Bullets for .54 cal Lyman Great Plains

[rancher05]

I've shot round ball and patch for 9 years now. I'm thinking I would like to get a little more accurate. can anyone help me make a good choice for a bullet to shoot out of the ole traditional Lyman Great Plains .54 cal with a 1 in 60 twist?
-are sabots werth shooting with my gun?

 

[deadibob]

I don't think you'll have any luck with sabots having that slow a twist. I had good luck shooting 54 caliber using a lee R.E.A.L. conical bullet mold and casting my own. It's getting a little harder to find pure lead. I bought sheet lead from a plumbing supply store. If you shoot much at all this is by far the cheapest way to go.

It's getting harder to find anything in 54 caliber these days. Even 45 cal is getting harder to come by.

 

[Idahoron]

Pure lead is easy to find. Here is a company that has it. I have used this lead for several years. Ron

http://www.rotometals.com/default.asp

 

[Idahoron]

Pure lead is easy to find. Here is a company that has it. I have used this lead for several years. Ron

http://www.rotometals.com/default.asp

 

[rancher05]

that's a good website, thanks for your input. also do you guys know of a website that I can buy a barrel? i have also been thinking about getting a new barrel with a better twist? I know sportsmans guide had them at one time. I am looking to get a little shorter barrel. mine is a 32 in barrel and its really too big of a barrel.

 

[Prism]

Try some of the Hornady Great Plains bullets. They usually shoot.

 

[rancher05]

thanks Prism,

 

[deadibob]

I'll agree with prism on the great plains bullets. I shot those before I started casting. The T/C maxi hunters work well also.

I was just going through my stuff and I have some 54 cal barnes sabots, some hornady xtp 300grain sabots and some that I cast from my Lee mold. I don't know if you're here in Utah but if you want to try them we could do a swap or something.

 

[FlyFool]

I like the Great plains bullets also. Not sure of the twist ratio in my gun (T/C .54 Hawken) but they shoot well out of it. have used the maxi hunters also and they seemed to work good too.

 

[SHB]

"I've shot round ball and patch for 9 years now. I'm thinking I would like to get a little more accurate. can anyone help me make a good choice for a bullet to shoot out of the ole traditional Lyman Great Plains .54 cal with a 1 in 60 twist?
-are sabots werth shooting with my gun?"



The bullets will never match the accuracy of you patched round balls in a 1:60 twist. You would have to get a barrel with a faster twist for that, and even then they probably wont be as accurate as your original.

If you need more energy downrange then yes on the bullets, more accuracy, No.


I've played around with the LGP rifles quite a bit. I own two. A .50 percussion, and a .54 flinter.


They seem to like 75grn fff, with .015 to .018 patches, and .535 balls, .495 balls for the .50


I haven't found one yet that you couldn't get to shoot 1" groups off the bench at 100yds with open sights. Think what that might translate into with a decent scope.


Practice your loading technique so its always exactly the same, and keep trying different stuff.


Those lyman Great Plains Rifles are the best non-custom mzldrs out there