Something bigger for hunting?

[WI Smoke]

Have the matching Lymans GPR and Plains Pistol.
They are both in .54 and I REALLY want to take a Doe w/ the pistol if the oppertunity arises within 30 yards is there any pistol that would be better suited for this?

WI Smoke

 

[Wes/Tex]

Look around for one of navy Arms M.1855 pistol/carbine. They'll lob a Minie over 55 grains of FFFg. Wouldn't recommend anything less.

 

[renovato]

You might look into Pedersoli's Bounty pistol also. It's a bit pricey, but looks to be a great hunting gun. We had a very thorough review come through here a while back and it gave the gun high marks for power and accuracy. Try a search to see if you can find the review. I drool just thinking about it.

 

[BrownBear]

Ballistically I have no qualms about the 54 Lyman for broadside lung shots on deer inside 50 yards. Over the years I've decked a whole truckload of deer with handguns in 45 LC and 44 Special using 240-250 grain bullets at 700-750 fps. The limitation is on your personal ability to consistently put shots where they belong, whether that be 10, 20,30, 40, 50 yards. My shooting with the Lyman puts my max somewhere between 20 and 30 yards right now. With a sight change or eye transplant I could probably stretch that with more practice, but at my age the primitive sights are more a factor in range limits than ballistics.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Have you tried a Merit Optics aperture site that fits on your glasses? Of a long eye relief " scout " scope mounted out on the forend of the barrel? Maybe this is no longer PC, but for older shooters with poor eyesight, this is the way to save your hunting and have the confidence to still place the bullet where it should go. There are also some electronic dot sights that can be used by people with failing eyesight. El Doctor makes a compact sight that uses a laser beam light to put a red dot in the " window " of the sight. Just put the sight on your target, and squeeze the trigger. They can be used on handguns, rifles, and shotguns. ( And obviously, Muzzle loading firearms.) Hell, Even the NMLRA has new rules that permit older shooters to put scopes on their guns so they can still participate. YOu should see some of the older guys shoot small groups with their handguns with scopes mounted on them.

 

[BrownBear]

All good suggestions Paul. Due to other distractions and obligations handguns are on the back burner right now, simply because they take so much more shooting and practice for me to feel responsible enough to use them for hunting. I'd love to be shooting handguns more, but I'm not even shooting my rifles enough now to feel fully competent to hunt. That's going to be fixed in time for deer season, for sure!