# black powder pistol for deer



## indsport (Aug 29, 2003)

My age (and shoulder) has caught up with me and I can no longer pull back a bow enough times to practice to my satisfaction. I was thinking that black powder pistol would be an interesting alternative with about the same effective range. Does anyone else on this forum do this? For those outside ND, .50 is the minimum legal caliber.


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

I think Traditions make a single shot inline 50 cal pistol, but I can't think of what it is called.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I had a 50 cal Lyman pistol many years back. I couldn't shoot it that well with the factory sights, but I made a peep for it and it would shoot very good with that. 
I think Thompson Center makes a very good 50 caliber. I have the old 45 caliber Patriot so can't use it for deer in North Dakota. It will out shoot my Smith and Wesson 44 mag for accuracy. At 25 yards it will outshoot most modern pistols. I have shot many limits of squirrel with it.
I loaded the old Lyman with up to 50 grains of poweder. I didn't own a chronograph at the time, but it carried to 100 yards as quickly as my 357. Hard to judge, but it appeared that way. I always wanted to load a light mini ball in it.
I don't think I would hesitate on a 50 yard shot with that pistol.

I think you gave me a good project. I have not chronographed my 45 caliber either. The droop at 100 yards indicates that I am getting in the neighborhood of 1000 fps with a 127 grain round ball and 30 gr of pistol pyrodex. I would guess that 50 grains in the 50 caliber would be between 1200 and 1300 fps, but I have no data.


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