Lyman Great Plains rifle

[Tubby’s Canteen]

Shopping trip to my gunsmiths netted me I think all the remaining components I needed to sight in.
@WAB i found the promise land of buffalo bullet company new old stock. I bought up all the 50cal he had but there’s some 54-58 stock left at old prices. If the boarder ever relaxes enough you can travel I’ll make the introduction for you.

 

[curtism1234]

I like leather cap holders as opposed to the brass one. Some caps work better than others or the tool get jammed up. The benefit of the tool is you can slip a cap in while it's half cock. With the leather, it may require a full cock...which I don't mind b/c I normally slip it on right before shooting at the range.

On the subject of caps: when you hunt, I like to gently pinch the cap where it's more oval than round. It helps it stay on the nipple and not fall off.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

I like leather cap holders as opposed to the brass one. Some caps work better than others or the tool get jammed up. The benefit of the tool is you can slip a cap in while it's half cock. With the leather, it may require a full cock...which I don't mind b/c I normally slip it on right before shooting at the range.

On the subject of caps: when you hunt, I like to gently pinch the cap where it's more oval than round. It helps it stay on the nipple and not fall off.

View attachment 407067

Thanks I’ll try ovaling the caps at the range this weekend.

 

[curtism1234]

Thanks I’ll try ovaling the caps at the range this weekend.

Don't put them in the capper like that bc it won't work.

Also on the subject of caps, sometimes primers underneath the cap are missing or cracked. I don't check on the range, but I would certainly check to make sure you have good ones hunting.

 

[WAB]

View attachment 407066Shopping trip to my gunsmiths netted me I think all the remaining components I needed to sight in.
@WAB i found the promise land of buffalo bullet company new old stock. I bought up all the 50cal he had but there’s some 54-58 stock left at old prices. If the boarder ever relaxes enough you can travel I’ll make the introduction for you.

If he’s got .54 cal ball-ets I want them. PM me if he does, we’ll sort out the details. We r headed North as soon as we can cross without quarantine.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

If he’s got .54 cal ball-ets I want them. PM me if he does, we’ll sort out the details. We r headed North as soon as we can cross without quarantine.

I’ll pm you Bill

 

[WAB]

These are the buffalo ball-ets. They are a short conical designed specifically for slow twist round ball guns. I’m down to my last 50 in .54 cal. I’d really like to find some more.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

 

[WAB]

View attachment 407092View attachment 407093

Those are their long bullets. They work best with a 1 in 45’ish twist rate. Sorry, but your Great Plains probably won’t stabilize them.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

Those are their long bullets. They work best with a 1 in 45’ish twist rate. Sorry, but your Great Plains probably won’t stabilize them.

No worries I’ve wasted far more that than that on stuff to put on the shelf. I’ve got four boxes of Hornady.452 250s and sabots for a rifle I no longer own.

 

[Ravensview]

Get a melting pot, and a round ball mold you can make your own then, you could take those bal ets and make em into round balls, sometimes you can get lead sheathing from a dentist or hospitals as they use them for shielding during X-ray.

 

[WAB]

Get a melting pot, and a round ball mold you can make your own then, you could take those bal ets and make em into round balls, sometimes you can get lead sheathing from a dentist or hospitals as they use them for shielding during X-ray.

LOL, I’ve got plenty of round balls thanks! The ball-et was pure genius though. I can’t believe no one is making them.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

Get a melting pot, and a round ball mold you can make your own then, you could take those bal ets and make em into round balls, sometimes you can get lead sheathing from a dentist or hospitals as they use them for shielding during X-ray.

I’ve got a melting pot, waiting on molds.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

LOL, I’ve got plenty of round balls thanks! The ball-et was pure genius though. I can’t believe no one is making them.

When you get a chance can you post a picture of a ball-et you’ve got me curious.

 

[fourfive8]

Here's a Ball-et. They are basically a very short hollow base Minie'

Hornady makes a comparable bullet and they are showing in stock at Midway and possibly other outlets? However they are listed at .512 and may require a stiff blow with a short starter to get them started. I don't know- never tried them.

 

[JimP]

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[curtism1234]

I've never seen a buffalo brand ball, ballet, or bullet hit the side of a barn from the inside. The T/C aren't much better.

I have always been a fan of the Harvester Sabertooth

 

[fourfive8]

I've never seen a buffalo brand ball, ballet, or bullet hit the side of a barn from the inside. The T/C aren't much better.

I have always been a fan of the Harvester Sabertooth

Most of the discussion here is about what will likely shoot well in a traditional slow twist Lyman. Those jacketed, saboted bullets are designed for fast twist, inline type MLs loaded with 2 or 3 "super duper pooper BP substitute power pellets" .... or some such load combination. There is a huge difference between a 66" slow twist barrel and a 28" fast twist barrel. The 48" twist MLs, like many of the T/C Hawkens, is a compromise and some shoot both the RBs and the conicals remarkably well.

 

[curtism1234]

Most of the discussion here is about what will likely shoot well in the slow twist barrel of the Lyman muzzleloader. If your experience is with some fast twist inline, the relevance of your input is limited. Those jacketed, saboted bullets are designed for fast twist, inline type MLs loaded with 2 or 3 "super duper pooper BP substitute power pellets" ignited with something like #209 shotshell primers.... or some such load combination. There is a huge difference between a 66" slow twist barrel and a 28" fast twist barrel.

I'm just saying the buffalo brand is a far inferior product. Their balls were never round, the ballet shot wild...there is a reason they went out of business.

 

[WAB]

I'm just saying the buffalo brand is a far inferior product. Their balls were never round, the ballet shot wild...there is a reason they went out of business.

My experience is exactly the opposite. I consistently shoot 3” groups at 100 yds with the ball-et in my Great Plains. On a 6” bull, the sights aligned at the bottom of the bull hit center at 50, aligned with the middle of the bull hit center at 100, aligned with the top of the bull hit center at 150.

I shot a pronghorn quartering on at 125 through the forward shoulder. The ball-et was recovered under the skin in the opposing hind quarter.

I’ll buy any .54 ball-ets I can find.