.54 Lyman Great Plains Rifle Review

[ETipp]

Finally got around to testing my .54 GPR. I purchased this ML last January from Packrat, a member on here. The ML was as advertised and as Packrat described in overall appearance. Shipping was fast.

This is one of those muzzleloaders that I have always wanted but never got until now. Was about to buy one from a friend but the barrel was badly rusted, so I passed on that one. Being a hunter first and foremost, I've had very good results shooting Maxi Balls on deer and elk and they are my preferred critter pill. However, the allure of shooting a RB has always been with me and I also wanted to go back to a round ball round for the somewhat smaller deer in this neck of the woods. The GPR has a very good reputation for being a good RB shooter, thus my rational for the purchase. I didn't want anything I had to make it shoot round balls.

First visit to the range last winter was a cold one. I was all bundled up and there was ice on the ground. I had realized when I first got the ML that the front sight was way off the the right, but decided to keep it there initially. My main concern was seeing what kind of groups I could get with it. That day produced poor results.

Second time to the range was about a month ago. I started off with different charges of 2F. No matter what, it was putting rounds all over the paper. When investigating this I found the rear sight would move at will. Session over.

After cleaning it well I decided to temporally rig the factory buckhorn sight so it wouldn't move. I did so with a very high tech piece of equipment........a toothpick.

After a fair amount of research I also decided to change the load from 2F to 3F. So I loaded it up with 90 grains. For a quick test I took the ML out back of my house and fired 3 shots. I could only get 30 yards but it produced a tight group. That showed some promise and built my confidence back up.

Knowing that the buckhorn sight was faulty, as well as my vision doesn't play well with buckhorn sights, I decided it was time for a rear sight change. After much research I decided on a Lyman 57 peep made for the GPR. I was able to secure one from another member on here. The installation was pretty much up front. Had to drill and tap one hole, install the wedge and screw that came with the sight. A shim (small washer) was also installed on under the forward hole to level things up. However, after taking the ML out back and taking an aim at some objects down in the somewhat darker woods, it became obvious that the aperture was too small. It was at .40" so I drilled it out to 107". Walked back out the door and took aim again. Now that's what I'm talking about.

The next morning I took my GPR to the range. It did take a few shots and some time to get it sighted in at 30 yards. I ran a patch down the bore after each shot. The load was .530 round ball, 90 grains of 3F BP, .018"ticking lubed with Tracks Mink Oil. After sight in I went directly back to 75 yards. I didn't try 50 yards.

To say this ole boy was pleased after seeing the groups would be an understatement. POI was flat as well. Back to 100 yards produced a bit wider of group than I wanted but I was getting tired, so some of that could have been me. The group was about 6 inches or so.

I find the Lyman Great Plains Rife to not only be very appealing to the eye, but a very accurate, rugged ML. It holds very steady from an offhanded position and I didn't have any issues with it when shooting off of a bench. The recoil with a 90 grain charge and round ball is very tolerable.

This is now my favorite muzzleloader and I am eagerly awaiting deer season this year. The plans are to use this one in certain areas to start off with until I see how the old .54 round ball performs.

Pictures to follow.

 

[ETipp]

When she first came to me.

 

[ETipp]

Wearing the Lyman 57 peep up grade

 

[ETipp]

75 yard group. The shot at the 9:00 position was an oops. I wasn’t even ready to pull the trigger.

 

[chorizo]

Well done. I like purpose driven hunting guns and you have obviously set this gun up for your particular hunts and conditions. I try to do the same.

I have a pair of 50 cal 21" fast twist Ardesa carbines I want to shoot the Hornady 385 gr GP out of for deer. Hopefully I will get a chance to sight them in before deer season on 10 Sep. But for now, off to hunt elk!

 

[ETipp]

Well done. I like purpose driven hunting guns and you have obviously set this gun up for your particular hunts and conditions. I try to do the same.

I have a pair of 50 cal 21 fast twist Ardesa carbines I want to shoot he Honrnady 385 gr GP out of for deer. Hopefully I will get a chance to sight them in before deer season on 10 Sep. But for now, off to hunt elk!

Good luck to you my friend. Hope you bring home the elk meat. As long as its not an old rutting hurd bull, elk about as good as it gets.

 

[Thingamajiggy]

Nice gun. My .54 GPR is a shooter as well. My flinter likes 80grs of 2F with your same ball and patch combo. 1 of several ML that I really don't shoot a whole lot anymore but a) I like the look and b) shoot too well to let go. Maybe some day I'll let them walk but not today. Good luck with yours this season.

 

[Dobegrant]

Well done. I like purpose driven hunting guns and you have obviously set this gun up for your particular hunts and conditions. I try to do the same.

I have a pair of 50 cal 21" fast twist Ardesa carbines I want to shoot the Hornady 385 gr GP out of for deer. Hopefully I will get a chance to sight them in before deer season on 10 Sep. But for now, off to hunt elk!

Good luck on the elk hunt, hope Thumper connects with a nice elk.

 

[Dobegrant]

75 yard group. The shot at the 9:00 position was an oops. I wasn’t even ready to pull the trigger.

Very nice looking rifle and good shooting, just got a Lyman trade rifle today hope it shoots like this one does.

 

[ETipp]

Very nice looking rifle and good shooting, just got a Lyman trade rifle today hope it shoots like this one does.

Thank you, Dobegrant. In all actuality this was in no way to show off my shooting, rather to show the potential accuracy of the Lyman Great Plains Rifle.

I too, hope your trade rifle shoots to your expectations.

 

[smokepolehall]

Glad to see you are getting it dialed in for this Fall.

 

[ETipp]

Nice gun. My .54 GPR is a shooter as well. My flinter likes 80grs of 2F with your same ball and patch combo. 1 of several ML that I really don't shoot a whole lot anymore but a) I like the look and b) shoot too well to let go. Maybe some day I'll let them walk but not today. Good luck with yours this season.

I certainly do not plan on getting rid of this one. I mean, what's not to like about the GPR? Looks cool as heck, shoulders nicely, holds steady, is awesome accurate, and is built like a tank.

I'm in the same camp as you. Unless I am testing loads or sights, I rarely shoot. I'm a hunter first and foremost.

 

[ETipp]

Glad to see you are getting it dialed in for this Fall.

Yeah man, she's ready to go. For all practical purposes, anytime one installs a peep, a front sight change is order. However, even with the somewhat different view with this one and the original front sight, it has proven to be plenty accurate enough to hunt. Just center the front bead and its all good.

Nothing broken.

 

[pacanis]

Nice report.
Looking forward to more as you dial it in.

From the photo it's a single trigger? I didn't blow it up...
Must be a light trigger pull. I've touched one off unexpectedly, but it was a set trigger. My TC I think.

 

[longcruise]

The plans are to use this one in certain areas to start off with until I see how the old .54 round ball performs

Don't be at all concerned. That ball over 90 grains will be plenty of juice.

 

[chorizo]

75 yards or less, it certainly will be for an east coast white tail

 

[SDSmlf]

Good write up. Sounds like you are pretty close if not there for hunting season. I owned a few (still have two) GPRs and have a couple of thoughts.

I don’t know the born on date of your gun or how many rounds have been through it, but you may want to consider polishing the bore with something like Scotch Brite. The bores of many of these Lyman guns were ‘notorious’ for requiring a couple hundred shots before they settled in, often requiring ball diameter and/or patch thickness changes along with minor sight adjustments if you were fussy. The Scotch Brite treatment seems to eliminate that quirk in many cases.

With your Lyman sight, consider removing the aperture and using the threaded hole as a ghost ring. Found for hunting conditions it works great, saving the apertures for sighting in and precision shooting if that’s your game. While some may call it heresy, consider a fiber optic front sight if having difficulty finding the front sight through the rear as you attempt to shoot in hunting conditions. I have seen studies done in non shooting related safety/industrial situations that found green to be the easiest color to quickly pick up in most lighting conditions. Something to think about if you go the fiber optic route.

I got a number of round ball and conical hunting guns from 45 to 62 caliber. I typically start at 80 grains of 3F Swiss just because, and if the gun shoots accurately with that charge, I have a hunting load, particularly for whitetail. If need be, I’ll adjust the powder charge up or down from there for accuracy. Going after something bigger, you may want to up the charge and see what you get.

If you find a load that works for you, probably best to stop and concentrate on practice. Hunting season is just around the corner. Plenty of time post hunting season to experiment.

 

[ETipp]

Nice report.
Looking forward to more as you dial it in.

From the photo it's a single trigger? I didn't blow it up...
Must be a light trigger pull. I've touched one off unexpectedly, but it was a set trigger. My TC I think.

It is a double set trigger. Much like on my Crockett squirrel rifle, as well as the Renegades I use to own, I find it to be very conducive to not even touch the trigger until I am ready to shoot.

 

[ETipp]

Don't be at all concerned. That ball over 90 grains will be plenty of juice.

You are correct there, Longcruise. I have zero concerns as to IF it will kill a deer. However, for most of my extremely thick, happy hunting grounds, its how far will they run before suddenly becoming uninterested in further toil. I have a couple of other locations that are more open and not nearly as steep. Trust me when I say this, one of my happy hunting grounds is the thickest, meanest, briar patch that no man should have to tread into. It covers about 7-10 acres. Deer like it and its a great place to hunt, but its too darn thick and mean to walk through. Last year I shot a buck from up on a very steep hillside looking down into the thicket. Even though I mentally marked where it fell, when I got down there, I walked within 5 feet of the deer several times before found it. And by the time I dragged him out, I looked like I had been in fight with a wildcat. Not just blackberry briars but many saw-briars as well.

At another one of my happy hunting grounds its so steep that when a hit deer runs down in there, it darn near requires a Huey to recover it.

Gotta love hunting in the mountains.

 

[ETipp]

Good write up. Sounds like you are pretty close if not there for hunting season. I owned a few (still have two) GPRs and have a couple of thoughts.

I don’t know the born on date of your gun or how many rounds have been through it, but you may want to consider polishing the bore with something like Scotch Brite. The bores of many of these Lyman guns were ‘notorious’ for requiring a couple hundred shots before they settled in, often requiring ball diameter and/or patch thickness changes along with minor sight adjustments if you were fussy. The Scotch Brite treatment seems to eliminate that quirk in many cases.

With your Lyman sight, consider removing the aperture and using the threaded hole as a ghost ring. Found for hunting conditions it works great, saving the apertures for sighting in and precision shooting if that’s your game. While some may call it heresy, consider a fiber optic front sight if having difficulty finding the front sight through the rear as you attempt to shoot in hunting conditions. I have seen studies done in non shooting related safety/industrial situations that found green to be the easiest color to quickly pick up in most lighting conditions. Something to think about if you go the fiber optic route.

I got a number of round ball and conical hunting guns from 45 to 62 caliber. I typically start at 80 grains of 3F Swiss just because, and if the gun shoots accurately with that charge, I have a hunting load, particularly for whitetail. If need be, I’ll adjust the powder charge up or down from there for accuracy. Going after something bigger, you may want to up the charge and see what you get.

If you find a load that works for you, probably best to stop and concentrate on practice. Hunting season is just around the corner. Plenty of time post hunting season to experiment.

Indeed. All legitimate points you bring up. I concur on most all of it.

I neglected to include in my review that I found a some smaller cuts in a few somewhat damp cleaning patches. At the advisement of Chorizo, I purchased some lapping compound and cutting oil, then lapped the barrel. This particular GPR was made in 1991 and has obviously only been fired a very few times.

You are correct again with your statement on removing the aperture in the Lyman 57 sight. I found it to work much like a ghost ring sight but with one major issue. **For my particular eyesight**, it is too thin around the edges, to the degree that it is not nearly as effective as a thicker ghost ring. Therefore I drilled the .040 aperture out to 107" and I find it works very good in both sunlight as well as under poor light conditions. Also, realizing that whenever a tang peep sight is mounted to a ML, a taller front sight is in order. Went through this with my Crockett rifle and installed a taller and thinner fiber optic front sight. The combination of peep and taller a taller fiber optic front sight helped tremendously.

However, not having a taller front sight on hand for the GPR, I decided to test this one as is with the original wider front blade sight. It works as is but a taller and thinner front sight might make longer shots a bit easier. I can still keep them all in about a 6 inch group at 100 yards. So this begs the question of maximum effective hunting distance with the chosen load. As of now, it is to my belief that 100 yards is it for this ML and round.

At this time everything is up to my hunting standards and I have decided to leave it as is for this year. The load is certainly powerful and accurate enough. Even though the sight picture is a little on the unorthodox side, its been found and as the picture I posted shows, that as long as I center the front sight in the aperture it shoots a very tight group at 75 yards.

Perhaps next year during the off season I might tinker with this one a bit more, but as it is now, it should certainly make do for this season.