Lymans Rifles?

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chad1043

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How do the two Lyman rifles compare to each other? The Trade Rifle and the Great Plains rifle?

I live in Michigan and we have a great BP season.

I would like a traditional and these two seem to fit the bill.

Now what about Flint versus Percussion? I have no BP experience, but it will probably be my only BP in my future.

I really dig the traditional stuff, so let me hear it..

Chad
 
The Great Plains is a bigger gun, by quite a bit. It has a 32 inch, 1:60 twist barrel compared to the Trade Rifle's 28 inch, 1:48 barrel. The GPR weighs a half pound more as well, 11.4 lbs compared to 10.8 for the Trade Rifle.

You'll get many opinions on how they shoot; my personal favorite for pure shooting pleasure is the GPR. It's steadier and the heavier weight helps me hold and reduces felt recoil. Combined with the longer sight radius it's more accurate for me. The Trade Rifle is better for carrying in the field if you're dealing with any cover, again because of weight and the shorter barrel.

I would absolutely recommend you not start with the flintlock. I have both and really enjoy the flinter more, but flintlocks are trickier to learn. For someone just starting out with bp a percussion gun is a much better entry level gun.
 
I agree with mykeal in that your first traditional Muzzle Loader should be a percussion model because of the learning curve & patience associated with a Flintlock.

I have the Lyman Trade rifle & love it, it's not too heavy for long stalks in the woods & the 4" shorter length I'm sure makes it more manuverable in the thick stuff that I sometimes go through.

I've fired a few friends' Lyman Great Plains Rifle & it is a true pleasure to shoot, you can not go wrong with either rifle IMHO & shooting PRB through either will supprise you in the accuracy & authority that these fine rifles do posess.
 
New Lyman Great Plains rifle.

Just got back from the range where I fired my Lyman GPR for the first time.
Its also my first flintlock - I have wanted one for years and finally decided to
get it!.

I am very satisfied with the quality of the rifle and have found this typical of all the Lyman products I have seen or used.
 
I have a GPR and find it accurate and very easy to carry in the field. A beautiful gun.
 
What charges are you using? I experimented a bit this morning and it seemed to me that the rifle shot well with 60 gr of fffg BP. It was shooting low and right at 50 yards but I will sort this out by sight adjustment.

Very little recoil - mostly soaked up by the mass of the rifle. I had some slight delay between the priming pan and the main charge which led to a bit of flinch on my part. Again, not a major problem and I will fix it.

I was not very impressed by the flints that I got from the supplier. They appear to be cut and shaped agates. I have some black flint nodules which I collected when last in the UK and am now making my own - flint cuts OK on an angle-grinder with a diamond wheel.

There was a tendency for the back wedge to come loose on recoil. I have tightened up the barrel bracket as recomended by Lyman and will see how it works out at the next session.

This is really fun and is why we shoot these weapons. It will take time but
I am going to get this rifle shooting 5 cm groups at 100 metres (or at least keep trying for it!)
 
Thanks for the wealth of information guys. I love the looks of the GRP, but the size of the trade is better... Man, making a decision is gonna be tough... Can't buy both...
 
Saw cut agate is a waste of time IMO. Just not sharp enough to cut steel well. With a antler tine you might chip at it and make it sharp.

I make my own English Flints from balast I find on the eastern coast, and once in awhile I find french Amber flint, which I prefer.

Don't over fill the pan either, the powder should be no less than 1/32" below the vent.

If the vent is lined get a better liner.
 
Thanks Macmac. I have just now made my first flints - one of which works OK. Next ones will be better.

I have what seems to be a stainless-steel vent liner, which I presume is typical Lyman. The hole through the liner fits a 1.5mm drill shaft. I don't see that I can do much about it other than enlarge the hole, which does not seem to be a really good idea.
 
DuncanSA - I would not hesitate to open up the vent liner hole on a Lyman flintlock. Many people have had much improved ignition by doing so. 1.5mm is 0.0591 inches; you can open it up to 5/64 inches, which is 0.0781 inches or 1.984mm. I'd start with 1.6mm (0.063"), then try 1.75mm (0.0689") and finally 5/64" (0.0781") if you can get it. If you have access to SAE bits, start with 1/16" (0.0625"), then #52 (0.0635"), #51 (0.067"), #50, (0.070"), #49 (0.073"), #48 (0.076") and finally 5/64" (0.0781"). Just stop when you get the results you are looking for.

Another option is to buy a White Lightnin' vent liner; however, they are permanently installed - there's no way to remove one if you should ever need to, besides drilling it out and ruining it.
 
Thanks mykeal

I am really enjoying my first flintlock. The good advice I have had from you and others is much appreciated. I have only fired my GPR about 20 shots to date and don't want to do any mods until I get to know it better.

This coming weekend I plan to address the sights and get at least some shots where I want them to go.
 
Don't make any permanent sight changes until you've put about 100 rounds through it. Lyman (Investarms) rifling will take a bit of shooting before the barrel settles in. Once it does, well, it's superb.
 
All I plan to do at this stage is drift the rear sight slightly to cure the right shooting tendency. I can probably get the elevation OK by using the adjustment screw.
 
Rule of Thumb on powder charge: start with a number of grains equal to the caliber of the rifle, and adjust to find a clean shooting accurate load for the powder that you use. My .54 likes almost 60gr of FFFg behind a PRB...Mind you, it's not too humid here most of the time.

I recommend shooting a caplock for at least a year before trying a flinter. You should learn the drill of loading before you have to learn the drill of making spark. All shooting is done offhand, to facilitate loading.( Also, no benches in the woods, so practice as you hunt.)

My first rifle was a percussion GPR, and I now shoot a GPR flintlock. I love the flinter! My percussion GPR is a backup and spare gun now.

knapped flints are best!

wet Black Powder dries out, Pyrodex turns to mud.

touch-hole liners are restrictive on most Lymans. If you chamfer the vent hole, the flash will usually be more even.(less hang-fire)
My rifle is still touchy, I tap the stock on the right hand side with the heel of my hand to wash priming powder up to the touch hole as I prime. ( helps avoid the old "flash in the pan") Clear the touch hole with your nipple pick as needed. (residue will build after 10-15 consecutive shots.)
 
Lyman

I've been shooting a TC 50 cap lock,now w/grn mt bl 1:28 so no prb's for me.
I've been considering a flinter,but may go to .54 cal,I see Lyman has a Flintlock with a fast twist for maxi-balls;anyone have any info?If I stay with 1:60 will it stablize the old hb-mini style?I have a lee .50 mini and it won't stablize in the 1:28.I find 75 gr ffg is good load 100gr gets to beating me up.
Has anyone found anything better than 1000+?I'm able to get it for less than 7.00 a tube and am slowly stocking up;at least it smells better than the old stuff in a jar.
A Lyman Flintlock should comply with most restrictions even if I'm using maxi-ball in oregon.
 
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