Parts for build?

[Millermpls]

My Lyman's Plains Pistol is just too darned heavy for the wife. She is interested, but wants something lighter. Wondering if anyone has built a percussion .31 or .36 caliber with perhaps a four inch barrel, maybe for their kid as a starter? If so, recommendations for barrel and lock would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[54ball]

Pistols are just as difficult as a full size rifle or gun.
You might want to try and find a Traditions Crockett Pistol in .32. I'm not sure but these may be available in kit form.
For pistol parts or kits
Check Dixie
Check with Pecatonica River
Check with Muzzleloader Builders Supply

P.S.
There are plenty CVA Lincoln Derringers floating around sometimes you can find these as NOS kits never opened.

 

[Birddog6]

IMHO, a pistol is a poor firearm to start Anyone with. They can't hit the side of a barn with them & it discourages them quite quickly,
as 10 times to the range later, they are right where they started. When people start shooting,most would like to see improvement
each time. :idunno:

Even a cheap rifle kit would be better than a pistol.

Or a Tradition Crockett rifle would be a good starter rifle for a woman. Cheap to shoot
& light & no recoil & they are accurate.

Keith Lisle

 

[rich pierce]

I'm going to make a wild guess here that you did not mean to say 4" barrel.

 

[Millermpls]

Yes, something far less than the 7-10 inch barrel generally available on the market.

 

[F.G. Ford]

For somebody new to the shooting sport, the only thing they will hit with a 4" barrel, is them self.
Walking about with a loaded 4" barreled gun in one's pocket is looking for disaster.
Even loading a four inch barrelled gun is a challenge. On any single shot pistol, a less experienced shooter is looking down a loaded gun while loading. Not where I want to be!
Experienced shooters maybe, but not a new shooter.
Besides a 4" barrelled gun can't hit much even at the best of times. Perhaps at 3 feet!
Fred

 

[Col. Batguano]

Start them on something they are likely to gain success with. Most of us come in to ML'ers with experience in modern arms, and most of us started with .22's, in either (or both) rifle and pistol. Once we can SHOOT well, (with good fundamentals) THEN we get in to the esoterica with which we all love.

 

[Millermpls]

Yes sir, the intended recipient is proficient with a modern 22 LR autoloading pistol. She has no interest in shooting rifles, and thinks my full size 9mm pussycat pistol kicks too much. She doesn't like my modern revolves, and is afraid of the BP revolvers. For any here who haven't been married 25 years, you'll never know how little a wife will listen when she is not inclined to do so. It took me 20 years and her jealousy in me teaching other women to shoot to get her past her resistance to take up shooting at all. This is why I am trying to find something smaller/lighter, that will load mild, and hit a pie plate at 'fun' distances 25 ft and under to kindle her interest in BP.

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

 

[longcruise]

When you get into the .31 or .36 barrels, weight is climbing since barrel diameters are going to be a minimum of 3/4 or 13/16. Even with a short barrel. A 3/4" barrel in .40 or .45 would not be overly heavy at six or seven inches in length. Light loads in the 15 to 20 gr range would be easy to shoot.

For locks, there are the L&R Bailes and the Davis Becky's.

think you will need to build this yourself.