Great Plains Pistol for deer hunting?

[buttonbuck]

did you go with the kit or the complete gun? I am thinking about the kit to spend some quality time with the 13 year old. He is studying some of the time periods this gun may have been used in. I guess what I am asking is the kit fairly easy, say along the difficulty of fitting a handle and rivits to a buffalo skinner knife? and did you order the lyman adjustable sights from Mid south? Finally I understand us Illinois people neeed to have it sent to a FFL person? I will look for a reply?

 

[jethro224]

Buttonbuck,
I bought the completed pistol from Northern Rifleman online. No FFL required.
Since I wanted to be sighted in and ready for "Late Winter" season I didn't have time for a kit.
It has the fixed sights and shoots 3" high at 25 yards right out of the box. I didn't change a thing.
I bought the .54 cal because I wanted it for deer hunting and the Lyman loading manual says 50 grains of 3F Goex under a PRB will get me the 500 ft/lb to be legal in IL. And it is a fine match for my .54 GPR.
It's a good looking pistol, accurate enuff for me , trigger feels good. I'm very happy with it. :thumbsup:
With luck I'll get a chance to try it on a doe next weekend. I'll let ya know...

 

[Doc Will]

Gentlemen,
Please check your state and local laws on pistol hunting. Some states require that a pistol barrel be at least 12 inches long. I believe a Lyman pistol is 9 inches and do stand to be corrected on that.
Keep Yer Powder Dry

 

[Bolink654]

And check the laws good. The AGFC handbook (and the website) you can get anywere lisence are sold, says:

Hunters may use muzzleloading handguns as long as the barrels are at least nine inches long and at least .45 caliber if they shoot conical bullets (200 grains or heavier). If round balls are used, the minimum caliber is .530. A hunter may carry a muzzleloading handgun of any caliber as backup to a muzzleloading long gun.

But it dont say, if carried as back-up, does barrel length matter? But it'd sure be silly if you could carry a .32 with a 9" barrel but not a .50 with an 8" barrel

And BTW, most things I read on the Plains pistol says 8" but some websites say 9", and even some say 10". I think lyman says 8" though, but I'm not sure as I havent recived my kit yet.

Anyway, I emailed AGFC about the barrel length when carried along with a legal ML long gun. My email was forwarded to the director of enforcement, who mailed me the enforcement code on muzzle loaders. It goes into far more detail, stating that even a cap & ball revolver may be carried, so long as your carrying a legal ML long gun, too. The handbook mentions nothing of cap&ball revolvers, anywere.

I'm going to carry mine next year, in .50 probably with a conical of some type if it'll shoot any of them good. But my first 2 deer will be shot with the CVA Bobcat, unless one sneaks up on me, and the Bobcat isnt at the ready. Only after I put 2 in the freezer, will I wait for one to get within 30 yards and use the Plains pistol...

 

[jethro224]

Gentlemen,
Please check your state and local laws on pistol hunting. Some states require that a pistol barrel be at least 12 inches long. I believe a Lyman pistol is 9 inches and do stand to be corrected on that.
Keep Yer Powder Dry

From the Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations;
"Legal firearms for the Late Winter Antlerless Deer Hunting Season include all firearms described under Firearm Deer Hunting Season, page 10. In addition, muzzleloading handguns may also be used. Legal muzzleloading handguns are limited to single-shot muzzleloading handguns (blackpowder handguns that are incapable of being loaded from the breech end) of .50 caliber or larger capable of producing at least 500 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle according to published ballistic tables of the manufacturer. Single-shot muzzleloading handguns must use a projectile of .44 caliber or larger with sufficient blackpowder or "blackpowder substitute" (such as Pyrodex) to produce at least 500 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. A wad or sleeve is not considered a projectile or part of a projectile."

After wading thru all that :bull: several times, I think I'm good to go.

Here in IL there is a 4" minimum for centerfire single-shot pistol and revolver barrels. Apparently no minimum for frontloader pistols. :youcrazy:

My Lyman Plains Pistol has an 8" barrel if you're curious.

Thanks for keepin' an eye out for us tho. :hatsoff: Yuh never know what kinda goofy rules them gubmint fellers are gonna throw atcha...

 

[jethro224]

Well, it's all over and I'll have to wait until next year and try again. Not an antlerless deer in sight!
Friday morning it rained. Then it snowed. Then it sleeted. Then it RAINED! All the while the wind blew 20+ mph with 35mph gusts. I got my truck stuck in the mud and had to go fetch a tractor to get out. Didn't see a critter moving at all! Spent part of the afternoon catching 2 horses that got loose. Other than me, they were the only ones dumb enough to be out in that nasty wind. Maybe that Friday the 13th thing? :hmm:
Had to work Sat. morning but got out for a couple hours in the evening. Saw a coyote, a cat and finally 2 nice bucks parade past my blind. Antlerless only... AAARRRGH! :cursing:
Wind was pretty stiff again today. Another coyote walked up to @ 20 feet before I told him to go away. I think he wanted to come sit in my brushpile with me. :shake: Couldn't see a deer for nothin'!
At least I got some extra woods time in... :thumbsup:

 

[buttonbuck]

well my bowyer, the guy who built my longbow once told me that is why it is called hunting not shooting. but at least you challenge yourself with a "primative weapon" It took me 6 seasons to harvest a deer with that bow. You have another year to get very proficent with your pistol and scout for deer. I burned my unfilled archery tags again but had some great hunting this year. had 14 afterhours deer within bow range one evening, as I was treed by a skunk for 30 minutes after legal shooting hours.