BP Hunting Kit

[AZRedhawk44]

I've got a Lyman Great Plains .54cal rifle that I've had for a few years now, but I've never taken it out as my chosen hunting rifle.  Put in for bull elk muzzleloader season this year.

Been thinking of what I need to go out on foggy/dewey or even rainy October days in AZ White Mountain country, figured I might ask the hivemind here for best practices while hunting with a cap gun.

I learn towards not discharging it at the end of the day, unless it's been a rainy or very damp day; hunt several days on the same charge, possibly all week if I don't see anything.  I figure I'll probably have to toss the percussion cap each day?  That gets exposed to a lot more air/moisture than the charge down the barrel, I figure.

I don't really want to have to bring my brass powder measure and dispenser since they're slow and fussy to use, so I'm going to instead take a few pre-filled plastic tubes with my powder charges, and a loading board with half a dozen balls and wads inserted in it.  Then a percussion capper, and a ball starter, and just the rifle and its loading rod.  All this in a sling bag over my shoulder or fanny pack or something like that, secured so it doesn't flop or bang around.  Mostly just thinking in case I have a need for a follow up shot from the same spot as quickly as possible.

[French G.]

Little beeswax around the cap after it is on? I use a lot that is cut with mineral oil to make it soft. Or heat it up away from the powder. Condom on the muzzle? I haven’t gotten out much, I got a nice little Thompson 50 cal that needs a hunt. Only thing I won’t do is I was being cheap and reused a sabot I punched out of my inline. Pretty sure it never came off the bullet, missed an easy shot over that.

[HeroHog]

When I shot cap & ball revolvers, I used a tube of white lithium grease over the seated rounds as a lube and flash-over preventative.

[Ben]

If you go the grease route, I would definitely do some testing at home first to make sure the grease doesn't interfere. Otherwise caps are cheap, relatively speaking. I have the same rifle as you. I've never hunted with it, but I recall the only time I've had misfires is when cleaning with windex between rounds but not doing due diligence on cleaning the nipple.

[Jim147]

I've left mine loaded for over a month. As long as the nipple doesn't get wet, I've had no problem. For inline I have left them loaded for a year.

[JTHunter]

I've left mine loaded for over a month. As long as the nipple doesn't get wet, I've had no problem. For inline I have left them loaded for a year.

If you're keeping loaded for that long, I'll bet you're using Pyrodex or some other "non-black" substitute.

[charby]

I've got a Lyman Great Plains .54cal rifle that I've had for a few years now, but I've never taken it out as my chosen hunting rifle.  Put in for bull elk muzzleloader season this year.

Been thinking of what I need to go out on foggy/dewey or even rainy October days in AZ White Mountain country, figured I might ask the hivemind here for best practices while hunting with a cap gun.

I learn towards not discharging it at the end of the day, unless it's been a rainy or very damp day; hunt several days on the same charge, possibly all week if I don't see anything.  I figure I'll probably have to toss the percussion cap each day?  That gets exposed to a lot more air/moisture than the charge down the barrel, I figure.

I don't really want to have to bring my brass powder measure and dispenser since they're slow and fussy to use, so I'm going to instead take a few pre-filled plastic tubes with my powder charges, and a loading board with half a dozen balls and wads inserted in it.  Then a percussion capper, and a ball starter, and just the rifle and its loading rod.  All this in a sling bag over my shoulder or fanny pack or something like that, secured so it doesn't flop or bang around.  Mostly just thinking in case I have a need for a follow up shot from the same spot as quickly as possible.

sounds like you got your possible's bag figured out.

Check out this for covering the lock. https://rmcoxyoke.com/product/leatherman-lock-cover/

maybe make your own out of neoprene or heavy vinyl.

[AZRedhawk44]

Thanks Charby, a lock cover was on my list of next things to explore.  I think I'll look into making my own.  I have some leatherworking tools and a few leather scraps that should suffice.

With a Lyman GPR with a 32" barrel and 1:60 twist, can I shoot minnies in it at all rather than round ball?  I've never tried.

That, and my load development time is spring-summer in the Arizona desert, while my time to actually use such a load to effect is fall in the White mountains, a good 50-70 degrees cooler and 7000 feet higher.  Borderline stability in one environment can become unusable in the other.  Not sure what kind of twist and velocity minnies need, but it'd be nice to have a little more SD and punch than a round ball, especially if I get drawn for bull instead of cow.

[charby]

With a Lyman GPR with a 32" barrel and 1:60 twist, can I shoot minnies in it at all rather than round ball?  I've never tried.

That, and my load development time is spring-summer in the Arizona desert, while my time to actually use such a load to effect is fall in the White mountains, a good 50-70 degrees cooler and 7000 feet higher.  Borderline stability in one environment can become unusable in the other.  Not sure what kind of twist and velocity minnies need, but it'd be nice to have a little more SD and punch than a round ball, especially if I get drawn for bull instead of cow.

I read somewhere you can get a 209 primer conversation for the Lyman GP, that might be something to look at if primitive season allows for it.

That is a twist for patch and ball, which will have no problem killing an elk with proper range and shot placement. That being said, I would pick up some minnies and try it out, you may get the results you are looking for.

I have a 1:48 twist .50 T/C and it barely shoots under an 8" group (minute of deer) at 100yards with patch and ball, good enough to kill a deer, but not the accuracy I want. It does really shine with .45 bullet in a .50 sabot and 110g of Pyrodex.

I switched to a modern inline several years ago with a 209 primer and using Buckhorn 209 powder with 290g sabot bullet. Iowa whitetail deer are DRT out to 200 yards easy with it. I have a Burris 2-7x33 scope on it.

[BobR]

Well, it seems the only thing you are missing is a raccoon cap and a hunter's sandwich. I can't help with the hat but here is a recipe for the sandwich. I will vouch for the recipe, this is one serious sandwich.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gallery/2010/apr/07/how-to-make-shooters-sandwich


bob

[AZRedhawk44]

Well, it seems the only thing you are missing is a raccoon cap and a hunter's sandwich. I can't help with the hat but here is a recipe for the sandwich. I will vouch for the recipe, this is one serious sandwich.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gallery/2010/apr/07/how-to-make-shooters-sandwich


bob

Lol, I have a coon cap that was mine as a kid that I recently passed down to my boy.  I don't think I've seen a racoon here in AZ, ever.  Plenty of skunks, even coatimundi, but I haven't yet seen a coon.  AZGFD says they're around, but even my night time jaunts in the woods turn up nothing but skunk.

That is an impressive sammich.  I showed it to Alexis and I think we're going to give that thing a try one of these days, maybe take it as fuel for a day hike or something.  I know my boy won't like it because mushrooms, and I don't really care for shrooms either, but I'd make an exception for that monster.  Wow.

[HeroHog]

This was my last BP toy, a .44 Navy model:

[230RN]

Had pne of these, gave it to Son1.  I even had the .45 Colt cylinder for it.



Among the prettiest guns I ever had.

[Bogie]

When I was playing with cap and ball revolvers, I used  crisco shortening over the balls, and had it flush with the end of the chamber.

[zxcvbob]

When I shot cap & ball revolvers, I used a tube of white lithium grease over the seated rounds as a lube and flash-over preventative.

I generally used lard or Crisco for that.

[AZRedhawk44]

Well, it seems the only thing you are missing is a raccoon cap and a hunter's sandwich. I can't help with the hat but here is a recipe for the sandwich. I will vouch for the recipe, this is one serious sandwich.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gallery/2010/apr/07/how-to-make-shooters-sandwich


bob

Tried it.  Loved it.  Thanks!

[BobR]

Tried it.  Loved it.  Thanks!

Now you have made me crave one of these, I guess I will hit the store today for the makings. Glad you liked it.


bob