Lyman .44 percussion pistol help...

3

.300 Weatherby Mag

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This is the first time I've posted in this forum and I'm completely new to blackpowder firearms. I just picked up a Lyman .44 percussion pistol from my Grandpa. He built it from a kit around 25 years ago and it sat in a drawer wrapped in a blanket unfired until I talked him out of it.. I know the barrel needs to be browned to be correct. That will be accomplished soon... I want to shoot blackpowder out of it and not any of the substitutes.. I just picked up some roundballs today... What else do I need to get started (beyond powder)?? What is the powder grain range for this pistol? Good sources for black power shooting supplies?? Thanks for the help!!!

Pistola1.jpg
 
Well good luck finding real BP. I havent found any, but the substitutes work fine. You need-

A powder measure- DO NOT shoot it unless you know exactly how much powder to use. check the manual if you have it. If you cant find a manual then 25 grains of black powder is probably ok.

Caps and balls. Probably No.11 caps.

Patches

A small funnel makes life easier.

Powder flask (optional, again, makes life easier)


When you are done give it a good cleaning. Its not like cleaning a regular smokeless powder firearm, you need to use black powder solvent and spend some quality time cleaning it and making sure that there isnt any residue left, otherwise the barrel can and will corrode. I recommend getting some BoreButter to protect the bore after you get it nice and clean.

One thing to get is a bullet puller. I have loaded mine without power before and its tough to get out with out a bullet puller.

I gen supplies online, but check local gun shops for this stuff. Expect to pay $50-100 to get it shooting.

Check out www.basspro.com and www.cabelas.com along with www.dixiegunworks.com

good luck, be safe, and have fun.
 
+1 flask

My brass/copper? flask has a 26 gr nozzle which I use to load my 44 ROA's & Pietta's..... I wouldnt shy away from the BP replacements, just use a little less (they are generally alot more potent than Black. I would probably start with about 20 gr and work up from there :D

I would suggest you figure out exactly what size balls your gun fires (wadded or not wadded) then buy a mold and make your own.... pure lead only, not wheelweights or bullet alloy, will save you $ in the long run.

Depending on how hard it is to push a ball down the barrel, I would be making up a wooden dowel type ramrod, with a que ball or the like on the end, to make loading easier. As with all muzzle loaders, be sure to give it time between firing & reloading, so there are no embers burning in the barrel when you add more powder, or you might get a nasty suprise :eek:

Wear eye protection... as always :cool:
 
Track of the Wolf is one of the largest suppliers for builders yet still has reasonable prices.

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(se0pb1mk0mpksy55mq4kda55))/Index.aspx

The site can be hard to navigate at times, but it's worth it.
Call them if there's anything that you need but can't find on the site.

If you like shooting the pistol, you can make or buy a loading stand to hold the pistol upright while loading.
An adjustable powder measure is for measuring the volume of powder.
A powder flask helps to dispense or pour the powder into the measure.
You need the right size balls and Track has one of the best selections of ball sizes.
If the bore is really .44 caliber then .429 balls would seem to be right.

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(se...es/tableList.aspx?catID=2&subID=25&styleID=58

Either buy lubed .015 patches or dry patches and lube them yourself with TC Bore Butter.

Bore Butter is also a patch lube and bore preservative for after the bore is cleaned.
Nipple wrench is to remove the nipple for cleaning. If you dry ball (forget to add the powder) you can remove the nipple and tap a few grains of powder into the drum to shoot the ball out.
A nipple pick, thin piece of wire or sewing needle serves to clean debris out of the nipple's flash hole to keep it open for flame to pass through.
#11 percussion caps.
Slightly undersized cleaning jag and/or a bore brush.
Patch worm to retrieve patches that come off and become lost down in the barrel. It looks like hooked wires and will fish out cleaning patches from the bore.
A cleaning rod or ramrod with a threaded end that will accept the ramrod accessories. The threads are usually 10 - 32 but there are thread adaptors.
Short starter to start the patched round balls into the muzzle.
Capper holds caps and makes it easier to place them on the nipple.
Powder.

Not all of these items are absolutely necessary and there are homemade alternatives for some of them, i.e. - like using any gun cleaning rod, but at least protect the muzzle crown with a muzzle protector or something similar like a piece of plastic from an empty tub of margarine.

An adjustable powder measure is probably the most important item to get besides balls, patches, caps and lube, but using the right size brass cartridge case can also serve the same purpose of measuring out a fixed powder load.
But a nipple wrench is preferable to using pliers. :)
 
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