Any Lyman Plains Pistol fans here?

[Stantheman86]

The Traditions Trapper looks like it has potential as a poor man's 25 yard Bullseye pistol with the sights swapped out

 

[FishDFly]

The Traditions Trapper looks like it has potential as a poor man's 25 yard Bullseye pistol with the sights swapped out

There are some matches that the Traditions Trapper cannot be shot in. It is considered a "plow handle".

Not sure that pistol's sight will qualify as well.

 

[Stantheman86]

The sights are a wierd .350 dovetail, too bad.

If I were at the level of skill where I was concerned about official NRA muzzleloading matches I'd probably just suck it up and get something high end like a Charles Moore pistol.

 

[Rat]

I'm getting a Plains pistol in .50 ,I just think it looks cool.

It looks cool, it shoots cool, it is cool. Probably the best bang for the buck. I love mine. They are insanely accurate. Mine is in .50", I kind of wanted a .54", but I'm quite happy with it in .50". With the Hornady 240 it produces as much power (or more?) than a .54" ball...if one needs/wants/desires that much power. With the slug and top loads, I believe it comes close to .357 Magnum ballistics. Or you can light matches or snuff out candles all day with powder puff loads. Nice pistols. You are going to love it. And it looks cool.

 

[Stantheman86]

I'm mostly interested in using it for target shooting, since it's a lot more fun and convenient to use the pistol pits at my range. I shoot for hours in there were with my Kentucky pistol . It's very relaxing and almost meditative.

Shooting rifles is fun too but I tend to put more pressure on myself to shoot well and having to walk back and forth to the 100 gets to be a pain. Especially if the range is busy.

 

[Rat]

Yep. I have found that shooting a single shot pistol is also more fun and convenient, and meditative than a revolver. Certainly more reliable, and no cap-jams or chain fires. !!! Again, I only load mine heavy as I take it with me for calling cougar and bear. (rifle being the primary weapon) But I enjoy shooting a ball over 35-40 grains. Laser accurate!!

 

[Stantheman86]

I found that loading stands are really handy, convenient and classy because I got tired of holding pistols on top of various objects at the range to get the powder and round balls in, then awkwardly ramming them down.

If I like the .50 Plains pistol I'll get a .54 , since I use .535- 540 Minies for other guns, and I can make paper cartridges for it.

 

[Rat]

I originally wanted a .54" because the pistol would be a bit lighter, with the bigger hole in the barrel. And I thought a step up in power would not hurt. Then I found a great deal on a .50". But, I'm really quite satisfied with the power of the .50", and I had a really good holster made which makes it feel twice as light as it really is. So I'm good. I made some paper cartridges for mine, with just a bare ball in them. Tear off the end, pour the powder in, and then ram the ball still in the paper, using the paper as the patch. They shoot surprisingly good. Using a capper hanging around my neck, I can get shots off pretty quick with them. Tear-pour-ram-cap-POW!

"If" you like the Plains Pistol? "IF"???? "LIKE"??? Ha...you are going to love it.

 

[Desperate Lee]

Rat
How about some pics of your pistola and holster. The paper cartridges sounds interesting. Are you using round ball or conical?
DL

 

[Rat]

There's pics in another thread...I forget which one. Was one of the Howdah threads. I have two cartridges for my Plains Pistol, one is simply 60 grains of powder, and a bare round ball in a lunch-bag paper bag paper tube. After tearing open and pouring in the powder, I ram the ball down still in the paper, the paper being the patch. It's still surprisingly accurate, will certainly hit what I'm shooting at at 20 yards, although not as accurate as a lubed cloth patched ball and a wad. It's a somewhat loose fit, but that enables more than a few repeat shots. If things got real desperate I could still put the balls down the barrel without the paper around it.

Then I have one (paper cartridge) for the Hornady "PA" conical, the 240 grain slug, and 60 grains powder. In that case I clean all the lube off the bullet, but put it in the tube with the powder the same way. Then the difference is that I tear open, pour in the powder, but then I have to peel the paper away from the bullet, and then load the bullet. It's about as accurate as loading the bullet over a lubed wad. I'm not sure how many of the bare bullets I could get down the barrel once it was fouled, as that PA bullet is .512" diameter.

Both are very fast reloads.

 

[Rat]

Okay Mr.Lee, page 8, thread: "Lyman Plains Pistol" started by Grizz44mag 11-15-2018, are pics of my holster. Note that the location of the belt loop, and it's degree of "cant" is critical, (for comfort and balance) and that the leather comes between the hammer and nipple, so that it is safe to carry capped. Hope ya like it.

 

[Stantheman86]

Try Minie balls , lubed with Beeswax and Lanolin. You can shoot all day without cleaning.

I put 50 .445 Minies through my Kentucky pistol without any wiping of the bore.

 

[Rat]

Wow that's a lot. Doesn't wonder lube have lanolin in it? Maybe I'm thinking of something else. The reason I wipe between every shot is to simulate or maintain where my point of impact is with a clean bore...as when I hunt, or walk the woods for any reason, my first shot will be from a clean bore. But I am very impressed with 50 shots, that's amazing.

 

[Stantheman86]

I did 80 Pritchett cartridges through my P-H Musketoon with no cleaning whatsoever,

In theory, properly sized and lubed Minies can be fired all day with no cleaning but we're not going for match grade accuracy.

If I can shoot a 10 shot string with patched RBs and shoot a tight group without wiping, I'm usually happy.

 

[Rat]

You know, I'll try that (beeze-wax-n-lanolin) in my 1861 Springfield, just for fun.

 

[Stantheman86]

Of course sizing is critical, I bought a cheap Harbor Freight 1-ton Arbor Press for $40 ,fits on a table top and a bunch of "bang thru" hand sizers and Lyman lubrisizer dies that work as "push thru" sizers . Size those Minies to .575 , bare, melt up the beeswax and Lanolin in a candle warmer, dip the bullets and then run then through the sizer again to get the excess lube off. Super Easy.

I do 75% beeswax 25% lanolin

 

[Rat]

Okay...75/20, I'll check that out. My 1861 has a .580" barrel, and .575"s kind of just drop down the barrel. Plunk. !!!

 

[Stantheman86]

My .54 Mississippi is like that, .534 Minies just slide down the bore.

As long as they don't move forward I guess it's all good.

 

[Rat]

I've suspended my search for a minne' that will shoot well over a heavy load. The REAL bullet, and round ball both shoot well in my 1861 and both my Remington Contract Rifle Replicas....so I'm good for now. It is fun to try though, and I enjoy doing that on a nice summer day. I'm hoping to turn one of my RCRR's (!!!!) into a .62" or larger round ball rifle, if Hoyt (sp?) will do the work.

 

[Stantheman86]

Blue Falcon Bullets sells a solid base .577 Minie but I haven't tried them yet