I been checking out some local black powder guys, they all say the Lyman great plains rifle is the best deal out there for the money, any comments ?.also wondering who has the best price on them online.And if CVA or traditions would be as good or is Lyman just way above these other makers?

[ 09-30-2003, 06:03: Message edited by: Bulletman ]

You might try the prices at Mid South Shooters Supply. They have all of the brand names listed, but may not list all models of each brand.

LouisB

I have no idea what the current prices are but I used to own a Lyman Plains Rifle,the forerunner to the one you are asking about. I really liked it and should never have sold it. Dumb derf.

Bulletman I have owned two Lyman Great Plains in .54, a caplock and a flintlock. I have also owned a couple of Pedersoli's and other mass produced M/L's.

Of the ones that I have owned, used or played with I have no doubt that the Lyman is the most reliable (and at least equally well made as the Pedersoli).

The coil springs in the locks make a vast improvement over the bent bits of pot metal most of the other repro's contain, the steel used is of good quality and the finish is really good. Both my Lymans were made with nice timber, the internals were smooth as was the bore.

The hooked breech set up is excellent and with interchangeable barrels enabling other calibres and twist rates to be used you can set up to optimally shoot ball or minie on the same stock.

Also the double set trigger set up is brilliant, either for target or field use.

You wont be disappointed if you choose the Lyman Great Plains.

[ 09-30-2003, 12:05: Message edited by: HiWall ]

Was just looking at the deerstalker and the lyman trade rifle, good looking guns, 1 in 48 twist, thinking about those too, and casting my own bullets for them, Any one know if Lee makes a mold for these ? in 54 caliber, I guess a conical bullet, what size would you actually use in a 54 cal ? and weight for the twist. I know usually you want a size bigger in rifles for cast, But I dont know about BP guns. those lyman hunting sights on the deerstalker and trade are adjustable ?
OK, Its gonna be a trade or GPR..I'm gettin closer.LOL

[ 10-01-2003, 04:26: Message edited by: Bulletman ]

Bulletman
Here are the links to the different companies that may well help you find the best price. One important thing about buying from a local dealer (if one exists in your neck of the woods) is the service tha some offer AFTER the sale. Of course with the employees in some, their help is worse than no help at all!

While perusing the MidSouth online catalog you can look at Lee Black Powder casting eqyipment.

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/

http://www.midwayusa.com/

Some other sites that may be of use!

http://www.lymanproducts.com/

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/

LouisB

Thanks for the info, yur right about service help, MAN, thats why I end up online, Very few r all around gun guys in my area, But I do have a wide selection of events to attend local that brings in national shooters, so thats where I learn a lot. maybe black powder one day, sporting clays another, or Fort bennings shooters, (the best).

I've been thinking of building a Great Plains Flintlock rifle from one of their kits. Any thoughts on the complexity of the project and pluses/minuses of building it myself vs. buying it ready made. Price difference is about $75.

The big advantage of buying a ready to go gun is that you are shooting straight away. If there is a problem you have some recourse with the manufacturer.

Advantages of building from a kit are that you will know the thing intimately and the hours you spend finishing the stock, draw filing, finishing and bluing will be a real learning experience. With imagination and a few nick-nacks you will end up with a semi-custom rifle, just the way you want.

The down side is that any savings you make on the intial purchase will be swallowed up by purchasing tools and other stuff. (and if you stuff it up there is no-one else to blame).

Building from a kit is an enjoyable experience in itself.

Oooh, guess what I found?!? I found Austin-Halek's version of Lyman's GPR!! 32" barrel, 1-28" twist, beautiful wood, rust blued octagonal barrel, double set trigger, and a price tag of $460!!! If it's in the budget, I've only heard good things of this company. Does anyone know the scoop on these rifles?

They are top of the line in reproduction Hawken stype rifles. I particularly like the rust brown finish. They are availiable with fancy wood stock also. $460 is in the ballpark for N.I.B specimens.

I guess there has to be a nay-sayer in the crowd and I suppose it will be me this time. I just purchased a Great Plains left handed .54 cal 1/60 twist percussion. It is going in for warranty repair after the first outing. The mainspring is too weak, sometimes it won't set the cap off on the first try (yes, the caps were firmly seated ) When you pull the trigger normally, the hammer falls as advertized but when you use the set trigger, it only falls to the half cock position. Shooting patched balls from a bench, it would only put them in about a 12" group at 50 yards. This may be a by-product of the crappy trigger function, I dunno. In any case, I am going to request they replace everything but the wood. I also have a 36 cal Pedersoli for direct comparison and I would not put this Lyman in the same class. This is my first experience with Lyman products and I plainly got a lemon. I am sure this is a fluke as they wouldn't last long if this were the norm. On the positive side, their customer service was very apologetic and promptly directed me to their warranty repair folks which apparently get your rifle fixed and out the very next day.

good shooting,
Ian

[ 10-04-2003, 05:09: Message edited by: 12FLVSS ]

A own two .54 GPR's. One is a percussion the other is a flint. I have been very happy with them and would not trade either of them. Good luck.

Update: They did indeed get my rifle repaired and out the next day. I shipped it out on a Monday and got it back the following Monday. They replaced the mainspring, made some adjustments to the trigger, tweaked the wedges to fit right and suggested I go with a thicker patch. It is now a good MOD (Minute of Deer) rifle, it's still no tack driver but plenty good enough for the 50-75 yard range that I'll be poking deer at.

Ian

If it isn't to late,forget the Trade Rifle. It is nowhere near the rifle the GPR is. derf

[ 10-26-2003, 16:07: Message edited by: Alaska Bush Man ]

If you can fine a "Johnthan Browning Mountain Rifle" by Browning Arms in 45,50 and 54. These are a high quality reproduction of the plains rifle..very best quality and workmanship, sadly due to cost they were only made for a few years. Copied from the orignal plains rifle.

[ 10-26-2003, 16:06: Message edited by: Alaska Bush Man ]

Quote "If you can fine a "Johnthan Browning Mountain Rifle" by Browning Arms in 45,50 and 54. These are a high quality reproduction of the plains rifle..very best quality and workmanship, sadly due to cost they were only made for a few years. Copied from the orignal plains rifle."

My cousin had/has one I have been trying to buy one every since. I want one soooooooo bad.

Bulletman, you have been getting some good advice. I have had five or six GPRs over the past 20 years or so, and while I still had some things to learn about the one flinter I tried, all the percussion rifles were excellent shooters. I hope to get another .54 in the round-ball twist next spring. Sometimes the bores need a little break-in, and I generally play around with aftermarket nipples on all my percussion guns, but other than that, the GPRs are very good rifles for the money. If I can't get a five-shot group close to an inch off the bench at 50 yards with a GPR using real black powder and a properly patched round ball, I am not satisfied.

Bulletman, the great plains rifle is a good one to be sure, one thing is the drop at the heel, it is abrupt compared to others. Best you shoulder it first to see if the sights line up easy. I have a .54 in the 1-60 twist it is a good option. In .54 you will find that it likes loads from, 50gn and up and will be accurate. This is something that the so called sabot fast twist guns don't do well. Reason I call them so call sabot as the idea is not new history has proved that the original sabot the patched round ball is the best for front stuffers. Plastic good for food containers a poor option for a bullet. One question, before everyone gets irate, how come the advocates of sabots, and the manufacturers of sabots are stuck in the paradigm that the bullet has to be housed in plastic. Take say a .50 cal and use a .458 jacketed bullet and a cloth patch, it won't work. Take the same rifle and have a bullet mold made .485dia say 300gn and add a .020 patch lubed with say tcs lube. Cut the patch when seated in the muzzle. I have such a mold for my .54 hawkin trust me I can shoot a 100 rds with out cleaning, and not need a hammer to seat any of them.

I did end up getting the GPR kit, 54 cal. percussion, I love this thing.

[ 11-05-2003, 05:10: Message edited by: Bulletman ]

Great Bulletman, would love to hear how you go with building it - good points and hassles.

It needed alot of sanding, I went100-150-220 grain sanding, then walnut stain and many coats of tung oil, looks really good. The steel was good already except I had to file some on the breech plug to make it fit the tang perfect, and had to tap on the steel clips bottom side of barrel, so the wedges fit snug. And I sanded under the lock so the hammer fell on the nipple center. I heated up the barrel with a little propane torch and and dabbed the plum brown on it, it should sizzle when it touches, and it came out great too. Was my first time doing this, wasnt difficult at all, and I really enjoyed it. Its now my favorite gun. after a week or so of shooting I got 2-3 inch groups at 100 yards with 535 ball and .015 patches.
Only had this thing a couple weeks now.

[ 11-06-2003, 02:05: Message edited by: Bulletman ]

YUP And now you're hooked too! derf

In J.B. Mountain rifles in 50 and 54 I use .495 and .535 balls and .010 lubed patches with 90 grains of Select. I also use Ballet' bullets they work well in the twist.