and in the pan. If you are committed to using 777, you will likely want some 4F or 3F blackpowder for the pan and as a booster under the 777 main charge.

 

[user 54762]

You may already know this, but the flintlock version will likely require some real blackpowder. Many folks like 4F for the pan, but 3F will work fine for the main charge and in the pan. If you are committed to using 777, you will likely want some 4F or 3F blackpowder for the pan and as a booster under the 777 main charge.

Oh yes definitely. I’m aware I need real bp. Currently I only have goex 2f but I have a great shop down the road, “The Gun Works” in Springfield.

 

[user 54762]

My flintlock trade rifle, proof marks indicate it’s from around 1981. Only have shot it a few times. Haven’t begun working on load data. Put 50 grains of 3F in it and a prb. Next time out, I’ll be coming up with a hunting load and a plinking load.

 

[morehops52]

Nice rifle! Can't understand why I never bought one.

 

[Urban Coyote]

The Lyman Trade Rifle was once offered as a premium for selling subscriptions to The Fishing and Hunting News publication in Washington State. That publication was discontinued sometime around 2008. As a boy I was never worked hard enough at selling subscriptions, I settled for a cheap gun case after scoring a few sales.

I still own a percussion .54 purchased back in the late 1990s. I always figured this gun as one of the great values in muzzleloaders. I turned a couple of new shooters on to them at a time when you could pick one up delivered mail order for under $200. I shot mine a bit but never got real serious with it until a few years ago. I've spent quite a bit of time with mine the past couple years and wish I'd have started shooting it seriously sooner, it's a very nice rifle.

I nearly sold it about a year or so ago and I'm glad now I didn't. I'm fortunate to have a pretty fair stable of muzzleloaders and when the time comes to reduce the herd this will be a tough one to let go of, especially since Lyman has apparently given up on the muzzleloader trade.

Congratulations, you've got a nice shooter there. The photo was great too, thanks.

 

[Dale Lilly]

Nice rifle! Can't understand why I never bought one.

Yep! Nice rifle. Can't figure out why I gave mine to my son-in-law who will never shoot it.

 

[morehops52]

Yep! Nice rifle. Can't figure out why I gave mine to my son-in-law who will never shoot it.

Oh, that hurts

 

[Songwriter]

Nice pics. Look like they’re from the Sports Illustrated Muzzleloader Edition.