NGD - Pedersoli LePage percussion pistol

[wiscoaster]

New Gun Day

Arrived today via FedEx my new to me but slightly used Pedersoli LePage percussion pistol in .36 caliber. Since seeing a picture of one of these, it rose to the very top of my "must have" list. It's just so damn purty I could't resist. I may have preferred the model in .44 caliber, and I may have preferred the model with more ornate "engraving" and a matching ramrod, but either none were available or they were way over my means. So this one, offered by Simpson LTD at $895 (they're a good place to do business with), sufficed to check that off my list:

It's got a teeny-tiny rear sight that's actually elevation-adjustable, and first glances tell me it's an excellent sight picture, so this pistol might prove to be a decent target pistol (though that's not why I bought it):

And the really neat part is that when you knock the wedge through, the barrel just "unhooks" and can be easily cleaned apart from the lock and stock:

But the main thing is ... there's a pineapple on the trigger guard. Very important status symbol!!

The stock looks to be in really good shape. Probably just a light cleaning and fresh coat of wax (knowing Pedersoli's finish coats oil isn't going to work). Maybe a light polish of the metal. Cleaning and lubing the lock, of course. The nipple and bore will need a little work. The bore looks like it was coated with bore lube that's now completely dried out, leaving some gunk in the rifling and the breech. I'm good with that, and I can make short work of it, so going to start work on that straight away. Otherwise, I'm awaiting delivery of my .36 caliber balls before I can shoot .....

As a side note, its serial number is 40001. I wonder if that has any collectible significance?

 

[morehops52]

But the main thing is ... there's a pineapple on the trigger guard. Very important status symbol!!

Wow! nice pistol. But I now feel like a peasant as none of my ML's have a pineapple on the guard or anywhere else.

 

[nick_1]

nice. please tell us how well it shoots. I want one in .44 for target shooting.

 

[Capnball]

New Gun Day

Arrived today via FedEx my new to me but slightly used Pedersoli LePage percussion pistol in .36 caliber. Since seeing a picture of one of these, it rose to the very top of my "must have" list. It's just so damn purty I could't resist. I may have preferred the model in .44 caliber, and I may have preferred the model with more ornate "engraving" and a matching ramrod, but either none were available or they were way over my means. So this one, offered by Simpson LTD at $895 (they're a good place to do business with), sufficed to check that off my list:
View attachment 253911
View attachment 253912

It's got a teeny-tiny rear sight that's actually elevation-adjustable, and first glances tell me it's an excellent sight picture, so this pistol might prove to be a decent target pistol (though that's not why I bought it):
View attachment 253916

And the really neat part is that when you knock the wedge through, the barrel just "unhooks" and can be easily cleaned apart from the lock and stock:
View attachment 253917

But the main thing is ... there's a pineapple on the trigger guard. Very important status symbol!!
View attachment 253919

The stock looks to be in really good shape. Probably just a light cleaning and fresh coat of wax (knowing Pedersoli's finish coats oil isn't going to work). Maybe a light polish of the metal. Cleaning and lubing the lock, of course. The nipple and bore will need a little work. The bore looks like it was coated with bore lube that's now completely dried out, leaving some gunk in the rifling and the breach. I'm good with that, and I can make short work of it, so going to start work on that straight away. Otherwise, I'm awaiting delivery of my .36 caliber balls before I can shoot .....

As a side note, its serial number is 40001. I wonder if that has any collectible significance?

Love it, good luck with it. Post some range target and load data. pictures also after you get it out to the range.

 

[Trinidad Bill]

Why am i looking at those photos drooling? I didn’t even know what a LePage was until this post! Very nice.

 

[wiscoaster]

First Range Day

I got my balls; I got my .36 caliber patches and accessories. Then realized I didn't have a .36 caliber short starter. So quickly frabricated a temporary short starter from a piece of dowel and a jag:

... which ended up working so well I think it earned a permanent place in my black powder range kit.

Pedersoli recommended ball is 0.354; I couldn't find, so I ordered and got for this exercise some Hornady 0.350 balls.

Pedersoli recommended patch is 0.010; I got some precut dry for .36 caliber and used those lubed with liberal amounts of spit or chamber lube. Ramming seemed a little "loose" so I think that with these balls a slightly thicker patch would be a good idea.

Pedersoli recommends 12 grains 3F minimum to 30 grains maximum. I started with 15 grains 3F Scheutzen, and incremented by five grains per group to 25 grains.

17 x 17 target was first placed at about seven paces; main purpose to determine existing sight picture with respect to resulting POI from center POA. Secondary purpose to determine POI consistency. Tertiary purpose to determine ball drop for load. Shooting was standing stance with "teacup" two-handed hold, and triggering was with standard trigger pull (ie not using the set trigger).

Results: POI for POA was consistent; sight picture was good, though black on black against a dark background was difficult (I might do something to the front sight to ameliorate that). Consistent POI for POA was excellent. POI for load didn't seem to have much effect, though at this short of a range probably not significant.

Then set another target at 25 yards to work down from 25 grains to 15. Inconclusive results vis-a-vis loads, because I futzed the variables by also trying different hand holds and also trying the set trigger, never mind pulling at least one shot (low at four o-clock) and the first shot tried with the set trigger (low at six o-clock).

Then took a couple shots at the 25-yd pistol-caliber gongs (far left in first pic) using discovered probable POA v. POI offsets at that range and hit the large round gong two shots out of two with 25 grain loads by holding a little high.

Note wrt holds: the trigger guard curly-cue is NOT for support hand index finger. That will definitely pull the gun in a direction opposite to the dominant hand. It's for dominant hand middle finger to facilitate choking up on the grip, if you choose to make use of it. I did not try that grip on this trip. Choking up on the grip makes for a easier alignment of sights for wrist angle. I also did not try shooting single-handed, which this pistol is well suited for, though I know I can often shoot other pistols better single handed, and this pistol balances and points well for single-handed shooting. Something else for next trip.

Altogether quite happy with first shooting results, and I would have shot some more, except I also had another pistol I wanted to proof on this range trip (a new 9mm centerfire pistol, which I'm not allowed to mention here, hah).

 

[smokeum54]

First Range Day

I got my balls; I got my .36 caliber patches and accessories. Then realized I didn't have a .36 caliber short starter. So quickly frabricated a temporary short starter from a piece of dowel and a jag:
View attachment 254356
... which ended up working so well I think it earned a permanent place in my black powder range kit.

Pedersoli recommended ball is 0.354; I couldn't find, so I ordered and got for this exercise some Hornady 0.350 balls.

Pedersoli recommended patch is 0.010; I got some precut dry for .36 caliber and used those lubed with liberal amounts of spit or chamber lube. Ramming seemed a little "loose" so I think that with these balls a slightly thicker patch would be a good idea.

Pedersoli recommends 12 grains 3F minimum to 30 grains maximum. I started with 15 grains 3F Scheutzen, and incremented by five grains per group to 25 grains.

17 x 17 target was first placed at about seven paces; main purpose to determine existing sight picture with respect to resulting POI from center POA. Secondary purpose to determine POI consistency. Tertiary purpose to determine ball drop for load. Shooting was standing stance with "teacup" two-handed hold, and triggering was with standard trigger pull (ie not using the set trigger).

Results: POI for POA was consistent; sight picture was good, though black on black against a dark background was difficult (I might do something to the front sight to ameliorate that). Consistent POI for POA was excellent. POI for load didn't seem to have much effect, though at this short of a range probably not significant.
View attachment 254357
View attachment 254358

Then set another target at 25 yards to work down from 25 grains to 15. Inconclusive results vis-a-vis loads, because I futzed the variables by also trying different hand holds and also trying the set trigger, never mind pulling at least one shot (low at four o-clock) and the first shot tried with the set trigger (low at six o-clock).
View attachment 254359

Then took a couple shots at the 25-yd pistol-caliber gongs (far left in first pic) using discovered probable POA v. POI offsets at that range and hit the large round gong two shots out of two with 25 grain loads by holding a little high.

Note wrt holds: the trigger guard curly-cue is NOT for support hand index finger. That will definitely pull the gun in a direction opposite to the dominant hand. It's for dominant hand middle finger to facilitate choking up on the grip, if you choose to make use of it. I did not try that grip on this trip. Choking up on the grip makes for a easier alignment of sights for wrist angle. I also did not try shooting single-handed, which this pistol is well suited for, though I know I can often shoot other pistols better single handed, and this pistol balances and points well for single-handed shooting. Something else for next trip.

Altogether quite happy with first shooting results, and I would have shot some more, except I also had another pistol I wanted to proof on this range trip (a new 9mm centerfire pistol, which I'm not allowed to mention here, hah).

Nice, how's the grip on that? Always been curious but haven't been able to get my hands on one.

 

[wiscoaster]

Nice, how's the grip on that? Always been curious but haven't been able to get my hands on one.

Very nice grip, balances well, and quite flexible on how you hold it, two hands or one, choked up or not. I think it's designed for single-handed choked up grip with middle finger around the curly-cue, bladed stance; it's not designed for modern two-handed straight handle grip w/ isoceles stance, but will have to try old-fashioned / single-handed grip technique next range trip. Recoil is basically non-existant wrt grip and stance choice. I think you could shoot it just fine relaxing in your recliner.

 

[Fez]

Nice pistol....I have been looking for a 36 caliber...I am just the opposite of you. Have come across many 44 cal at reasonable prices but the 36 caliber has eluded me....awesome piece.

 

[wiscoaster]

...I have been looking for a 36 caliber...but the 36 caliber has eluded me....

Sorry, I think I got the only used one out there. Now, after seeing how well it shoots, I'm glad I got the .36 cal.