lyman plains pistol 54 cal

[grizzy adams]

Well got my lyman plains pistol in 54 cal kit just about done , just need to brown the barrel etc . For the fellows out there, dat have a plains pistol what kind of load should I use , the papers came wiff the pistol just said 50 grains fffg , I have goex fffg and ffg , pyrodex rs and p , also 777 in ffg , fffg . I kinda would like to know what others shoot in ffg or fffg , I got plenty of homecast rb dat i shoot in my 54 rifle, any info would help me alot thanks .

 

[Zonie]

If it were mine, I would load a patched .530 roundball over 35-45 grains of 3Fg.

For what it's worth, the Lyman Blackpowder Handbook, 2nd ed gives velocities for a 8 inch barrel single shot .54 caliber pistol.

35 grains of Goex 3Fg - 909 feet/sec with 407 ft/lb of energy. Not something to be sneezed at.

They show loads up to 50 grains with the 50 grain 3Fg Goex load producing 1044 Feet/sec and 537 ft/lb of energy.

 

[MikeChapin]

I don't have a GP pistol but I just got finished working up a load for a Bondini .54 Hawken pistol. I had been using the same balls that I use in my Santa Fe, .520, with a thick patch. Unlike the Santa Fe, the pistol is a true .54. I borrowed a .530 mold from a friend and ran some balls.

I was sighting at a 5" bull at 25 yards resting on my shooting box. I started out with some .010 linen patching. I could only get a 5" group. I next tried some .015 ticking and shrank the group about an inch. I last tried some .022 ticking and wow! I shot six shots into about an inch and half - one inch below aiming point. It was just one ragged hole. I know any spray I get in competition will be my lousy pistol skills and not the pistol

Your load will end up different but I ended up with 20 grains 3F, .530 ball and .022 ticking. You will just have to see what combination give you the best results.

 

[buttonbuck]

I have mine set up so the sights are filed to shoot with point of aim at 25 yards to group 2" with 45 grains 3f goex it gets better groups with 40 grains of goex 3f. Anyway you are permitted to hunt deer with the 45 grain 530 load in Illinois. I really enjoy shooting that pistol.

 

[William O.]

Well got my lyman plains pistol in 54 cal kit just about done , just need to brown the barrel etc . For the fellows out there, dat have a plains pistol what kind of load should I use , the papers came wiff the pistol just said 50 grains fffg , I have goex fffg and ffg , pyrodex rs and p , also 777 in ffg , fffg . I kinda would like to know what others shoot in ffg or fffg , I got plenty of homecast rb dat i shoot in my 54 rifle, any info would help me alot thanks .

Just a reminder, that Triple 7 needs to be reduced by 15% vs. the same charge of Goex, pyrodex, etc. 50 grains regular powder = 42.5 T-7. For me that seems a bit on the high side for a pistol, suggest you start with 35 gr.'s and go up from there.